An Excuse To Spend More Money I Don't Have?

With my new chiller, I find some unanticipated issues. Not really problems, but little things.

The pros:
1. my tank temp is now consistent.
2. my corals are showing their appreciation.

The cons:
1. I have too many pumps. There's the main return, a powerhead 'CA3000' more like a pump of 1000 GPH @ 0' head to my chiller, my reactor pump 'a tiny rio', my protein skimmer pump. This equals much more heat being created in the system unnecessarily.
2. I don't have the amount of flow thru the chiller that I really want. The manufacturer calls for 480-2400, and I have it right at about 535 GPH. I'd like it at about 1,200 GPH.
3. Increased potential for clogging of the powerhead-style pumps in the sump due to detritus and carbon that invariably gets out of my Kent reactor.
4. Much less room to work for maintenance down there now with the chiller lines in the sump.


OK. So all this comes down to some ideas I'm toying with. I'm thinking of buying a beast of a main return pump, running a manifold off it do all these things:
1. feed the chiller,
2. feed the return to DT,
3. feed the reactor,
4. feed the protein skimmer.

To do this all, I'd need
1. a new inline return pump rated sufficiently to accomplish all the above, which would make it at least a $250 pump.
2. a new protein skimmer of the non-impeller type, something maybe like a spray-injection AquaC EV 180, maybe?
3. a new sump, maybe a 20 long.

This would afford me four good results:
1. a savings in electricity (I hope) because I'm getting rid of a few other powerheads and replacing them all with one larger return pump,
2. much less heat created--making the halides the only heat producing variable in the tank, thus saving more energy as the chiller would need to run less often, and
3. more open space underneath, and making maintenance a more pleasant experience,
4. a much better protein skimmer than I currently use, and finally,
5. the ability to employ a refugium with its own independently lit section. (I'm thinking of dipping the baffles in tool-handle coating to make the walls of the fuge section opaque). This will contain the light, preventing nuisance algae growing in other portions of the sump, and not light up my living room at night when I'm in there watching TV, reading, or playing the guitar. I like my darkness at nighttime!


So I'd love some opinions as to whether this project is worthwhile with respect to the benefits I'm expecting to reap.

 

I say yes sounds like a good plan to me, I was thinking on the same lines with the carbon reactor im making was toying with the idea of plumbing it off my return lines.

 

Hi Reefsparky

read it twice and it all makes sense logically to me
the benefits described certainly make this project worth while IMHO

the extra sump capacity and a fuge can only be beneficial IMPWUTE (in most people who use them experience)

the only concern I have and its a trivial concern, as I know how reliable most aquarium products are, is this, with multiple pumps at least you dont lose everything with a single pump failure.
so getting the right, will last for years and hardly anyone has had a "problem one" pump will be key to the future enjoyment you get out of this upgrade

please feel free to ignore the last paragraph it may be a posting location concern rather than a real concern.
Steve

 

Consolidation is always good.

 

I just built a manifold to run everything except closed loop. I have a reeflo dart that I'm loving and is super quiet. Currently it's running the return,bullet2, and carbon reactor. I have two other lines not in use. I'm really glad I built it. I have another pump running the algae scrubber that I need to plumb. Do you have much room for plumbing ? That was a big obstacle for me. It took 50 trips to thehardware store and a few redesigns to get mine right.

 

I have the 48x18" footprint of the 90, with about 25 1/2" vertical inches. I can make the plumbing work; I'm fairly handy.

EDIT: could I see a pic of your manifold if possible?

Otty sent me a great link for PVC manifolds which I'll probably wind up using.

 

Hey RS,
I currently do some of the things you are thinking of. If I could make one suggestion, I would feed your skimmer with the overflow line rather than running it from your return pump.

I feed my Chiller, Refugium and my display all with 1 pump

J

 

Yes, Steve. I've considered that. Down the road I'll probably get a second pump to keep onhand as a reserve. Kept dry until needed. Thanks!

That's what I'm thinking.

Glad for the confirmation, Jason--thanks. What skimmer do you use? I was under the impression that the feed to the skimmer must be off a pump to have sufficient force?? (I'm considering a spray induction type skimmer). If I use a skimmer without the venturi-equipped, attached pump I'm familiar with, what options do I have? (other than spray induction type.)

 

Any type of recirculation skimmer would have secondary pumps to bring the air into the system. As I'm writing this I'm laughing because I'm suggesting more pumps not less.

 

Guess what, I did that exact thing this summer I had a pump going to my protein skimmer, one to my chiller and back to the sump, and the main return pump, a mag 12 (HUGE heat issue there!)

I plumbed a little giant pump to be my main return pump through my chiller, and I have noticed a couple of things I would caution you about:

1) Check your chiller manufacturers website. Chillers do have an upper limit, and if you exceed that, the chiller will be unable to cool the water sufficiently, will run longer, and burn WAY more power in the long run, because the chiller will have to run far longer. That'll undo any energy savings.

2) I encountered a problem because one of my 2 return lines were too close to a coral, and the suddenly cold water washing over it every few hours damaged the Digitata. I moved the return line and all is well.

I found a pump head calculator on another website, you can enter the pump you're looking at getting, enter the fittings you have and then it'll calculate the approximate flow you're actually going to get. My little giant pump is about perfect. My chiller runs much, much less than it used to, and my tank has a more consistent temperature.

You may also want to consider space in your stand. I'd highly suggest a union joint, and a valve on both sides of the pump, that way if you need to remove the pump you can quickly, closing the water off on both sides, and get the pump out for maintenance. Turn the valves closed, unscrew the union joints, and take it out...A plumber recommended that, turned out to be a fantastic idea... and if you get the wrong size pump, you can replace it easily Problem is, the valve and union took up nearly a foot of space. I have a bigger footprint than you do, and a 20 gallon sump is all I have room for, and even then I had to run the pump diagonal..

HTH!