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My Cadlights Tank Build: Plumbing Questions

Mozby

Mozby

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So the stock plumbing came with metric “uPVC” for a durso overflow and flex tubing for the return and optional emergency drain. As previously stated, I intend to convert it to a herbie overflow system but have some questions.

(1)The durso main drain bulkhead is 40mm in diameter while the smaller secondary drain is 20mm. I am leaning on sticking with what was originally intended but I’ve heard people say that I should switch and make the smaller drain the main and the larger drain the emergency instead. Thoughts?

(2)The stock plumbing comes with a ball valve but I’ve always heard ppl say “go gate valve instead”. How imperative is this? Will it substantially reduce noise or are there other benefits?

(3)BRS has metric to standard adapters that I can use and overhaul the entire plumbing to standard. Has anyone used this before and does it work well? Or should I just work with what they gave? Note: If I want to go gate valve, I do need to convert.

(4) Is a strainer necessary or recommended for the herbie main drain? I’ve read that the emergency standpipe should be 1/2” below the weir, but how tall should the main stand pipe be? 4-6” lower than emergency? Does overall height matter as long as that differential is met?

Appreciate all the input I can get. Thanks!






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my corner overflow had two tabs that could be removed based on what side you wanted your return pipe to sit in...like a dummy I broke both of them free. that created a spot for them to slide into the overflow. Lost a red dragonet the same way!
 
Additional questions:
On the drain line, will 45 degree elbows be better than 90 degree elbows in terms of air bubbles and noise? Or is there no difference?
 
Jeff Rehling said:
my corner overflow had two tabs that could be removed based on what side you wanted your return pipe to sit in...like a dummy I broke both of them free. that created a spot for them to slide into the overflow. Lost a red dragonet the same way!
Click to expand...
Tank swaps aside, you've blocked one of them now....right?
 
Mozby's Reef said:
Additional questions:
On the drain line, will 45 degree elbows be better than 90 degree elbows in terms of air bubbles and noise? Or is there no difference?
Click to expand...
At the top no, elsewhere in the system you'll get more flow. I happen to also recommend against long horizontal runs in drain lines (give it a little slope like a gutter), but that's a separate issue.
 
Mozby's Reef said:
So the stock plumbing came with metric “uPVC” for a durso overflow and flex tubing for the return and optional emergency drain. As previously stated, I intend to convert it to a herbie overflow system but have some questions.
Click to expand...


Mozby's Reef said:
(1)The durso main drain bulkhead is 40mm in diameter while the smaller secondary drain is 20mm. I am leaning on sticking with what was originally intended but I’ve heard people say that I should switch and make the smaller drain the main and the larger drain the emergency instead. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
20 mm isn't all that large. *If*, and I do emphasize if, your 20 mm line is large enough to carry most or all of your return flow then yes, make it the main drain. The bigger the emergency drain the better. Consider also that if your 20 mm drain isn't large enough to support full flow then if you get a true clog of your 40 mm drain you're still going to overflow, just not as fast. Drains don't tend to unclog themselves.

Mozby's Reef said:
(2)The stock plumbing comes with a ball valve but I’ve always heard ppl say “go gate valve instead”. How imperative is this? Will it substantially reduce noise or are there other benefits?
Click to expand...
Most people want a 2 drain system to be silent. In order for a pipe to be silent it needs to not suck and gurgle air. In order for this to happen it needs to either run at full capacity and not suck surface air, or it needs to have just a bit of water running down the walls. You can do a few other tricks, but that's the basic idea. To achieve this you adjust the valve until you the drain barely can't keep up, then the tiny bit of excess goes down the other drain. You can try for perfect balance, but that's hard to achieve, and if you undershoot you get an occasional loud gurgle.

A ball valve is much harder to adjust than a gate valve, which is usually harder than a globe valve, which is harder than a needle valve. Of course good ball valves have slightly less resistance when fully open that gate valves, much less than globe valves, and gobs less than needle valves.

A gate valve will make this adjustment a lot easier to achieve. Also, this is something you only have to buy once. The economy gate valves tend to be a pain, if you can afford it suck it up and get a name brand one like Spears.

Mozby's Reef said:
(3)BRS has metric to standard adapters that I can use and overhaul the entire plumbing to standard. Has anyone used this before and does it work well? Or should I just work with what they gave? Note: If I want to go gate valve, I do need to convert.
Click to expand...
No experience, but I don't see why it would be an issue if you have the space to fit the adapter.

Mozby's Reef said:
(4) Is a strainer necessary or recommended for the herbie main drain? I’ve read that the emergency standpipe should be 1/2” below the weir, but how tall should the main stand pipe be? 4-6” lower than emergency? Does overall height matter as long as that differential is met?

Appreciate all the input I can get. Thanks!
Click to expand...
For strainers make sure that nothing big enough to clog your drain (consider the ball/gate valve may be smaller that your inlet) can enter it. You can do this at your weir, you can do this at a strainer, or you can run with the risk that you may occasionally have to get in there with a compressed air line and blast a clump of snails, hermits, or fish out of an inaccessible bend in your drain.

For the stand pipe 4-6" is a good distance. 4" is probably at the low end for a 1" drain though. Make it too small andy our
 
Been away a bit busy today.
You can swap the bulkheads for standard stuff if your tank has bulkheads; that way, you can get off the shelf fitti gs and pipe.
That is if Cadlights is not like Red Sea Reefer line, with an odd and proprietary bulkhead system.
 
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