lmsmith Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 For those of you who have sumps, how have you plumbed your return? I'm looking at different ways I can do the plumbing, the less noticable the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 On my marine tank it was just a hose run straight from the pump up into some 25mm(iirc) pvc in a U hanging on the back of the tank with a PVC spraybar on it. Was quick and easy to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 I'd recommend using glued PVC pipe rather than push fit hoses, I've seen them leak too many times. Another option you could look into is what they call spa flex, it's glued pressure pipe but flexible so you don't need elbows etc. The only problem is I haven't seen it in NZ (but I haven't looked hard), it's talked about a lot on overseas forums so I assume you can buy it. As Ira says up and over is the best simplest option, your return needs to go close to the surface anyway so you can have an anti syphon hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 same as above, one end of spraybar is out of water to stop syphon back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 If its for saltwater I wouldn't recommend a spray bar (above the surface at least) you would get salt spray every where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 all depends on how you position it no salt spray if you face it into the end of tank more salt creep in my sump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 I have done something liek what has been described above with glued pressure pipe. However I have in my 6 ft tank run teh spray bar to the bottom of the tank. This means that any debrie in my rock work is pushed up and out depending on the angle of the spray bar. It also means that there are swirls or current coming across the rocks so that even though there is around 3000 l an hour of return it is diffuse. I did have to experiment with my antisyphon hole which I drilled at an angle upwards and into the return pipe just on water level. I have never had the tank back syphon and I use white gravel and rocks but as I am relatively slack on water changes it is hard to tell...lol In a 4 ft tank I have my return plumbed into a series of under gravel plates with my rockwork on top. A reverse undergarvel filter so to speak and this to works well but only with fish that dont dig teh rock work about. HTH Navarre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted October 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 I like the idea of having the return on the bottom. I don't really want to drill too many holes in it though, and also want to avoid leaking as much as possible. The plan is to have the least intrusive return possible, I think I might do something like you have craig, with a single return just on water level. No risk of a back-syphon, and it's pretty unobtrusive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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