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Some general recommendations on installing and piping pumps:
Do not reduce the output side (pressure side) of the pump right at the pump. If you must reduce it, do so at least 18 inches away from the output fitting on the pump.Never reduce the pipe going to the pump intake side (suction side). You will cause cavitation, and very small bubbles will always be visible in your tank because the water breaks up and the air comes out of it.
Buy a pump with at least 25-30 percent more rated output than what you feel you will need to run your tank. This will help offset the pressure head loss in output, and give a better flow.
Place the pump at the same level as the bottom of the sump. Not higher. Pumps sold for aquarium use do not "lift" water very well and you will strain the motor one one hand, and lose flow on the other, if you do. Additionally, it will be very difficult to prime the pump (get it started).
Often pumps can be used in only 1 or 2 positions. Check to make sure that the one you are using is an allowable one. (horizontal, upright, at an angle, sideways etc.)
Place pump on a thin piece of rubber, or foam, to reduce vibration and noise.
Clean your pumps volute and impeller at least once every 3 months.
Never let pumps run dry! You will hear this often, but it is still done.
If you pipe the pump using hose barbs and flexible tubing, use clamps as well, to prevent the hose from being blown off the barb, because of back pressure.
Preferably use a float switch to protect your pump.
Make sure no water falls or runs on the pump. If it does, clean up the water as soon as you can. Salt water is highly corrosive, and will ruin your pump in no time. Protect your investment, take good care of your pump.
Water Returns : One, Several, with or without bottom holes
Water can be returned to the top or bottom of the tank, and you can use one or several water returns. How you set this up in your own tank will determine how you can populate the tank, as you do not want to cover up the water returns with rocks.
In smaller to medium size aquariums such as the ones discussed in this book, one water return is enough. Whether you return the water from the top, or whether you pipe it in through a hole in the bottom is entirely your decision.
Figures A B D (see previous page)
Two water returns : the white hole is one, and the second one is through pipe, represented here by a thick black line. The entry point through the glass can be on the left, the right or the middle. In the former two cases you would use a 90o angled fitting coming out of the bulkhead (also called tank fitting), in the latter case you must use a Tee fitting, and capped-off pipe, going in either direction. The pipe in the middle, returns water underneath the rock formations and pushes the dirt out, so it can be filtered out or removed with a syphon hose, if you wish to do that.
D shows the same arrangement, but with the pipe placed towards the back of the tan and the hole on the other side. Which configuration you use is entirely up to you.
Figure C
Three water returns : one on either side of the tank, and one underneath the rock formations to prevent water from stagnating there. The fittings used are described in A B D, above, and more details can be found in Advanced Reef Keeping I, also by Albert J. Thiel.
As already indicated, most Hobbyists will not need to drill holes in their tanks and can safely return the water from the top. Angle the jets downwards to stir up the bottom layers of water and bring them to the surface for better re-oxygenation.
Returning it from the bottom require more work, and the tank must be drilled. This is easy in an acrylic tank and somewhat more complicated in a glass tank. Some Pet stores now drill holes for you, or you can check with local glass dealers. As long as the bottom glass is not "tempered", drilling one or more holes is not really a problem.
The positioning of the return holes varies depending on whose recommendations you follow. Here are two possible suggested ways. I use the one with the two returns, one under the rock, and one at one end of the tank returning water from the bottom, against a side pane.
Sometimes spray bars are used to disperse the water over the water at the top of the tank. That may seem like a good idea, but it does not really create a great deal of water current and movement inside the tank. It should, therefore, in my opinion not be used in Reef Tanks.
Corner Overflows or Syphons-Surface Skimmers?
To bring the water from the tank to the filter, Hobbyists use either corner overflow boxes or automatic syphon surface skimmers.
The use of corner overflows is rather widespread. Some tanks are sold with the overflow built-in, but more than likely, if you want to use that system, you will have to modify the tank.
Again, you will need a hole in the bottom of the tank (or the back, or the side, but obviously inside the overflow arrangement). You will have to build the overflow by using either 2 plates of glass, or 2 plates of acrylic to make a square or rectangular box (or one plate to make a triangular box, another possible arrangement that is not shown).
To affix the plates you will use aquarium silicone in glass tanks, and acrylic glue in acrylic tanks. Get plates of the same thickness as the aquarium glass or acrylic, using 3/8" as the maximum. This means that if your aquarium is made of 1/2S inch glass or acrylic, 3/8" will still do for the overflow. A 4" by 4" box is usually large enough for most tanks.
Because of the work involved, and the difficulty that you may have in your area to get glass drilled (acrylic is easy, and you can do so yourself with a good hole saw) many Hobbyists resort to the use of a syphon surface skimming arrangement.
There are quite a few on the market. Check around, and look for the following features :
These are all important considerations. Do not select a model too hastily. Look for at least most of the above features, especially the automatic re-starting one (meaning it keeps its prime even if the pumps stop). Having a pre-filter that can easily be serviced is also important.
Building your own is a consideration, but probably not worth the trouble. There is a large choice for you to select from, and in various price ranges. Buy only units that skim the surface properly, by means of a little box with indentations (tooth or comb-like) that hangs in the tank.
If you are planning to run more than 350 gallons per hour through the surface skimmer syphon, the one you buy should have a 1 inch hose adapter going to the filter. If it doesn't you may not be able to run your pump at the speed you want.
Of course, the unit you acquire should have a barb, or nip, in a convenient place (usually at the top), for you to be able to prime the syphon without much difficulty. The instructions should tell how to do so.
Clean the pre-filter at least once a week, lest it will start restricting the water flow down to the trickle filter, which will result in your pump stopping if you use a float switch, or running dry if you do not, and possibly failing, or running very hot.
Buy the right syphon-surface skimmer the first time around. You will save yourself both money and time, indeed, re-piping the system to replace the syphon is not something you want to look forward to.
If you decide to drill holes, to return the water to the tank, which in my opinion is not necessary in small and medium systems, make them at least 3/4 inch pipe size. This means the hole will have to be 1 inch, to accommodate the bulkhead-tank fitting.
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