High Tide Aquatics

Thinking about a new tank....

Double check if u really need 3x1.5” drains and 2x1.25” returns. Larger pipes take up more spaces.

I have same size tank, siphon drain at 1”, other two drains at 1.5”. My returns are 2x1” pipes fed by one RO 5500 return pump. It provides lower flow rate than varios 8, but if i remember correctly my setup should be able to handle ur pump of choice.
 
Keep in mind that flow is the square of the radius, and friction loss is the cube.
So a 1.5" pipe is 2 to 3 times better than a 1" pipe.
 
Vhuang168 said:
Your total head pressure is gonna be higher than 4.8”. Figure about 8-10’. Each bend will be about 1”, at the minimum you will have 3 bends. Each fixture will add about another ft. So about another 2’. Horizontal runs will add some.



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Great point. This is a good opportunity for me to learn this stuff.

Btw, I don’t use hard pvc. I use ultra flex:

https://www.flexiblepvc.net/Ultra_Flexible_PVC_Pipe_White_p/ultra-flex-white.htm

This limits the bends. They are very gradual. It does not have the professional look of hard plumbed pvc, but it is more efficient (not sure how much but when looking at how much more efficient a 45 degree elbow is than a 90, I am thinking quite a bit more efficient).

On my current tank I have only two hard 90 bends. That is where the returns enter the tank.

There is only one other fitting. There is a Y to split to the two returns.

In terms of bends in the flex, there is a gentle curve in the flex pvc from return pump to the Y fitting. Then two runs at about 45 degrees up to the 90 elbows, but more vertical at the top.

It is ~2.5 ft from the return pump to the Y and then each 45 degree run to the elbows at about 2.5 ft. All with 1” pipe. The loc-line returns are 3/4” so the elbows are reducing elbows.

I plan to plumb the new tank the same except use 1.25” instead of 1” ultra flex since 1.25” is the output diameter of the pump.

I am going to spend some time in a spreadsheet on this, so thanks for the nudge to learn this. I started here: https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/1/aafeature2




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Flagg37 said:
Didn’t BRS do a video where they found that 2 45’s was practically the same as 1 90?
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From a physics point of view, that is not really a surprise.
Overall kinetic energy change is the same. Just a bit less distance.
Probably some subtle differences in the fittings though.

Flex tube makes connecting things much easier.
But I did have trouble with the black ultra-flex the used to sell. It did not weld like normal pvc pipe, and leaked.
 
Regarding:
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/1/aafeature2

I have read that before, and meant to ask Sanjay someday about it.
The thing is - we tend to run our systems in a "constant GPH" type of mode. Especially drains.
If you have a 500 GPH system, the velocity of the water in a 1" pipe is far higher than a 1.5" pipe
due to simple cross sectional area of the pipe.
Most of those tables on fitting sizes and so on seem to be built around constant velocity.
It seems to leave out the added velocity difference due to pipe size.
That compounds the difference, and does affect the numbers.
It is possible he already put that in the tables, but it sure does not look like it.
 
Another Idea. This is a rough sketch I did on a plane, so it was hard for me to do on the trackpad instead of a mouse. But I think it shows the general idea.

I have a 20' wall that currently has built-in shelves, a fireplace we never use, and a TV that is above the fireplace which is too high up the wall. It goes back about 36" from the current line. My wife wants to redo built-ins in white, take out the fireplace, and lower the TV.

My idea is to make room for two 60"x24"x24" tanks. I could make simple like I have here. They are two standalone tanks. This gives me the flexibility to make one freshwater planted and one a reef tank.

Another option would be to plumb them together and put a single sump under the TV.

FamRoom.jpg
 
As someone who had a planted freshwater tank and a reef in the same room next to each other you should be aware of the color differences. If you are talking a cichlid tank with a 10k light and a reef at 12k it isn' bad. If you're talking a planted tank at 6-7k and a reef at 20k the contrast is very clear. Some people mind, some don't, but it's worth being aware of. I really didn't like it at first, but got over it and nobody I invited over ever minded.

I think you still have the TV too high in the mock up. Maybe I have a stiff neck, but I like the top of a TV not much higher than the top of my head. This used to be pretty standard when TVs were smaller. It looks a bit odd with a big TV until you get used to it, but really does work well.

Pros for 1 sump:
More system stability due to water volume.
Some equipment common (controllers, dosers, ATO).
Easier maintenance/water changes.

Cons:
No fresh water/salt water.
No high nutrient/low nutrient differences.
Longer hose routing.
Larger fuge area/lighting needs balances out lack of duplication.
Larger skimmer needed.
Larger sump volume to handle power off overflow conditions of both tanks, two return pumps, etc.

Personally I'd keep them separate if budget allows, but it depends on your goals for the tanks.
 
reeftanks.png.jpg
Here is a better rendering. This is still conceptual. I got this plan approved by the wife and the contractor. We'll see if it sticks, but the rendering helped a lot with getting the wife to visualize something she could live with.

The tank stands will be white but will NOT be sliding doors (I did not notice I picked that option in the design software (RoomSketcher)). I also am not showing the hanging lights. I need to make the space easily convertible to a tank-less spot when we sell the house. That is why there is some recessed lighting there that I won't use for the tank.

Click here for the full 360 rendering.

I am not sure what both tanks will be. One will likely be a mixed LPS/SPS. One idea for the other is a sea horse tank, a softie preditor tank.
 
The tanks are symmetric around the TV, so I would subconsciously expect them to be fairly similar.
That means similar lighting, but not exactly the same contents.

I have considered two tanks quite often. You simply can't do everything on one tank.
Mine would be Reef + FOWLR, because there are so many nice fish that are not reef compatible.

As far as dual/single sumps:
One large sump would be a LOT easier!
But you would probably want one single cabinet all the way across, below tanks+tv, to hide plumbing.
Also, it restricts you on water quality. A predator tank is messy, and it would be nice to have that separate
from reef side.
 
If we’re dreaming here, you could do one huge long tank that has 3 separate “compartments”. The middle one would be the sump that would be normally hidden behind the tv. When sump maintenance needs to happen the tv would drop down into the cabinet with the hydraulic lift and waterproof seal.
 
I find that tanks next to the TV improves your marriage.
I have something else to look at when the wife watches Dancing with the Stars.
So a swing down TV would cause arguments in my house.
 
rygh said:
I find that tanks next to the TV improves your marriage.
I have something else to look at when the wife watches Dancing with the Stars.
So a swing down TV would cause arguments in my house.
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The swing down TV is for ME! Wife usually streams her shows on an Ipad or uses the TV in the other room.
 
We are redoing the bathroom so the wall was exposed. I asked the electrician to run two 100’ 10/2 lines (in Orange) from the main panel so I can have dedicated 20 amp circuits for each tank.

e4b6b0b18c5ae7fdec29524a36753f2d.jpg
 
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