Return plumbing advice

[BrewPug]

I'm building a 75G tank and will be drilling it out this weekend. I've decided to use an overflow from Modular Marine that will have 1" drain lines to the sump in a BA configuration. I'm planning on just using the same 1" pipe back from the sump to the tank and then reducing it to 3/4" at the bulkhead and use 3/4" lockline inside the tank.

My question is, would you recommend drilling for two returns so that there is return near each rear corner of the tank or would it be okay to just drill one? The tank will have plenty of flow from a pair of WAV pumps, and I sort of like the aesthetics of just having one lockline set visible in the tank as opposed to two. I just didn't know if there was any other particular advantage to putting in two returns on a 75G.

Thanks.

 

[AlexStinson]

One return is perfectly sufficient. Might want to reduce the return at the pump rather than higher up, its just easier to work with the smaller pipe/hose and it may save you a bit on head pressure.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I'm building a 75G tank and will be drilling it out this weekend. I've decided to use an overflow from Modular Marine that will have 1" drain lines to the sump in a BA configuration. I'm planning on just using the same 1" pipe back from the sump to the tank and then reducing it to 3/4" at the bulkhead and use 3/4" lockline inside the tank.

My question is, would you recommend drilling for two returns so that there is return near each rear corner of the tank or would it be okay to just drill one? The tank will have plenty of flow from a pair of WAV pumps, and I sort of like the aesthetics of just having one lockline set visible in the tank as opposed to two. I just didn't know if there was any other particular advantage to putting in two returns on a 75G.

Thanks.

One return would be okay for the tank, the outflow rate will match the inflow rate from your return pump. Most people do multiple returns for the flow aspect but you've got that covered with the wavemakers.

I have one concern though, are you using 1" PVC for the whole return section? It might do you some good to incorporate some flexible 1" tubing for some parts of it to reduce vibrations from the return pump.

 

[BrewPug]

I have one concern though, are you using 1" PVC for the whole return section? It might do you some good to incorporate some flexible 1" tubing for some parts of it to reduce vibrations from the return pump.

Thanks for the replies. I should have said that I am going to use some silicone or soft tubing between the pump output and the hard piping on the returns. Appreciate you pointing that out though in case I'd forgotten it.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Thanks for the replies. I should have said that I am going to use some silicone or soft tubing between the pump output and the hard piping on the returns. Appreciate you pointing that out though in case I'd forgotten it.

No problem!

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

My question is, would you recommend drilling for two returns so that there is return near each rear corner of the tank or would it be okay to just drill one? The tank will have plenty of flow from a pair of WAV pumps, and I sort of like the aesthetics of just having one lockline set visible in the tank as opposed to two. I just didn't know if there was any other particular advantage to putting in two returns on a 75G.

It's a good idea to have two drains but it's not absolutely necessary if your single drain is large enough (that's my opinion).
Might be too late now but I would have suggested a 2" drain from the overflow. I've found that for drains, bigger is better, if it can fit on the overflow. If you ever want to increase the return pump size in your system, you wouldn't be limited by your drain pipe capacity.

 

[BrewPug]

It's a good idea to have two drains but it's not absolutely necessary if your single drain is large enough (that's my opinion).
Might be too late now but I would have suggested a 2" drain from the overflow. I've found that for drains, bigger is better, if it can fit on the overflow. If you ever want to increase the return pump size in your system, you wouldn't be limited by your drain pipe capacity.

Thanks for the response, but maybe you misunderstood my question. I'm going to run 3 separate 1" drains in bean animal configuration from the overflow to the sump. My question was about the plumbing from the return pump back into the tank and whether it was worth splitting that line and drilling two holes for the water coming back in the tank versus just using a single point of entry for return flow into the tank.

 

[bblumberg]

I agree with others who have noted that a single return will be adequate. It will also be slightly less work to plumb. One 1" pipe into a 3/4" return will provide you quite a reasonable amount of flow for your 75g. I have 3 tanks with BA overflows, all of which have 2 returns, but that is just because the tanks came drilled with 2 returns already present.

Bruce

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Thanks for the response, but maybe you misunderstood my question. I'm going to run 3 separate 1" drains in bean animal configuration from the overflow to the sump. My question was about the plumbing from the return pump back into the tank and whether it was worth splitting that line and drilling two holes for the water coming back in the tank versus just using a single point of entry for return flow into the tank.

I understood that you were looking for feedback on the return plumbing but still offered about the drains as I saw that you were planning to use a 1" drain. I didn't speak about the return plumbing because you had already gotten good advice about it.