Please Review My Plumbing Plan

[Patrick Cox]

Well, my new aquarium is scheduled to arrive this week and I need to finish my plumbing plan. The tank will be 36x24x20 (about 75 gallons) and then I will have a roughly 20 gallon sump with a refugium. the overflow drain is external and I plan to run a Herbie drain system. The tank will have two returns in the back wall. Drains are 1" and returns are 3/4".

Attached is a rough drawing for my plumbing plan. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions for improvements. One question I do have is - do I need a ball/gate valve in one of the two returns after the wye to control flow to each?

Thanks!

 

[Aquaph8]

You need a valve on the main drain line, this drain is a full siphon which means it has no air. Without the valve it'll drain your whole overflow box and start sucking air which is noisy. The only other thing I would suggest is making the return lines nice and even after the y so you get nice even flow out of each return. Also do yourself a big favor and use some extra unions so your plumbing is completely removable.

 

[Patrick Cox]

You need a valve on the main drain line, this drain is a full siphon which means it has no air. Without the valve it'll drain your whole overflow box and start sucking air which is noisy. The only other thing I would suggest is making the return lines nice and even after the y so you get nice even flow out of each return. Also do yourself a big favor and use some extra unions so your plumbing is completely removable.

Thanks for your reply! I drew in a gate valve on the main drain but I have it down in the sump. Is that Ok or would you recommend behind the tank directly under the overflow? I was thinking it would be more accessible in the stand/sump area.

Also, where all would you recommend unions? I was thinking - at the beginning and end of each drain and return, before and after each valve. Any others?

Finally regarding your comment on the even return after the wye, would you recommend that I angle the return line over to the middle of the tank and then place the wye there?

Thanks again!

 

[Aquaph8]

I think your gate valve would work under the stand like you have it now but it would Be more user friendly if you could see into your overflow box while making adjustments.

As far as unions go I would just make sure it comes apart in areas that don't interfere with the stand and most importantly make sure the return pump comes out for easy maintenance.

That's exactly what I would do with your wye.