Jakepen
Few beers and I'll frag anything...
So I am having a 180 gallon built, and he drilled my return line for a 3/4" bulkhead. I thought 1" would be the size. Will 3/4" be okay? I'm worried about lack of flow, and increased back pressure.
What size bulkheads do I need?
- Thread starter Jakepen
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LobsterOfJustice
Valuable Member
Not with 3/4" plumbing you arent lol.
Plumbing with 1" and reducing to 3/4 just for the bulkhead is okay. What kind of flow rate are you trying to achieve with "high turnover"? What size is your drain?
OP
OP
Jakepen
Few beers and I'll frag anything...
He is actually a friend, does this on the side and is basically giving it to me at cost. Busy man with a family and full time job, unless it makes a big difference I don't really care.
OP
OP
Jakepen
Few beers and I'll frag anything...
Drain will be 1.5". Running a vectra L1, overflow box is rated for 2400 gph, won't run that much flow. Want the option to run that much though.
LobsterOfJustice
Valuable Member
For those flow rates, I would run 1.25" or 1.5" plumbing right out of the pump all the way to the bulkhead, reducing to 3/4" just for the bulkhead is fine.
joeyhatch11
Well-Known Member
If you want a higher turn over rate with the smaller drain lines then run a herbie style full siphon using a ball/gate valve.
LobsterOfJustice
Valuable Member
You are unlikely to get > 1000 gph with 1" pipe. For a pump rated over 3000 gph you should really use 1.5" pipe.
mkj
Community Member
turnover rate will be fine using 3/4. Too much flow through a sump isn't a good idea. Calculate what flow rate your highest intake needs are and double, usually the skimmer. If the skimmer takes in 250 gallons an hour then flow rate through sump should be 500 gallons an hour. Anything more isn't really doing anything, in fact, it could be making your equipment not work correctly.. Use powerheads to get good flow through tank. Only reason to have high flow rate through sum is if not using any powerheads. Your equipment such as skimmers only take up a fraction of the water going through sump anyways so a slower flow makes no difference. I know of some large tanks that have a tank/sump turnover of only 2 an hour.
My turnover rate is about 5 which is probably still too high for my equipment. My powerheads increase tanks water movement to equivalent to 20x. I could never get 20x through tank/sump. It would just blow past my equipment too fast.
My turnover rate is about 5 which is probably still too high for my equipment. My powerheads increase tanks water movement to equivalent to 20x. I could never get 20x through tank/sump. It would just blow past my equipment too fast.
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