Maintenance after many years of running.

I like the rigid PVC so I did plumb the Chiller with PVC I would do the returns in the effort to not reduce flow I was avoiding it for the returns. I might just go ahead and use PVC anyway. The chiller is cooling the water so I guess I'm good. The probe is in the sump.

 

Weekend maintenance a decade overdue.

some of the before shots. Cleaned all the dust off the pump. Changed some wiring around on the chiller and the wall. Blew the coils off with the air compressor. Changed the way the drains and returns connect in the tank. Removed a lot of rock. Still have a lot more to do.

 

I had a fish get caught in the drain once causing a water overflow and apparently more damage than I thought.

 

Did a test just to see if it would work and unless you were using hose barbs and clamps it definitely will not glue together.

 

Drain line question.

I installed the pump added much needed flow. Now the drain is keeping up but I think it can do a better job at it. Currently it is 1" drains from both left and right side of the tank. It meets in the middle with a "T" it clashes there and then runs into the sump and fuge on 1" pvc. Question is, If I take it and cut the "T" out and make two individual drains will it work faster. Then I can take one side of the drain add another "T" and split that off to the fuge and the remainder of the two lines into the filter socks. I can only fit the 1" bulkheads in there so I was limited I think. Any other Ideas welcome.

 

If you have 1" barbed bulkheads, they have a very small inside diameter. I changed mine out to threaded, but then you have to fit lines over them. But I got a lot more flow.

Two 1" lines going into one 1" line equals one 1" line. Take the tee out and replace everything down with 1.5" line. If I remember correctly a 1.5" line flows more than two 1" lines. My point it s does not have to be a 2" line. But anything going to a "tee" has to be bigger on the outlet. If you want to run separate lines you can, but you don't have to.

 

That is basically what I have done on my 125. One 1 1/4" drain line runs to the 'fuge. The other 1 1/4" tees, one line to the skimmer, the other to the 'fuge.

This will work as well. Choose whichever is easier

 

I cut the T out and ran the two lines separate. On one side I added a T and a valve to feed both the filter sock and the refuge. The valve is on the refuge side so it doesn't affect the flow at all. It was flowing out nicely. Put a cover on both sides to prevent splashing and salt creep. Will load some pictures later. working pretty good for now. Will try adding a Airline tube to the Durso Standpipe as well.

 

You would want a hole saw/bit combo, not just the bit. If you have a Harbor Freight near you, they're super cheap for a whole kit.

 

I bought one at BRS I didn't know they had them at Harbor Freight.