reef46
Member
Will this work or should I try and stick to a single return pump?
Dual Overflow?
- Thread starter reef46
- Start date
Will this work or should I try and stick to a single return pump?
scsinet
Active Member
Two return pumps would only work if both overflows drained into one tank. If you have two seperate, isolated tanks below (one sump, one fuge) each with a return pump, it will fail, because there is nothing to guarantee that the appropriate amounts of water will flow into each overflow. Inevitaly, one overflow will get ahead of the other and casue flooding.
The way you'd need to do do this is to link both sump tanks together, preferably by drilling them and connecting them with a pipe or hose below the water line of both.
One return pump is preferable, but two would be okay provided that the combined waterflow of both overflows exceeds the capacity of any one pump by quite a bit... say 125% or more. Otherwise, one pump can drain the sump down on it's own and cause the other to cavitate.
The way you'd need to do do this is to link both sump tanks together, preferably by drilling them and connecting them with a pipe or hose below the water line of both.
One return pump is preferable, but two would be okay provided that the combined waterflow of both overflows exceeds the capacity of any one pump by quite a bit... say 125% or more. Otherwise, one pump can drain the sump down on it's own and cause the other to cavitate.
scsinet
Active Member
I'd locate your fuge under the tank, drill it, and run a hose to your wet/dry (locate your wet/dry in the remote location), and have a return pump in the wet/dry that carries water back to your fuge, rather than the tank. Elevate the fuge if need be to allow gravity to carry water from the sump to the fuge.
This arragement forms a "closed loop" off the wet/dry so you don't have the cavitation problems.
The reason you need to swap equipment around (and relocate the wet/dry) is because the lowest point in the system is where level changes due to evaporation will take place, and you don't want that to happen in the fuge. Obviously then you should use an ATO to maintain water levels in teh wet/dry.
Honestly though, that's my stab at it, but I'm not sure how well it will work. This is a really tricky setup. I have to admit, you are really making me wrack my brain on this one!
The best and safest solution IMO is a HOB fuge.
This arragement forms a "closed loop" off the wet/dry so you don't have the cavitation problems.
The reason you need to swap equipment around (and relocate the wet/dry) is because the lowest point in the system is where level changes due to evaporation will take place, and you don't want that to happen in the fuge. Obviously then you should use an ATO to maintain water levels in teh wet/dry.
Honestly though, that's my stab at it, but I'm not sure how well it will work. This is a really tricky setup. I have to admit, you are really making me wrack my brain on this one!
The best and safest solution IMO is a HOB fuge.
jj_harrison
Member
I had this setup for a few years and it worked well.
you can still have your one overflow and just put in a ball valve to regulate the flow to the fuge. and get a 15 tall and drill the side put in a elbow and cut some lines in it to make a overflow. then run it to your sump or you could do two over flows and run one just to the fuge and do one big return pump. but from what i read you dont want all your GPH to run through the Fuge, and it should goto the fuge first. anyways heres what i had
you can still have your one overflow and just put in a ball valve to regulate the flow to the fuge. and get a 15 tall and drill the side put in a elbow and cut some lines in it to make a overflow. then run it to your sump or you could do two over flows and run one just to the fuge and do one big return pump. but from what i read you dont want all your GPH to run through the Fuge, and it should goto the fuge first. anyways heres what i had
scsinet
Active Member
Any of these plans would work.
I like JJ's the best as I always enjoy the flexibility of being able to regulate the water flow throught the fuge. Just be sure to size your entire drain system to take the entire flow in any one spot, so if the fuge valve is closed all teh way, the plumbing doesn't back up.
I like JJ's the best as I always enjoy the flexibility of being able to regulate the water flow throught the fuge. Just be sure to size your entire drain system to take the entire flow in any one spot, so if the fuge valve is closed all teh way, the plumbing doesn't back up.
reef46
Member
Alright, I'm no expert so I'll go with JJ's design. Thanks for helping me work through this to the both of you.
I have one more question.
I have limited space in my wet/dry and having the return pump and skimmer in the same compartment causes for tons of bubbles in the DT. Would it be bad to hang my skimmer on the fuge? or should I just leave it hanging on my DT?
I have one more question.
I have limited space in my wet/dry and having the return pump and skimmer in the same compartment causes for tons of bubbles in the DT. Would it be bad to hang my skimmer on the fuge? or should I just leave it hanging on my DT?
