System Piping

[NEWSALT]

I've been thinking about redoing my piping arrangement. I was shooting for one pump to handle everything. I have not shown any valves in the drawing, but obviously there would be valves on all the branches to the PO4 reactor, UV, etc. I even found an inexpensive PVC flow control valve to put in the branch the the skimmer that would set that flow at 900gph. Has anyone ever done something like this? Is this a bad idea? I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Mike

 

[IrradiatedReef]

Looks a lot like Merv's, check it out in DIY section.

As a side note, do not forget that all of those small branches will reduce your flow to the tank, I usually count every branch as a foot of pressure.

 

[NEWSALT]

I looked it the DIY section, but couldn't find the thread. Could you point me in the right direction?

 

[Phyl]

John's post?

http://www.njreefers.org/forums/index.php/topic,1926.0.html

 

[NEWSALT]

Phyl:

Thanks for that link. I read the post and looked at the photos, but couldn't quite tell if you used one pump to feed everthing including the skimmer. I thought I saw one drawing where it looked like the skimmer still had a dedicated pump. What I want to do is have the manifold for feeding reactors like you guys have, but also feed the skimmer from a single pump. Is this a bad idea (only having one pump)?

 

[Phyl]

Our skimmer does still have a dedicated pump (plus recirc pump), but I don't see any reason why (given a strong enough pump), you couldn't do it all with one. I love the idea of the flow control valve. I can see some of those in our future, lol.

The only problem that I see is that given the head loss through the pipes you've got planned (pipe lengths, elbows, Ts, manifold, ball valves, etc) my guess is that you're going to need more than a 2100gph pump to accomplish this. We're running 5600gph and that feeds the fuge, Ca reactor, upstairs tank (1200gph at the tank), frag tank, and PO4 reactor (which returns to the fuge). The excess returns to the sump... We don't have all that much being returned to the sump. I'm not sure we could get away with a pump a whole lot smaller than the one we have. Certainly not enough extra flow to feed the skimmer as well, I don't think. But then again we haven't tried it, either. Would be interested in seeing what happens with it.

 

[NEWSALT]

Before I started thinking about the manifold to feed other components, I was thinking 900gph to the skimmer and 1200 to the display tank...there's the 2100 gph. If I start adding all the other stuff, I'm looking at:

skimmer: 900 gph
return to display: 1200 gph
Phosban reactor: 100 gph
UV Sterilizer: 100 gph
Calcium Reactor: 100 gph
Misc: 200 gph

Total: 2600 gph

 

[arvin]

In my experience, the head loss calculator will give you only a ball park. It may be a good idea to to get a pump that is slightly higher capacity than you need. You can add another line to divert the excess water back to the sump.

Just my 2c.

Flow control valve is a great idea. Where did you see that valve?

 

[NEWSALT]

The flow control valve is made by a company called Alamo Water. They're available in Brass, PVC and Steel. They're made in various sizes and flows. We use these alot where I work. Try this link:

http://www.alamowater.com/catalog01/pages/sec23_15.html

I was looking at part no. V2013-A-15. The 15 in the part no is the flow in gpm. I got a price from our supplier $30.66 plus shipping.

 

[arvin]

Almost forgot that you work in water treatment industry!

So it will be 15 gpm & 900 gph. No adjustments necessary to increase/decrease the flow? That is a great idea!

Although I wonder in reality how useful this can be.

 

[NEWSALT]

That's right, 15gpm is 900 gph. In theory, yes, there should be no adjustments.

 

[Phyl]

Your 2600gph doesn't take any of the head loss into consideration. I think you're probably looking at 4000+ by the time you factor in head loss. Pressure rated is going to be CRITICAL to the application. Anything else will cave under the ... "pressure"!

 

[NEWSALT]

Phyl:

What I planned was that the 2600 gph was going to be at the calculated head. In other words, if I calculated 18ft. of head lose, I would look for a pump that would deliver 2600 (or 3000gph) at 18ft. Did you mean that the pump would probably be 4000 gph at 0ft of head?

 

[Phyl]

That's right, Mike. I couldn't tell if you were including head loss in that or adding it to it. Your idea sounds good. Just give yourself a little extra buffer in there for the JIC and you'll be in good shape.

 

[NEWSALT]

JIC

JIC ???

 

[Phyl]

Just in case.

 

[NEWSALT]

"Just in Case" thanks. Here's a question for you. The branch of the piping that feeds the skimmer will pass through a beckett injector. How much pressure lose do you think I should consider for the injector?

 

[Phyl]

There are those JIC GPHs. Just add in a handful. Better to have more pump than not enough. We have the excess returning to the sump.

 

[IrradiatedReef]

Phyl:

What I planned was that the 2600 gph was going to be at the calculated head. In other words, if I calculated 18ft. of head lose, I would look for a pump that would deliver 2600 (or 3000gph) at 18ft. Did you mean that the pump would probably be 4000 gph at 0ft of head?

If you calculate 18 ft. of head pressure, I would look for a pump that delivers a minimum of 3000 gph at 18ft. Give yourself a buffer zone, you can always redirect the flow back to the sump. Plus you never know, some new thing may come out and you will want to add it to your system.

 

[NEWSALT]

That's what I plan on doing. I don't think I'm going to have 18' of head, but if I did, the one pump I was looking at was the Sequence Hammerhead pump. 5800 gph at 0ft. Looking at the pump curve, at 18ft. it looks like it put out exactly 3000gph. Anyone use the Sequence pumps? Are they quite? I think the next PA Group Buy is scheduled for June. ;D