Trouble choosing a return pump.

That is an excellent idea to use it to mix the water!!!!! I wish I had an RO/DI system, but I just don't know where or how to hook it up in the apartment I live in.
I think I'm going to have to break the piggy and buy a 30 long tank for my build. I'm thinking I'd like to put in the future a CA/phos Reactor and an ATO system. I've checked some pretty straight forward ATO for 60 bucks with dual float valves... I'll keep checking around. Meanwhile, I'll do the bucket dance... no tripping this time

I guess once I get everything I'll start my own "I made this" thread.
I'll think about the plumbing diagram for this 30 long to see what I come up with. I'll want to put a manifold as well for future expansion, so I guess the Mag Drive 9.5 would be sufficient. I'll slow the flow down with the valves, unless strongly advised otherwise. I know I'll need the extra pressure for the future additions.

- Mag.

 

check out tbaquatics.com for a float valve. you can get a $5 5gal bucket from home depot, drill a hole near the bottom of it, silicone in a 1/4 barb fitting, and hook it to the float valve. if ever the float valve should fail its only 5gal of water. better than hooking the ro/di unit in directly. the float valves that hang on the side of the sump from eshopps are like $25 i think and the kind you need a drilled hole for are about $9 iirc.

they sell ro/di units too. i have one from them. i love it. as for hooking it up, how about under the kitchen sink? you can always turn off the water, unhook the unit, and cap off the 1/4" tap from the primary cold line and walk away like it was never hooked up. landlord wont give a crap.

tons of other 3reef sponsors sell ro/di products as well i believe. i just happened to go through tbaquatics for mine

 

btw flexpvc.com for the pvc distributors

 

Magnus,

I have not read the thread past your initial post – sorry if I repeat what’s been discussed.

Your drawing is ok if this is what you are after (I have posted that I personally prefer the sump separate from the fuge for several reasons – flow being a huge one). That being said – what’s with the t-valve splitting the return between the DT and the sump? This doesn’t make sense to me and I would advise against it. you want the pod’s to escape form the fuge and get blown into the DT but you are splitting the return and tossing the pods in with the skimmer?

I assume this is to be a high flow system? 900 GPH pump with about 5-6 foot of head pressure loss maybe delivering 450-500 gph? Seeing the power head in the fuge section you are seemingly serious about your flow – thus your macro’s will be cheato since that likes the flow?

I think I would remove the filter sock and install a pre-filter on the return pump instead – let the particles get through to the refugium and then polish before returning to the DT.

Oh – and post this drawing once again with a real picture of your creation…always nice to see the concept become a reality. Good luck to you.

 

I've changed the design. This is my layout now: Skimmer-return-fuge. I'll have a valve from the intake to adjust flow altogether, then a t with a valve that goes to the fuge that will be higher than the return and skimmer chamber, that way overflow from there will go back to the tank through the return pump. I'm still working on the design, since I don't really have the tank anymore. My 20 tall is not long enough to have it all. I'm looking at a 30 long, but no replies yet. I may have to get one but they don't come to the store until wednesday.

No... I realized it was too much flow, so I'm going down to a mag 7. That with 3 to 4 feet of tubing will make my flow between 400 and 450.

I'll post a picture as I start building things up. I still need a tank that I've been trying to get from craigslist without luck. My skimmer assembled has a footprint of 8x17... which is massive.
About the sock... isn't it better to filter some of the detritus before it gets to the skimmer? The water going to the fuge will not be filtered anymore according to my new plans.

Keep the suggestions coming, please. I'm very inexperienced. To the point that my skimmer's 1 page manual is not enough for me to put it together. I'll go ask them for more instructions. It's an eshopps psk-200. If you've seen instructions that DO NOT say "take out the box and assembly like in the picture above" please let me know. I'm a little upset about this.

- Mag.

 

use of a sock is really a personal preference... i stopped using one because i realized my pods werent getting around the tank and getting trapped in the sock

 

Guys, I'm a little confused with this Mag Drive 7 pump. I thought flow for this pump at 0' was 700gph, at 1' is 650gph, etc. But here I found a link where they're talking about 500gph on this pump, and 700 if you "choose" the model with a 12.5" shut-off ceramic shaft?

What's going on? Is this site just trying to make some extra money, or do they have 2 models and I need to be REALLY careful at ordering time?

I'm getting my sump tank this Wednesday, then to get the acrylic and silicone... but still have not gotten my pump!! I was going to order today but need some clarification on this if possible.

Thank you in advance.

- Mag.

Edit: Forgot the link!!! http://www.finsdepot.com/product/New-270100579

 

Its just how they're advertising it there is alittle confusing I guess. Mag drive 7 = 700GPH Mag Drive 5 = 500GPH. You have the option of getting either on that page. They're saying its $8 difference between the M5 and M7.

 

This is why I suggested the use of a 9.5 pump having only set up several hundred 55 over the yrs and aiming to achieve the same thing you are here the 9.5 would be a great choice for both the functionality and $$$ stand point. And I would also suggest that a refugium be isolated from the main sump in a satellite tank in a 55 a 10 gal is plenty and a 5.5 tank would be perfect .

 

And don't forget about media reactors, you'll probably want two, phosban and carbon. Or down the road three with kalkwasser. So give yourself plenty of length, a decent breeder, 30 or 40 long should be ok.