Is setting up a manifold worth it?

[Sierra_Bravo]

Thanks for dropping by. So regarding GFO, what problems did you use it to solve and what would you have done if you didnt have the reactor?

I feed the heck out of my tank (frozen in the morning, pellets afternoon/evening, nori and reef roids x3 per week) Usually the chaeto + skimmer is enough to keep up with nutrient control; sometimes it's not enough to keep phosphates at bay. I'll throw it on when my PO4 is pushing up. Over time my PO4 drops down on its own and I have to use less and less GFO each week until I take it off again.

Without the reactor I'd have to: 1. Pull back on feedings. 2. Reduce my livestock. 3. Perform large water changes. 4. Hope like heck I figure out my problem before the SPS start showing signs of suffering.

 

[motortrendz]

Sweet. Looks like those ball valves are these right? Any use with them yet? they're 1/2 the price of gate valves. Anything to add on the value of being able to run GFO/carbon? Must have in your opinion?

You can get the same ones on amazon for half the price. But yes those are the valves I use

 

[atlorange]

I love mine. I have 5 outlets all with gate valves. Can easily add, remove, and switch around equipment. I added 2 more outlets to right side after this pic was taken.

 

[EmptyWallet]

I run 3 media reactors - GFO, Carbon and Chaeto. I have to run my Vectra L1 at 95% to feed them and return water to the display. As mentioned above, a well designed sump with a fuge, and media bags in the sump baffles gives you the same result without all the cost. My 4th tap on the manifold is for water export/water changes which is effectively useless as I can only take 20-30 litres out of the return chamber in the sump.

 

[spiraling]

I put valves on a manifold for my 525xl. glad I did. I do have 2 reactors, a BRS dual for GFO and carbon, then a single. I haven't needed GFO. I do always run carbon. The other was going to be biopellets, but I haven't needed that yet. I could run chaeto in it, since my refugium space is limited.

What's nice is I can turn them off (I have a separate on/off valve that came with them) or sometimes I run them with filter floss to get extra gunk out of the water such as after disturbing the sand a lot.

I would at least plumb one so you have options if needed. Easier to do now rather than when all the equipment is under the sump.

 

[Saveafish]

While the up front cost is there. The additional plug and play add-ons is well worth it. The whoops I need to run this or ohh I wished I could add this real fast. Every thing from drip acclaimated system. To the addition canister of carbon. I have one and I add a plain house filter to it when I stir things up to clean it. The options are endless. Think of all the extra pumps you add time to time. Manifolds rids that. Plug and turn a valve.

If you're in your first year or two you won't really see it. After a few years. You will see it as to why. Shure, you might not use it all the time but when you do your gonna smile. Instead of buying another pump.

 

[CoralReefer2110]

So my response is in line with many others. I run multiple reactors as well as feed the fuge with a manifold approach. The logic in setting it up was to be able to also add things later on down the road. Kudos to my builder/design guys for pushing me in the direction. Sure enough within about 6 mos I wanted to add a CA reactor and am currently planning the add of the UV system. Having the manifold is an incredible time/planning saver at this point. Had I not, I would be looking at a major re-work of the plumbing. I don't know that I would have good scientific advice pro or con on the necessity of all the reactors but as someone who likes having options building it out as scale-able as possible the first time was a big help.

I don't have access to uploading pics at the moment but my build thread has them already loaded. Cheers.

 

[TetoCCB]

I'm currently cycling my Reefer 425 and I'm thinking of setting up a manifold. My thoughts are that ill use 4 valves: one for GFO, one for carbon, one to pump water out for water changes, and the last to potentially feed a refugium in the future.

Just not sure how much I'll gain from all these things as theres tons of conflicting information whether to run GFO/Carbon at all.

TLDR: Pros/Cons of running a manifold/reactors in my Reefer?

Thanks in advance!

Manifolds are great for those who tinker and modify (CQI)... I used the 1” manifold (4 port) and gate valves from flexpvc.com ... I’ve capped unused ports, but I like having ports available for future additions without having to redesign my plumbing...

 

[TetoCCB]

And after a couple of additions and rearrangement...

 

[Docjpath]

I love mine. I have 5 outlets all with gate valves. Can easily add, remove, and switch around equipment. I added 2 more outlets to right side after this pic was taken.

Very nice, well designed manifold and return line system. Do you run multiple tanks on this system or is that just three return lines to main display tank?

 

[Silent]

Not a fan of manifolds. At least not if it reduces redundancy. I don't want 1 pump to control everything. If that 1 pump fails, everything fails. If you had 2 return pumps and 1 manifold then cool.

 

[APX90]

I guess it depends on the type of person you are, if you dont mind multiple pumps feeding equipment and soft tubing everywhere then its pointless, i like the clean look of hard plumbing. I run a manifold on my small RSR170 and it works really well. i run a dual media reactor and a UV, i just capped off the end of the manifold in the case i want to add something like a chiller later on down the road. the only down side i see to it is youll need a much larger pump than you normally would. In my case im running a 1700 GPH DC pump at about 65%. That gets me the flow rates i need through my UV and reactors. Besides the technical standpoint manifolds just plain look cool which is another selling point in my opinion

 

[User]

If you add a gate valve and union immediately after the T in the return line, in order to be able to shut it down completely for maintenance or troubleshooting- that flow has to go somewhere. Ie- up your return line. Make sure your DT overflow can handle it, or know what setting you have to dial your return dc pump to in order to compensate or you’ll end up with a wet foot,

I have a basement sump with 800gph going upstairs, and 400gph manifold going into a fuge and a future cryptic sponge tank. I’m about to take it offline and replace the manifold with a dedicated pump so that my return line is just for sending water upstairs. I was finding that if I took the fuge off line, getting the BAdrains to settle was a pain.

I made a mini manifold and run my brs reactors off a 400gph pump in the skimmer section. I can run them independently or together and have adjustable flow on both

 

[User]

I guess it depends on the type of person you are, if you dont mind multiple pumps feeding equipment and soft tubing everywhere then its pointless, i like the clean look of hard plumbing. I run a manifold on my small RSR170 and it works really well. i run a dual media reactor and a UV, i just capped off the end of the manifold in the case i want to add something like a chiller later on down the road. the only down side i see to it is youll need a much larger pump than you normally would. In my case im running a 1700 GPH DC pump at about 65%. That gets me the flow rates i need through my UV and reactors. Besides the technical standpoint manifolds just plain look cool which is another selling point in my opinion

What happens to the excess flow if you turn off your reactors and UV? Do you have it set up to ‘short circuit’ back into the sump when you turn that stuff off?

 

[ReefLab]

If you add a gate valve and union immediately after the T in the return line, in order to be able to shut it down completely for maintenance or troubleshooting- that flow has to go somewhere. Ie- up your return line. Make sure your DT overflow can handle it, or know what setting you have to dial your return dc pump to in order to compensate or you’ll end up with a wet foot,

I have a basement sump with 800gph going upstairs, and 400gph manifold going into a fuge and a future cryptic sponge tank. I’m about to take it offline and replace the manifold with a dedicated pump so that my return line is just for sending water upstairs. I was finding that if I took the fuge off line, getting the BAdrains to settle was a pain.

I made a mini manifold and run my brs reactors off a 400gph pump in the skimmer section. I can run them independently or together and have adjustable flow on both

Thanks for that tip. I'll dial in the DC pump with no manifolds before I start tweaking them for future reference. Although, the way my tank is designed, I don't think the DT could totally overflow.. Emergency overflow + regular overflow on the Reefer. I'd probably end up just turning off the pump totally (check valve on return line of course) and letting my sump fill.

 

[User]

Thanks for that tip. I'll dial in the DC pump with no manifolds before I start tweaking them for future reference. Although, the way my tank is designed, I don't think the DT could totally overflow.. Emergency overflow + regular overflow on the Reefer. I'd probably end up just turning off the pump totally (check valve on return line of course) and letting my sump fill.

Yeah- I have a three pipe Bean animal and because a badly designed overflow box (that I can’t name due to ‘issues’ ) , I got a flood when I turned off my manifold. That extra 400gph overwhelmed my box.

I’ve since switched it out to a much better box, but I think making the move to separate pumps and keeping return for the return is a prudent move for me.

 

[lbacha]

I would definitely go with a manifold and leave yourself extra outputs if you can. I had to quickly add a chiller to my system and it was up and running within 10 minutes of getting it in the mail since I was able to just connect it via the manifold. I have also been able to do the same thing with a uv sterilizer early in the tanks life when I had Dino issues.

 

[ReefLab]

I would definitely go with a manifold and leave yourself extra outputs if you can. I had to quickly add a chiller to my system and it was up and running within 10 minutes of getting it in the mail since I was able to just connect it via the manifold. I have also been able to do the same thing with a uv sterilizer early in the tanks life when I had Dino issues.

I ordered two gate valves thinking I would add an additional T and cap it in case I want to add something later on.. now I’m thinking I should’ve just ordered a third gate valve...

 

[APX90]

What happens to the excess flow if you turn off your reactors and UV? Do you have it set up to ‘short circuit’ back into the sump when you turn that stuff off?

No I run a DC pump I just turn the pump speed down, hard to see in the photo but there's a ball valve there to restrict flow, I guess this would act as flow control if you were using a larger single speed AC pump.

 

[AZMSGT]

OP, you have a RS 425, there is very limited space inside that cabinet. With my 625 I have a manifold however I have it on an separate pump.
My main return line is a Vectra M2 and my accessory line is a Vectra M2.
My manifold sends water to my Algae scrubber and UV. I have a carbon reactor but it’s fed by a cobalt MJ1200 pump. If I need to run GFO I’ll just mix the GFO and carbon in one reactor.