Ordering New Tank..please show me your favorite PLUMBING!!

[ohiorn67]

I am going to be ordering a 180 but just getting used to the idea of the plumbing. I truly could use some advice and picture/diagrams and what you use to make your plumbing. We currently have a 90 with cannister filter and so this will also be our first sump. My idea is to have a divided up sump...large enough for intake w/skimmer area, a refugium area.....not sure I understand the entire thing with drains and all. I will be having the tank drilled, but need to know how to run these built in overflows, to pvc's what size pumps you recommend and also a closed loop possibly..thanks for your help in advance!!!! Will take pics once I have the tank and let everyone see each step of setup..can't wait!! I love a good challenge!! :notsure: :jumping:

 

[goulding.c]

My 125 has 4 one inch holes at the left side. They all have a 90* elbow inside that is not glued so it can be turned up to raise water level or turned down to lower water level in main tank. On the outside the 4 one inch pipes are tied into a 2 pipe that goes straight down with a 90* elbo that lets it run across the short side on the 55 gallon sump. I just caped the end and drilled lots of 3/8 inch holes for the drip area, the water then goes through the refugium and spills into the return side of the 55 "about 6 inches across" and gets pumped back into tank after passing through the uv light.
Chuck

 

[ricks280]

hi chuck see if this helps.(rick)

 

[ohiorn67]

hi Rick...that is a great pic, definitely helps. Do have a refugium part on that sump no pictured? I am trying to d a 3part sump with refugium I think...but might just do separate 10 gallon next to sump with that. what else do you have hooked up there on the right?

 

[dogstar]

This is a simple diag. of my 180g I built. The two drains are 1.5 in. to the sump/fuge. They dump into a bio ball box I put in about half way up the sump first but thats not shown. I used it mainly to have something to connect the flex hoses to. You might can tell from the pic. Its tight under there. I have the skimmers pumping from the dump chamber and a UV steralize as well. The returns are 3/4 in. flex tubing with pipe insulation ( I insulated all I could. Back and bottom of tank and 3 sides and bottom of fuge. ) on two Mag Drive 9.5s and one of them goes thru the chiller befor going to the main tank. I think diveding the returns into two pumps lets you do wave making if you want plus you still have some circulation if one pump breaks down. The returns are split and over the top with syphon holes to break the sypon if theres a power failure plus w/ over the top you can always move them around or what ever if you need to.
Ofcourse many ways to do pluming and this is just one way but I am pretty happy with this setup and havent changed it in over two years.