Plumbing my reef ready 180?

[Mussin]

getting ready to run return and drain for my 180. My sump is in the basement with 12.5' head pressure. I have a Jebao 20000 dcp pump. The returns are 1" and the drains are 1.5" (dual) what size line should I run from my pump up to my returns? Would I need to run both drains back to my sump?

 

[Jonify]

getting ready to run return and drain for my 180. My sump is in the basement with 12.5' head pressure. I have a Jebao 20000 dcp pump. The returns are 1" and the drains are 1.5" (dual) what size line should I run from my pump up to my returns? Would I need to run both drains back to my sump?

For your first question, to overcome head pressure, you'd want to go with the smallest diameter of your smallest return/drain (a wider diameter just creates/exacerbates head pressure--more water volume to move). So in your case, a 1" line for your return is good. I'm not sure I understand the second question about running both drains to your sump. (Aren't they already?)

 

[Mussin]

For your first question, to overcome head pressure, you'd want to go with the smallest diameter of your smallest return/drain (a wider diameter just creates/exacerbates head pressure--more water volume to move). So in your case, a 1" line for your return is good. I'm not sure I understand the second question about running both drains to your sump. (Aren't they already?)

Well I have 2 returns and 2 drains. I was going to "y" the return to feed both overflows. Should I "y" the drain and run 1 line back to the sump or just run two 1.5" drains to the sump in the basement?

 

[Jonify]

Ah--I think with modern Herbie-style drains that leverage two drains in your overflow (one is used to create a silent syphon down to your sump, the other is placed a little higher than your main return and is used as an emergency overflow, unrestricted, down to your sump, should your main drain get clogged) you'll want to run two lines down to your sump, and one line back up as the return. If both of your overflow drains are the same height and you can't change it to create a Herbie, then yes, you should just "Y" them down to the sump in one pipe, and use one pipe for the return. Regardless, you only need one return line back to your tank, unless you have two return pumps for redundancy, in which case, you should use two return pipes back to your tank to persevere the integrity of the redundancy you've created. (Y-ing a return in this case would just shoot the water from your operating pump into your disabled pump ... the redundant connection would never make it all the way back up to your display--it would take the path of least resistance--the disabled pump back into your sump.)

 

[salty150]

I think he "might" have a Marineland or Aqueon 180...?

They have two interior overflows - each with their own drain and return...

 

[Jonify]

I think he "might" have a Marineland or Aqueon 180...?

They have two interior overflows - each with their own drain and return...

Ah--gotcha. If that's the case, he can just Y both the drains and the returns to run just two pipes total--one drain and one return--with 1" pipes down to his sump. If he wants to create a redundant setup and have two return pumps in his sump (say one of the overflows gets blocked, or one of the return pumps fails) he can run 4 pipes--two drains and two returns (still 1" pipes--you want a smaller diameter to defeat head pressure). That would be the most fail-safe method if he's willing to invest the effort to run 4 pipes and install two return pumps.

 

[Mussin]

Yep it is a Marineland 180 with dual corner overflows. So a 1" return line and a 1.5" drain line is all I need going back to the sump? I was just going to run dual 1.5" drain lines back to the sump or is that unnecessary?

 

[Jonify]

Yep it is a Marineland 180 with dual corner overflows. So a 1" return line and a 1.5" drain line is all I need going back to the sump? I was just going to run dual 1.5" drain lines back to the sump or is that unnecessary?

For dual corner overflows, in that size of tank, if you only want to run two pipes down to your sump, I'd do a "Y" 2" drain and a 1.5" return with the Jaebo. If you want to run redundant pipes to leverage the flexibility that dual overflows gives you (which is absolutely what I'd do), I'd run two 1.5" drain pipes down to your sump, and two 1.0" return pipes from two separate return pumps in your sump (so 4 pipes total).

Keep in mind that your tank-to-sump lines don't need to be moving a lot of flow--in fact, lower flow is going to make your sump work harder and more efficiently. The flow in your tank will be from in-tank powerheads instead. The size of your pipes down to your sump won't make a huge difference--as long as your return pipes are smaller than your drain pipes. Running the same size drain/return pipes is going to create a lot of head pressure and make your return pumps less efficient, versus running smaller returns than your drains.

 

[Mussin]

Should I plumb flex line or hard line right off of the return pump?

 

[Jonify]

Should I plumb flex line or hard line right off of the return pump?

I'm not sure ... Really depends on you. A clear flex line would make it easier to observe issues with abiotic precipitation or detritus/organic growth or buildup in the line, and then take actions to replace it. Honestly though, you're probably not gonna deal with buildup in the line due to the flow running through it, so a rigid, plastic line is probably more durable. I guess I would base this decision on what would be easier to replace, if I needed to.