Return pump plumbing to sump bulkheads

[fishstix]

What the suggested way to plumb into my bulkheads that leave the top of my sump that run to the tank. From the bulkheads up it all 1.25. Should I use barbs on the pump to the bulkhead or should I use hard PVC

Thanks

 

[hijinks7]

I use braided tubing about 10-12 inches from the return to hard pvc. The its hard pvc all the way to the bulkheads on my returns. The braided tubing helps absorb vibrations from the return pump so its not transferred to the PVC.

I use braided tubing since the normal stuff can kink

 

[Crabs McJones]

What the suggested way to plumb into my bulkheads that leave the top of my sump that run to the tank. From the bulkheads up it all 1.25. Should I use barbs on the pump to the bulkhead or should I use hard PVC

Thanks

I would do barb off the pump to silicone hose, then a barb out of the bottom of your bulkhead, and then hard pipe from the bulkhead up. That way any vibration can be lost in the silicone tubing instead of vibrating your whole sump

 

[Finhead]

Depends on your return pump. IF your running a standard AC pump then I would do as @crabs_mcjones stated. If it's a DC pump I would do hard plumbing with 2 or more unions, love the unions makes everything so much easier to clean and move out of the way or add to if needed

 

[Breadman03]

Also, upsize your plumbing as far as practical. I'm running 2.5" from my pump to a manifold where it steps down to 2" until it wyes off into 1.5" to dual 1" returns. Friction from running too-small plumbing will rob you of flow. Of course, I'm running some decent GPH and wanted to minimize frictional losses since my sump is in the basement.

Plumbing size aside, a foot or so of silicone (preferred) or vinyl tubing out of the pump will isolate vibrations from the hard plumbing. A silicone mat, such as a hot pad, under the pump can also make a notable impact on pump noise.

 

[fishstix]

I have 2 returns into the tank. Each return is 1 1/4" because of space and sump bulkheads it already about as big as I can go. Each pump is one of the new COR-20. My 3rd pump which is also a COR-20 is running my manifold. So seems some think hard, or silicone hose. I was just thinking silicone for easy of removing stuff or working in the sump not having to work around the hard plumbing

 

[Finhead]

I have 2 returns into the tank. Each return is 1 1/4" because of space and sump bulkheads it already about as big as I can go. Each pump is one of the new COR-20. My 3rd pump which is also a COR-20 is running my manifold. So seems some think hard, or silicone hose. I was just thinking silicone for easy of removing stuff or working in the sump not having to work around the hard plumbing

Doesn't get any easier than spinning off a few unions. With a DC pump you don't need anything to take up the vibrations or sound as there wont be any, I cannot hear my DC return at all.

 

[fishstix]

Does everyone else agree with this, since I am running DC pumps I can use hard PVC, or should I still go with the soft pipe?

Thanks

 

[lacrosseboss18]

I went with all hard plumbing for my Vectra L1. I had a check valve with a union on it.
BRS tv used flex tubing to eliminate the vibration.

Me personally I don’t notice any vibration or sound from my pump.

Top picture is from BRS and bottom one is mine hard plumbed.
Which pump are you using?

 

[fishstix]

I have 2 of the Neptune COR-20 for my returns, and the 3rd COR-20 for the mainfold. Room wise it would be better for me to use the flex, but I could hard plumb if needed.

 

[lacrosseboss18]

You might as well then go with flex tubing. How big is the tank? That’s a lot of pumps. What sump are you using? What are you going to be running off your manifold?

 

[Mandelstam]

Silicone tubing can collapse under too much flow, I would go with something with a little bit more stability.

 

[fishstix]

I went with Braided Vinyl Tubing from BRS, will that work?

 

[fishstix]

You might as well then go with flex tubing. How big is the tank? That’s a lot of pumps. What sump are you using? What are you going to be running off your manifold?

The tank is 300 gallons. The pumps are the neptune COR-20. I have four reactors running off the manifold. The sump is custom built from advanced acrylics, it Hybrid/PVC acrylic

 

[Forsaken77]

I went with Braided Vinyl Tubing from BRS, will that work?

The best soft tubing I've found, that won't kink a bit, is Lee's black vinyl pond tubing sold at Dr Foster & Smith. It's thicker, stiffer, but still flexible. You also don't have as much head loss because of hard angles. As for the clamps, I use Titan Titanium clamps. Every part of the clamp, even the screw, is titanium. So it will never rust. I've had them submerged for over 2 years and they look brand new still.

But hard or soft plumbing is just preference. Most people have a mix of the 2 as well.