Skimmer exchange--how many tank volumes per hour?

[Anonymous]

So I'm building a sump that will be shared by two tanks. One is 12 g, mushrooms and xenia. The other is 20 g, SPS corals and maybe a clam. The shared sump will have a Euroreef skimmer, CA reactor, and topoff. Basically the reason for it is to make topoff, phyto dosing, water changes, etc easier as well as increase water stability.

I'd like to have a very slow turnover rate between the sump and the tanks to keep the noise low, but obviously it has to be above a certain rate. The other issue I don't want to have is byproducts from the soft corals affecting the SPS corals. So...

How often would you have the entire tank volume changed through the sump? I was thinking 2 times per hour for the smaller tank and 4 times per hour for the larger tank. This would be approx. 100 gph. Can two 1/2" drains handle this flow?

 

[Tackett]

The other issue I don't want to have is byproducts from the soft corals affecting the SPS corals. So...

How are you going to manage that, with a shared sump?

How often would you have the entire tank volume changed through the sump? I was thinking 2 times per hour for the smaller tank and 4 times per hour for the larger tank.

Sounds OK, but depends on how much you wind up stocking it.

This would be approx. 100 gph. Can two 1/2" drains handle this flow?

uhh...im doubtin it. maybe inchers? are we talking two 1/2's per tank? because that might work. You might consider 3/4, would be easier to find fittings for it.

 

[Anonymous]

Well the plan was that anything released by the softies would be skimmed out or adsorbed by carbon in the sump before being pumped up to the SPS tank. Thus the very low turnover rate.

Don't think a 1/2" bulkhead can handle that low of flow? I guess the more approriate way of stating it is that one bulkhead will be draining approx. 25 gph, and one will be draining approx. 80 gph. So I need to figure out if that will work. AFAIR a 1" bulkead can drain at least 600 gph, right? Seems to me a 1/2" bulkhead would be able to drain 1/4th of that, or 150 gph.

 

[Tackett]

I dunno man, my HOB has two one inch bulkheads and the magdrive 5 I have almost does it in. Dunno if its the overflow or what but it comes "pert near".

 

[Entacmaea]

Hey Matt, I think you will probably be fine with the 2, 1/2 " bulkheads for that flow- but I always "next size up" my plumbing just in case, to account for the odd snail, algea, etc. that might get caught and restrict flow. There's not that much space difference between a 1/2 and 3/4" fittings...
It will handle the low flow, then you always have the option to increase flow if you want, down the line, without having to re-plumb the whole thing!

 

[Tackett]

space difference between 1/2 and 3/4 is..gasp...a 1/4. We were not talking that much a gph difference in the bulkheads, my thinking was that an extra 1/4 ought to put him over to where he wants to be. I still dont think two halfs will do it, but i may be wrong.

 

[Unarce]

Matt - is it known that these chemicals that are released by softies actually end up in skimmate? Just curious, as a non-skimmer user.

 

[Anonymous]

Not that I suggest not using skimmers, cause I do, but wouldn't carbon work better for the chemical removal?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm doing carbon and skimming, and no, I have no idea if skimming or carbon will remove any toxins for sure.