Plumbing Problem HELP!

[johnfluevogs]

So I custom drilled an Oceanic 30 gallon for two drains and three returns. I have installed 2 1" bulkheads for the drains.

Long story short my pump (Little Giant 3-MDQX-sc) pumps way too much and it seems as though my TWO drains aren’t keeping up.

FYI I have the main tank drain into a ten gallon, then the ten gallon drains into another ten gallon via three 3/4 in bulkheads and then the water is pumped back into the main tank.


PLEASE HELP!

 

[Anonymous]

You could put a ball valve in line with the pump to throttle it back a bit.

You're two 1" drains should easily handle that pump. That pump puts out 1160 GPH at zero feet of head.

Are you sure your drain lines are ran properly? Even the slightest uphill climb can really have a bad impact on the flow.

Louey

 

[johnfluevogs]

Drains are nearly straight down with a few 45 degree couplings. I'll have to take some pictures.

My thoughts exatcly about the drains being able to handle that pump...

 

[m-fine]

Is there a way for air to enter the drain? Mine has a rigid air tube that goes a few inches down the pipe, and when I take it out to clean the drain slows down considerably and gurgles occaisionally.

m-fine

 

[Anonymous]

You should be fine. Do you have any blockages in the line?

 

[Anonymous]

Where on the tank are these drains located? Drains need to be as low as possible, preferably on the bottom.

 

[johnfluevogs]

the drains unfortunately are not at the bottom of the tank
they are near the top!

I didn’t want my overflow box to take up so much room in the tank so I decided on a location near the top.

I have seen tanks done this way...but suppose that it may not be the most efficient?!?!

 

[ChrisRD]

Post those pics if you can or at least a sketch (preferably with some dimensions).

 

[johnfluevogs]

I am at work right now and cannot post pics or a sketch but I will give some breif backround. I will get some pics up tonight. Thanks guys!

OK 30 gallon cube approx 20" tall (Oceanic 30)

my drains are approx 2" below the water line with intentions of surrounding them with an overflow box with teeth ( i had is custom built and i am picking it up tonight)

the drains are 1" bulkhead with 1" pvc pipe...each drain has two unions, one ball valve, and 4 45 degree connections

the drains are about 3 feet long

the pump is pumping approx 4 feet tall into three returns plumbed with 3/4" PVC

i will try to get some pics up tis evening

THANKS SO MUCH

 

[johnfluevogs]

here are some pics if i do this right

 

[Anonymous]

JF,
every 90 you put in the plumbing you add 1' of head pressure, and reduce the flow. It looks like you have a couple of 90s on the return plumbing. Is there anyway to get rid of some?

Also, i'd get rid of those ball valves on the returns. If you look through them, they acutally reduce down in size to 1/2" or so. (i'd acually start there) If you really need ball valves, you can put on 1 1/4" ones later.

B

 

[johnfluevogs]

Bingo...

My problem is...my pump is pumping water faster than i can drain. If anything I could use more head pressure to slow to pump down. The Little Giant Pump that I have is plenty strong to run the set up that I have. I would really rather not change it if you know what I mean.

 

[ChrisRD]

Having open tops like that, your pipes are just gravity drains (no syphon action). There's nothing wrong with running that way, but the drain won't have the same capacity as a pipe in syphon. I would first try capping/plugging the opening on top of the external tee on the line that has the downspout/screen on the intake (probably best not to glue it just yet though ). This will force it to run in full syphon which will increase its capacity a lot.

If that's still not enough, you can always cap/plug the second one too. The reason I suggest starting with just one is that with two 1" drains running in full syphon, you should have more than enough capacity which means you'll get the sucking noise (which of course is what that the Durso type designs aim to eliminate by weakening the syphon with an air bleed).

HTH

 

[johnfluevogs]

here are some more

 

[johnfluevogs]

Chris...


That is a very good point... now thinking about it I understand.

I have already made tops with air blled valves in them but I just thought that they were used to reduce noise. I will have to try that...hopefully tonight.

Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

I have already made tops with air blled valves in them

That will help a LOT.

I just looked through one of my ball valves and I didn't see any narrowing at all inside. Must be different designs.

 

[johnfluevogs]

As for those caps.. I am not going to glue them in place like you said but do you think that I would have to glue them once i have the drains 'tuned?'

 

[Anonymous]

As for those caps.. I am not going to glue them in place like you said but do you think that I would have to glue them once i have the drains 'tuned?'

I have never glued mine and they work just fine. There's no pressure to blow it off and it's fairly airtight if you muscle it on.

 

[johnfluevogs]

Thats what i thought....cooooool. thanks!

 

[johnfluevogs]

Caping the tops of those drains worked like a charm.


I dont quite have it dialed in yet because my drains goto one 10 gallon (Refugium) then drain into another 10 gallon (SUMP) and then return to the tank.

There are only 3 3/4" bulkhead between the 2 ten gallons and that is now my hold up.

My thoughts are to drain the Main tank into one ten gallon and return it to the main tank from that same ten gallon. Then set up my Refugium separate with a separate pump running at its own pace to and from the sump. What do you think?