Plumbing an external pump
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=19023
Printed Date: July 18 2026 at 3:29am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Plumbing an external pump
Posted By: jeffras
Subject: Plumbing an external pump
Date Posted: June 28 2007 at 7:24pm
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I picked up an external pump and wanted some suggestions on how to plump it. I have a 20g High sump that is not drilled so should I just create a u-tube out of pvc? Should I use flexible hose instead? Anyone doing something similar with some pics of your setup?
------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Replies:
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: June 28 2007 at 10:31pm
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Hard plumb it over the top, remember to use a screw on cap so you can initially prime it. Feel free to come over and I can show you my closed loop. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 29 2007 at 8:42am
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I agree with Adam about plumbing it over the top, but it could be hard or soft plumbed.
Also, priming is easy with a length of tubing temporarily stuck up inside the return nozzle pushing water in from a powerhead. It forces water in and air out. That way you don't risk a leak from the screw-on cap and also reduce friction/piping interference in the water flow. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
Posted By: Corey Price
Date Posted: June 29 2007 at 1:22pm
| Hard plumb it like Adam said to prevent implosion of the intake piping if there is an obstruction. Just my two cents. |
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: June 29 2007 at 3:17pm
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If I remember Ill post how mine is plumbed. Its a little crazy cause I have 2 ext plumbed in but you'll get the idea. ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: July 02 2007 at 10:13pm
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Check valve below the pump, then you only have to do the Mark trick once and if the power goes out it stays primed. Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 12:17am
Heres some pictures of my spaghetti mess. I cant wait to plumb in the new dart. I will have both of these for sale then.
  Hope your not offended by my showing you my plumbing  ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 12:20am
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Ive never had to re prime it unless Ive taken it apart to clean. ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 12:25am
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Thanks Dion! BTW, I'm so sick of people being offended that I myself am offended. ------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 5:33pm
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I see why you don't have to re-prime dion. I was thinking he was
going to put the pump above the water level in the sump, which is not a
good idea unless you have a check valve.
------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 6:10pm
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Thats for sure! ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 7:39pm
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Ok, thanks guys. I have an submersible right now (mag something or maybe a rio) and this new external iwaki (960gph). I have two returns. Do you think I should add this pump on one return (one pump, one return) or replace the submersible with this? ------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 7:59pm
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If you want to use this pump then I would either use it for a closed loop or remove the other pump and replace it with this one. I wouldn't use a separate pump on each return. I would like to hear some other opinions on this though.
Mike -------------  |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 7:59pm
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If it's a rio REPLACE! If it's a mag, it is up to you. Always nice to have redundancy. Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 9:49pm
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You have a 150g right? The tank you see these on is a 125 with 2 returns. Both of these pumps are 1250gph at 0 head. They work fantastic. Now food for thought. I believe the new dart runs 3600gph at 0 head. It will be interesting to see how that handles it. ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: July 03 2007 at 9:50pm
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I used to run 2 mag 18 on this tank before the ext upgrade. ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 12:09pm
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I replaced all the plumbing yesterday and installed the iwaki. I have not glued any of the pvc yet. Does this cause microbubbles? Every 10-15 seconds the returns spit out some bubbles.
------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 12:33pm
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Yes it does. It is easier to pump air than water so if there is even the tinyest leak the pump will suck a little air and produce microbubbles.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 1:53pm
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Thanks Mike. I don't want to glue all the pipes (I have 4 connections that I will not glue) so I can take the plumbing out if needed. How can I make these air tight and also be able to disassemble it in the future? ------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 2:04pm
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You could try wrapping the male pieces in teflon tape then pressing the pieces together. The best way is to use a universal and glue the pieces but that can add a bit to the cost.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 2:04pm
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a little teflon tape wraped around the pipe before you snug it together should do the trick.
------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 2:11pm
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Cool. I am just letting the glue dry now and then I will fire it back up and see if that fixes the issue.
------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 07 2007 at 1:38am
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So I am getting the bubbles about once, sometimes 2 times, a min with the teflon tape on the four connections and the others are glued. Any way to figure out where the air leak is coming from? I was thinking of just using silicone on the outside of the 4 that I don't want permanent? Could there be another cause of the microbubles? I am not sure if they are being fed from the sump skimmers and then released when they build up in the u tube. Seems unlikely to me though. The skimmers have baffles and there is filter media in between the output and the return pump. ------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: July 07 2007 at 9:12am
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With PVC as cheap as it is, just put a union on the u tube so you can
remove the whole thing for cleaning, then glue the whole thing
up. Worst case scenario you have to cut off $3 in plumbing and
remake it...
------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: July 07 2007 at 9:51am
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You could turn off the skimmer for awhile to see if it is the cause.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 09 2007 at 3:10am
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I used teflon tape and silicone on the pipes. I still am getting microbubbles. Any ideas? ------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: July 09 2007 at 12:59pm
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How many bends are on the intake side of the pump, and what size
pipe? if it is too difficult to pull through it will cause
cavitation which will cause air bubbles too.
------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 09 2007 at 2:14pm
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It is 1 inch pipe and it has a u-tube over the edge of my 20 high so there are 4 bends on the intake side. I have a valve on the output side of the pump. Does reducing the flow solve cavitation?
------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 09 2007 at 2:22pm
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The pipe is actually 3/4 inch.
------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: July 09 2007 at 3:12pm
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Try dialing it down on the output side for a bit and see if that solve's the prob.
------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: July 11 2007 at 2:20pm
All this talk has me thinking about how I want to plumb my Iwaki 40 on
the new 90g (see other thread). To conserve floor space I may want to
plumb the pump over the sump on a small shelf. I can bolt it down with
stainless or nylon screws so it can't fall in and I have this sweet
check valve that should keep it primed.  I was thinking of putting the check valve in the return chamber with a screen on it, up to a union then to an elbow on the intake side. The output side would have a union followed by a ball valve to shut it off to clean the pump, then it would have a wye to go to each SCWD. Anybody see any problems or concerns? Thanks, Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 11 2007 at 2:27pm
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Everything I have read about these externals says that having the pump suck on the input side will shorten the life of the pump (the bearings go out quicker). I don't know if you would run into the same issues that I have with microbubbles. It is really annoying though. BTW, Great looking pair of tanks! ------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: July 14 2007 at 4:10pm
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OK, I think I owe Adam, Mike, Fax, and Dion a beer. I ripped off all the silicone and teflon tape and glued the pvc. No bubbles. It will not be coming out any time soon though. Thanks Guys. ------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: July 14 2007 at 4:22pm
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Yeah, i think im going to plumb mine next to the sump, you talked me out of the overhead thing. I guess we're even. Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: July 15 2007 at 1:25am
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I'm glad it worked out Jeff!
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: July 15 2007 at 10:58am
 ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |