My New 72"x20"x20" Tank Build

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by mark

To bad about the glass.

You're layout would work.

Any water movement you have have from the pump pushing the water up and gravity filling the void. More will be from the sump as less restriction but you'll get some movement from the ref, plus you have a little head difference working for you as well.

I'm laying mine out very similiar and it's my project for today so should be able to tell you how it works, at least for me. I do have a problem, being a low max flow, but more do the size of interconnect (1"). Hope your planning something like 2".

On my ro/di have the output going to a Tee, one side is a float valve in the sump, other side to container I use for mixing water. Find the John Guest valve works well as connects easy to the tubing, HD carries.

Well my mistake with the glass but they said they can take 1/2" off for me. So not too big a deal.

I will read through your thread and see what your doing. It will help.

As for the RO/DI I am actually talking about how I can hook up the unit to a faucet that is not threaded. The RO until came with an adapter that threads into the intake for the unit and then threads into the faucet. Problem is, I do not have a faucet with threads. I would need something that just fit onto the faucet like a slip...if there is such a thing?

[mark]

Okay, you're talking the supply to the ro/di, for some reason I thought the faucet Aquasafe has for the output.

Usually a bathroom or kitchen faucet has a screen secured with a screw in collar. If you can get the collar off then there's adapters that go on the fine threads on the faucet then allow a garden hose to be screwed on (old water bed days) or other pipe threads.

If that doesn't work, under the counter tee into the cold water line after the shutoff valve and before the tap-set. Between the tee and the ro/di put a valve in so you can remove the unit. Might even be better this way as not tying up the sink in the bathroom or kitchen if making up water.

[Patrick1]

Hey Guys,
If you want an easy solution to installing your R/O.. Go down to the hardware store and buy a Ice maker install kit, they are like 20 bucks it comes with a needle valve that mounts to your water line under the sink. Once you attach it the valve will punch it's own hole in the water main. No need to call a plumber, and the hose diameter is the same as the R/O and has the fittings to connect to your R/O lines.. For mine rather then install new sewer parts, I drilled a hole in one of the sink draines and ran the waste water hose into it, a little dab of silicone and it was done... The whole thing took like 10 minutes to install.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Thanks guys. I figured out how to hook it up to the kitchen sink.

I also had the glass cut down a bit. Very nice of the glass guys to do it and for free! It was my mistake after all. I was checking to see how it fit now and its great but I noticed that it will be hard to silicone the pieces to the bottom corners of the tank because of the silicone thats already there to attach the wall of the tank to the bottom. Any ideas? Its quite thick black silicone and stops the my overflow glass from sitting flush against the back glass.

I guess I will also direct this on going question I have had about using a herbie between the fuge and sump to Untamed, since he seems to be the expert! Looking at the picture above, will it actually work to have a bulkhead at the bottom of the fuge (right) and still create a herbie overflow to the sump on the left??? It seems like there is no where near enough height difference. I mean the water would go through a gate valve and then would have to go through another bulkhead in the sump but only about 6" below where the output (fuge) bulkhead will be. Seems like without much gravity working there, it may not work. A whole lot of back pressure too. Anyways I have no idea, I could be wrong.

[mark]

For the overflow glass, just take the corner off where it goes to the tank silicone.

Not to open this all up again but pls clarify, going from your drawing (and being your primary drain is blue and other that's above the 'n' in return is the emergency).

-You'll have a single gate valve just below the bulkhead and above the Tee to control the flow to the primary Herbie drain.

-A ball valve (as course adjustment okay) on the right leg after the Tee over towards the ref to control how much actually splits into the refugium (other leg, goes left dumping unrestricted to sump).

-The emergency drain line dumps, if needed, directly to the sump.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by mark

For the overflow glass, just take the corner off where it goes to the tank silicone.

Not to open this all up again but pls clarify, going from your drawing (and being your primary drain is blue and other that's above the 'n' in return is the emergency).

-You'll have a single gate valve just below the bulkhead and above the Tee to control the flow to the primary Herbie drain.

-A ball valve (as course adjustment okay) on the right leg after the Tee over towards the ref to control how much actually splits into the refugium (other leg, goes left dumping unrestricted to sump).

-The emergency drain line dumps, if needed, directly to the sump.

Yes, thats exactly the plan.

The main drain will be adjusted by the gate valve to get the right flow to match the return pump. The return is split with a "T" though to direct some flow to the refugium on the right and the bulk of the flow to the sump on the left. The refugium flow is controlled by a ball valve. The return pump is being run externally right between the fuge and sump.

Now what Im struggling with is how to connect the refugium back to the sump. I originally was going to have a bulkhead near the top and let water gravity feed back to the sump through 2" plumbing but that would cause all kinds of bubbles that I do not want. So, Untamed had the idea of adding a second herbie to the connection between the fuge and sump which is a great idea BUT I think the fuge is not elevated enough and I don't see how the herbie would work there...but I am not sure of that. Next I thought I would keep the fuge and sump basically level with each other and connect them at the bottom with 2" bulkheads. Only problem here, is controlling flow between them and making sure the fuge is flowing into the sump properly.

Any help would be great because Im just sitting here staring at it with no idea right now how to proceed. I was hoping to finish the plumbing today.

[untamed]

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

...

So, Untamed had the idea of adding a second herbie to the connection between the fuge and sump which is a great idea BUT I think the fuge is not elevated enough and I don't see how the herbie would work there...but I am not sure of that. Next I thought I would keep the fuge and sump basically level with each other and connect them at the bottom with 2" bulkheads. Only problem here, is controlling flow between them and making sure the fuge is flowing into the sump properly.

Any help would be great because Im just sitting here staring at it with no idea right now how to proceed. I was hoping to finish the plumbing today.

This works...Even if the fuge and sump are very similar heights, it is the difference in the water levels that powers the flow. For simplicity I have not drawn any baffles in the fuge. Without baffles, algae would get sucked out of the fuge. I'm sure you've got that part covered.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Ok...Dont get too sick of me! Im really sorry but I have another idea that would work with the space I have. What about just having the return pump fed by a "T" that connects to both the fuge and sump. Like this:

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/sho...ze=big&cat=500

I do not know how to post pics from the user galleries here into a thread.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by untamed

This works...Even if the fuge and sump are very similar heights, it is the difference in the water levels that powers the flow. For simplicity I have not drawn any baffles in the fuge. Without baffles, algae would get sucked out of the fuge. I'm sure you've got that part covered.

Yeah see that will not work then unless I really keep my sump water level really, really low. Basically, I could only have about 8" of water in it for this to work. I also cannot raise my fuge any higher. I think I need to figure something else out.

I am still working on the fuge baffles actually. Its hard to find something that will work as baffles in a rubbermaid container. So far I have nothing.

[untamed]

OK...assuming that is a pretty large pipe joining the two tanks....in your new drawings the fuge and sump are connected and will act as one single tank. The water level in each will always remain equal height. It doesn't matter where you put the return pump, the behaviour will be the same.

That will also enable the water to flow silently between them. (assuming both ends of the connection stay under waterline) I imagine that the end effect will be a very deep sump in order to keep adequate depth in the fuge.

Imagine reducing the size of pipe that runs between the two tanks. At some point, the pipe gets so small that the fuge needs to generate more head pressure to push through the water that is coming in. At that point, the fuge water level starts to rise in relation to the sump and you've created an non-adjustable Herbie.

If the pipe is too small to carry the incoming flow, even when the fuge is full (max head pressure), then the fuge overflows.

The bottom line is...if you put a gate valve on that line, you'll be able to adjust the water heights between the fuge and sump to whatever you want. If you want 10" in the sump, and 11" in the fuge...you can do it. Sump level is controlled by the total amount of water in the system...fuge level is controlled by the Herbie valve. Just make sure you have an emergency overflow on the fuge.

My answers are very long-winded. Why don't you just call me, or come visit? PM me if you are interested.