How to: sump plumbing?

I am plumbing my sump for the first time ever and I have a general idea of what im looking for but I would like more information on peoples recommended setup.

I will be using an Eshopps 900 gph overflow and a mag 9.5. Any advice on individual plumbing pieces? Such as ball/check valvles? Also I need advice on loc-lines since I have never used anything like them before. Do they just attach to the PVC plumbing? I would like to seperate my return into two loclines at opposite ends of the tank.

 

No check valves! They are a flood waiting to happen and have no place in a saltwater aquarium.
With a properly designed system you do not need one anyway since only a small, easily calculated amount of water will siphon back before the return is exposed to atmosphere and you have an air gap, the best form of backflow prevention there is. In my case I have a 100G display and only 3.2 gallons could possibly go back to the sump before the siphon breaks.

Place a ball valve on the discharge side of the return pump so you can adjust flow if needed and for maintenance and cleaning. If you plan on using predominantly PVC at least use a short section of vinyl tubing right off the return pump ball valve to break up vibraton and sound transmission then convert to PVC with a barbed nipple. I usually upsize the return plumbing one size, ie if the pump has a 3/4" outlet increase the tubing to 1", for less resistance to flow. Mag recommends this in their literature.

Loc Line has a threaded adapter that screws into a threaded PVC coupling or fitting. You can find photos of all the Loc Line fittings here:
ModularHose.com - Loc-Line Modular Hose System

Here is a good primer on sumps in general:
Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

 

I agree that check valves are not needed If you plan ahead and have leave room for back siphoning , but I don't understand how they are a flood waiting to happen? And have no room in the hobby? I'm assuming you mean if they are being utilized to prevent an overflow when the sump is too small to handle the back siphoned dt water? In that case I agree but other than that they can come in quite handy IME.

 

Check valves can and do fail, they are not a backflow prevention device period.
All it takes is one grain of sand on the seat, a piece of food, a small snail, just the slime coat we see in all our tanks. Remember it does not have to be a catastrophic failure, even a trickle will flood given time.
An air gap is the best form of backflow or backsiphonage control, water cannot jump uphill so the flow stops. Simple, no cleaning, no maintenance and nothing to fail.

I place drilled holes in with check valves, you read about floods every day because an anemone parked over the hole and the power went out. Or it sucked a piece of algae into the hole or a smal fish. I have been around this hobby for far too many years and just like in my Wastewater treatment profession, we avoid check valves like the plague. A saltwater tank is a miniature treatment plant and the same applies.

Who is to say you cleaned it 10 minutes ago and the power goes out just now and it sucks the food you just fed before leaving the house up? Or that piece of algae you scraped off last night. They have no place and are far from a guarantee, they will fail given time and none are better than any other. A properly designed system never needs one.

 

I am not arguing the fact that a properly designed system doesn't need one, I was just wondering why you were so against them , I just don't see anything wrong with incorporating them into a system if you want to.
I deal with a fairly large amounts of water flowing through pipes on a daily basis as well at work and am just saying that they do have their place.

 

Check valves do not do well in dirty water situations.

Besides that they all have some resistance to flow so add additional head to a pump that only pumps maybe 10 feet of head to begin with. Not a good idea and ask anyone who has been in the hobby long, its pretty much unanimous across all the forums.

 

As far as a ball valve- as in to adjust flow?

Also, DO NOT USE ONE on your overflow/intake line- like to help quiet it down.

They too, are a flood waiting to happen, 'cause when the intake won't keep up with the return from your pump, = wet floor, until your sump return compartment runs dry.

Research some of the designs, them build what will work for you and your set up.

Good luck! Keep on reefing!

 

Good point, never restrict the overflow, it will always match the return flow when designed properly. I have seen many new reefers try to adjust flow with a valve on the overflow and unless you have two overflows like the Herbie style it ends in disaster.

 

You are right , I guess spectrapure doesn't make check valves.

 

Don't be an ass.