Looking for help with designing a manifold

[Roggio]

I have two tanks hooked up to the same sump and currently run my skimmer and fuge off of a separate pump. My tanks are 250g and 150g

I'd like to set up a manifold where all four are controlled. I'm going to be running them off of two Varios 8 pumps. I'm wondering if I should just do two manifolds or combine them.

Also, I know the thought is you should add more outlets than you need but I plan on running my calcium reactor and carbon off small pumps that way when the tank is shut down for water changes they're not disturbed. Plus the valves are $20 each.

 

[Mandelstam]

If it was me I think I would have run a separate manifold with one pump and connected reactors/skimmer to that and then run the returns/fuge with pump no2.

 

[Roggio]

If it was me I think I would have run a separate manifold with one pump and connected reactors/skimmer to that and then run the returns/fuge with pump no2.

I’m going to do one pump per tank for sure. The one Varios 8 is almost enough to do everything by itself. I ended up getting two because the sale at BRS was so good. They will both be in the same chamber

 

[Mandelstam]

I’m going to do one pump per tank for sure. The one Varios 8 is almost enough to do everything by itself. I ended up getting two because the sale at BRS was so good. They will both be in the same chamber

Then I would run the manifold with a third pump and hook up the reactors and skimmer to that. Refugium teed off from either return or drain.

I can't really see how you would run ONE manifold with two pumps. Or how you would need two manifolds. But maybe I'm missing something or I'm just very slow lol

 

[Mandelstam]

Or you could just save one of the Varios as a backup and have one return pump and a smaller one for the manifold equipment.. One less pump in the system and good redundancy for when pump failure happens..

 

[Roggio]

Or you could just save one of the Varios as a backup and have one return pump and a smaller one for the manifold equipment.. One less pump in the system and good redundancy for when pump failure happens..

That’s what I’m thinking. I would plum them both into the same manifold pushing around 5000gph. If one fails the other could pull the weight for the time being.

Im also realizing the pumps will produce different pressure even if they’re the same model. I would need to instal check valves incase of failure. I’m not a fan of check valves and avoid them if at all possible.

Dang, I’m provably going to need to build two manifolds.