Plumbing a gate valve directly to sump?

[Ky_acc]

Hey there, I am planning to potentially add a gate valve to a Red Sea system. The stock plumbing is metric and so that requires unions / conversion fittings to switch over to US pvc plumbing.

that said I was thinking it might be easier to plumb the gate valve to connect directly to my sump down pipe - see the area I’m thinking to connect to circled red below.

I don’t really ever see this configuration so I’m wondering if there is a reason I am missing that this wouldn’t work or would be Ill advised (admittedly I have very little plumbing expertise).

below is a more standard configuration where the valve is placed vertically on the drain pipe from the tanks overflow.

The only reason I would want to change this standard configuration is that it would be much easier to fit the conversion union on the pipe vertically off the drain line - but this wouldn’t leave much room for the gate valve due to the sump height.

That’s why it would be better to just attach the gate valve to the sump directly in my scenario.

thanks for the input!

Standard gate/ball valve placement that I referenced above - I would want to use a metric-to-US conversion union here instead of the valve

 

[LiveWire]

I don't see why it would not work as it would restrict water flow either way. Although I always add my gate valves to the return going to the tank. Using a DC pump and a gate vale lets me really dial in my flow. I would guess placing it on the drain side though would keep any back pressure off the pump on an non controllable pump.

 

[Snoopy 67]

My only issue is the small area that the connection is mounted to. You will have to be careful when you adjust the valve.

 

[Gablami]

It will work

Many acrylic sumps have eurobracing along the top with bulkheads for the overflow plumbing. Gate valves are often at the sump level.

 

[Snoopy 67]

True but only the corner is braced here, & it’s a small one to boot.

 

[vangvace]

You can but I like the flexibility of using a Red Sea return connector (part #42222) and a Spears 32mm to 1" transition union on the reefers.

Build Thread - Randy's Redsea Reefer 250 and the rest of the Coral Farm

Awesome, thanks!

www.reef2reef.com

For the MaxS line the unions that come with the Varios pumps work for Euro to US conversion.

 

[Ky_acc]

FYI this is the actual sump I’ll be using, it is small (18x10x16) but the top portion actually appears to have a decent brace

 

[Snoopy 67]

That is a completely different animal. No Worries there.

 

[Sharkman89]

I’m a little confused here, you are using the Eshopps sump? What’s the first photo of then?

 

[Ky_acc]

I’m a little confused here, you are using the Eshopps sump? What’s the first photo of then?

I just used it as a reference as the picture showed an extension from the bulkhead — I just thought it was easier to convey the message I was trying to get across with that picture.