Agree to a significant extent and would say I am using a liberal definition of hard plumbing. Yes, I plan on using 1" Schedule 40 PVC and fittings. But I also want to be able to remove and service the ReefMat if necessary without cutting anything up. Intend on just dry fitting the inlet together. It's not under significant pressure so don't need to worry about the fittings bursting. And who really cares if I havr an occasional drip escape? It's in the sump.. The ability to remove and service far outweighs any cons.
Just want to verify what I'm looking at here because there is a lot of plumbing in a tight space. Do you have two drains plumbed into a tee hidden below the dirty fleece role? And the third fitting immediately adjacent to your dosing tubes is presumably your return? My only concern with plumbing them together in this manner is potential noise from the significant flow differences. The majority of inlet flow comes from the primary with only trickle or minimal from secondary. You've only got two so the second is your e drain? Any actual flow through it? I'll have a bean animal with emergency drain plumbed to fuge and rarely if ever used.
Do you have two drains plumbed into a tee hidden below the dirty fleece role? And the third fitting immediately adjacent to your dosing tubes is presumably your return?
- No. That is not plumbed to a T. It simply is a "L" that is connected to another piece of 2 inches of tubbing that dumps water below the water line that exists when the fleece is completely clean. This way, there is no noise of water ever running. It works rather well.
My only concern with plumbing them together in this manner is potential noise from the significant flow differences.
- Perhaps. However, I was more concerned with the back pressure. The e-drain has far less water running through it. IF the e-drain has to fight its way through the device, then water would be slightly backed up the e-drain tube often (which I already see a little of with this design).
The majority of inlet flow comes from the primary with only trickle or minimal from secondary. You've only got two so the second is your e drain?
Yes
Any actual flow through it?
- Some not a ton. More so on my 500.
I had a different set up for about a month. I dropped it down from 1 inch to 3/4 and didn't glue it. It leaked like crazy and eventually let go. I glued what you see and it is 1 inch.
I hope this helps. I will say that I will not plumb these any differently as it works really well in my application and has zero noise. One is near our living room TV and the other next to our bed. So, a silent drain is essential to my good health
I'll have a bean animal with emergency drain plumbed to fuge and rarely if ever used.