How can I plumb this?

[reefgeek84]

OK...So here is the what I want to do, I do not know even know if it is possible....

 

I do not want anything in my tank, with the exception of some bulk head fittings w/ strainers in the back of the tank.

 

I have a 54 gallon corner pentagon tank... that will have about a 8 gallon sump.

 

So....Ideally I would like to be able to have bulk head that drains the water into the sump (so I do not have to have an overflow box), but in line with this I would like to have my UV and my protien skimmer hooked up and have the water pass through both of these before the water goes to the sump. Once the the water passes through both of these and into the sump I would then like to have a Mag9.5 pull the water from the sump and return it to the tank via the OM 4-way-nano. (heaters will also be in the sump).

 

Is this possible or not? Would I just need to run the mag and the OM closed loop?

 

Please help me.

[rude944]

I think that most UV units would need to have a very low flow rate through the unit. That said you may have more flow through the sump if you are using a mag pump. So I guess I would suggest splitting the flow through the bulkhead sump line to the UV and the sump, and use a ball valve or other restrictor to get the correct flow. I think most people would dedicate a line from the sump to the tank and have a separate feed pump for this task. This is how I run a chiller and a phos/carbon reactor in my tank. The return line from the sump to the tank has a "T" on it and this feeds the two units. You want the UV to flow back into the tank, so that you can get "dirtier" water cleaned, and not send sterilized water into recirculation in the UV? Does this make sense?

 

 

Routing the skimmer inline would have a similar flow issue.

 

As far as the closed loop is concerned, this needs to be closed, and not have any thing else plumbed in it. If you just use this as the sumps return, it's not much of a closed loop.

 

Hope I helped. If at all.

[reefgeek84]

I think that most UV units would need to have a very low flow rate through the unit. That said you may have more flow through the sump if you are using a mag pump. So I guess I would suggest splitting the flow through the bulkhead sump line to the UV and the sump, and use a ball valve or other restrictor to get the correct flow. I think most people would dedicate a line from the sump to the tank and have a separate feed pump for this task. This is how I run a chiller and a phos/carbon reactor in my tank. The return line from the sump to the tank has a "T" on it and this feeds the two units. You want the UV to flow back into the tank, so that you can get "dirtier" water cleaned, and not send sterilized water into recirculation in the UV? Does this make sense?

 

 

Routing the skimmer inline would have a similar flow issue.

 

As far as the closed loop is concerned, this needs to be closed, and not have any thing else plumbed in it. If you just use this as the sumps return, it's not much of a closed loop.

 

Hope I helped. If at all.

 

 

that is the problem, I do not know how I will figure flow out for the UV and the skimmer?

 

How about some other suggestions...it just seems inefficent to just have the skimmer skim the sump water? I am trying to make this all efficent as possible, with out having anything in the tank.

[impur]

You should reconsider the mag9.5 I've run that pump with a 10gal sump on my 29gal display and its too much flow thru the sump. You get lots of microbubbles, and you also have to fill the tank with more water than the sump can handle should the power go out.

 

Why don't you want to skim the sump water? Its the same water as the display.

[reefgeek84]

You should reconsider the mag9.5 I've run that pump with a 10gal sump on my 29gal display and its too much flow thru the sump. You get lots of microbubbles, and you also have to fill the tank with more water than the sump can handle should the power go out.

 

Why don't you want to skim the sump water? Its the same water as the display.

 

I am going to run the mag closed loop I think now so it should not bother the sump at all.

 

As for the skimmer it just seems so ineffiecent, as opposed to running all the water through the skimmer then into the sump. I do not know...I just want this to be efficent and with nothing in my tank....How can I do this?

[impur]

Ahh ok on the CL that should be fine.

 

Well i guess you could have the drain from the tank go to the skimmer, and T the return off with one side going to the UV like suggested above.

[reefgeek84]

Does any one if gravity feed alone with be enough for the UV and the sump? if so what way would I judge the the flow through the UV, so I know that I am getting 100-200 gph per hour? Would I hook up a power head put it in the water and let the water that passes through the UV flow into a bucket and after 10 mins measure the water that is in the bucket, and then hook the UV up to the T fitting from the bulk and adjust the ball valve until in a 10 min period I get the same amount of water out of the UV?

[Guest Ahbrit]

Just a note of caution on your skimmer

If you feed the skimer from the overflow, your skimmer water will rise and fall constantly. i thought about doing this when i designed my system. It needs constant pressure and flow to be efficient.

Also depending on how your skimmer is designed, skimming before a filter sock will send all the large particles to the bottom of the skimmer and wouldn't be extracted (large particles will not skim)

[reefgeek84]

Just a note of caution on your skimmer

If you feed the skimer from the overflow, your skimmer water will rise and fall constantly. i thought about doing this when i designed my system. It needs constant pressure and flow to be efficient.

Also depending on how your skimmer is designed, skimming before a filter sock will send all the large particles to the bottom of the skimmer and wouldn't be extracted (large particles will not skim)

OK, well it looks like I am going to have to just run the skimmer via hanging it on the side of the sump.