Seutp 185 Gallon Tank

[loneregister]

I am getting ready to setup a 185G Reef tank and wanted the opinions of the community here.

I have run a 90 gallon before, and had a sump system and DSB system.

I had a filter bag that was a royal PITA, and I'd like to avoid it. The system I want to design looks like this:

Does anyone here have comments or suggestions on changes I should make? Should I use hard or soft tubing for the drains? How about soft tubing for the return lines?

Right now, I am thinking this:
3/4" drains - that are soft line back to the sump. 4 separate lines into the sump or a manifold and then one line into the sump.

1/2" returns - not sure whether to run Sched 40 PVC or soft line. I am pretty sure I want to run 1/2" clear flex INSIDE the overflows though and then have screw fittings on the wall of the overflows that then go out to "snake nozzles. for a total of 4 or 8 of them if I split them into two each.

Should I have two drains per overflow? Or just one larger hole? I like the 2 per design as if something clogs one of the drains, it's not going to plug up the tank, as there will be 3 drains left.

How about the sump? I have it setup so that the skimmer will suck up items and such, rather than a filter bag trapping and holding the rotting material.

What size return pump should i be looking at for a 185 gallon? What size sump? I have it tenetively set for a 36x18x24, which should hold 65 gallons itself for a total tank size of just around 215G.

I want to design an easy, durable, plumbing system that will stand the test of time. My previous design used flex PVC piping, and I would have leaks or failed seals every so often. I do not want that this time.

Thanks all!

 

[loneregister]

Slight Adjustment so that the 'fuge get's some water too!!

 

[LA-Lawman]

why not use 1" drains?? how much flow do you plan...? you could plumb a closed loop since you are using acrylic...

do you plan on using a chiller? if you do allow room for plumbing... this is the best time to plan.. so take all the time you need.

have you considered having the overflows built to the outside.. so you don't loose tank space with overflow boxes?

the return pump

plan for at least 15x turnover... that will leave you some room for chiller operation and such.. there is a lot of talk about sump turnover and skimming efficency... so don't skimp on the skimmer.

you should look at the ocean motions seasquirt... (i think that is right) you plumb it to your pump and the actuater diverts flow to the returns by alternating them... very cool... Len is doing something similar.. check his tank thread...

hth

 

[bayou_squid]

I'm trying to set up a 150 basically like yours. Are you going to add some type of bypss to restrict flow to the sump?? Some one told me not to push more gph through than your skimmer can handle. Dont really know what i'm talking about just passing on what i read.GOOD LUCK

 

[Garry thomas]

Personally it is much easier to use less drains just go up in size. It is also far easier to keep 1 drain quiet compared with all of the ones which you plan. Your return pump should be hard piped. I would make an alteration where is comes to a that is a flow killer.