So, I have a plumbing question that I wanted to get suggestions from a plumbing forum rather than an aquarium forum. I have been looking around on the aquarium forums and there are so many different routes that people run. I wanted to get a fresh perspective.
So, for what I have: Living room, 60 gal aquarium that is currently plumbed to a sump that is behind the wall in a spare room closet. Here is a picture of the sump. The left hand side is the drain, the right hand side (black tube) is the return. Right now, the return does one thing, returns water to the main tank.
However, at max performance mode, I can have 5 pumps running from the sump at once. I would like to consolidate 3 of the 5 pumps to be fed from one pump with a manifold. The highest flow needs to go to the DT (display tank), then I will need a tee for a reactor (with it's own flow rate) a uv reactor w/ it's own flow rate and an extra (or 2) for future upgrades.
The pumps are all magnetic driven. I would like to use gate valves vs ball valves for better flow adjustment. However, I don't know the best way to go about this. I have visited flexpvc.com/ but just got overwhelmed quickly.
I know the basics on how to put together PVC, I am just not sure what's the best and most efficient way to plump up a manifold. What worries me, is opening a valve and the water won't flow into the tee because the return line will be the least resistance flow, meaning (to me) that I won't get the flow I will require out of a certain tee.
The requirements I have to follow is all plastic, no metal parts. I prefer to use a flexible tubing or spa-flex as it will be a little more forgiving. I would also like this to be as clean as possible. I can mount this manifold to the wall in the closet.
So, this right here has been my research thus far. google image search of return manifolds and as you can see involves a myraid of different types of manifolds... way more options than I need!! haha!
If this does not make sense, please ask any questions.
Thank you in advance!
Matt
So, for what I have: Living room, 60 gal aquarium that is currently plumbed to a sump that is behind the wall in a spare room closet. Here is a picture of the sump. The left hand side is the drain, the right hand side (black tube) is the return. Right now, the return does one thing, returns water to the main tank.
However, at max performance mode, I can have 5 pumps running from the sump at once. I would like to consolidate 3 of the 5 pumps to be fed from one pump with a manifold. The highest flow needs to go to the DT (display tank), then I will need a tee for a reactor (with it's own flow rate) a uv reactor w/ it's own flow rate and an extra (or 2) for future upgrades.
The pumps are all magnetic driven. I would like to use gate valves vs ball valves for better flow adjustment. However, I don't know the best way to go about this. I have visited flexpvc.com/ but just got overwhelmed quickly.
I know the basics on how to put together PVC, I am just not sure what's the best and most efficient way to plump up a manifold. What worries me, is opening a valve and the water won't flow into the tee because the return line will be the least resistance flow, meaning (to me) that I won't get the flow I will require out of a certain tee.
The requirements I have to follow is all plastic, no metal parts. I prefer to use a flexible tubing or spa-flex as it will be a little more forgiving. I would also like this to be as clean as possible. I can mount this manifold to the wall in the closet.
So, this right here has been my research thus far. google image search of return manifolds and as you can see involves a myraid of different types of manifolds... way more options than I need!! haha!
If this does not make sense, please ask any questions.
Thank you in advance!
Matt