My husband is a piece of work (long)
- Thread starter BarbMazz
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BarbMazz
Well-Known Member
I'm going to be using a 100g Rubbermaid livestock tank for the sump, and I think the ASM will fit in there just dandy! Thanks for your thoughts, though.
tbittner
Well-Known Member
I have a EuroReef RS-250 in that exact Rubbermaid tub, which is a BIG skimmer, and it has a TON of room around it.
Are you planning on sectionalizing the tub? It's probably not necessary IF you put the bulkhead(s) at the bottom of the tub and connect the pump to those. Ummmm, are you going to use an external pump?
Are you planning on sectionalizing the tub? It's probably not necessary IF you put the bulkhead(s) at the bottom of the tub and connect the pump to those. Ummmm, are you going to use an external pump?
BarbMazz
Well-Known Member
JUST the guy I was thinking about! I wasn't thinking of sectionalizing the tub, and could you please explain putting bulkheads in? I've read about bulkheads but I don't know exactly what that means and what it entails.
I believe I am going to use an external pump.
tbittner
Well-Known Member
I bought bulkheads at Tractor Supply, which is also where I bought the rubbermaid tubs. I used 1 1/4" bulkheads. I used hole saw drill bits to cut the right size into the tubs. The bulkhead slides through the hole, the gasket goes on the INSIDE of the tub, and the bulkheads I bought had two gaskets so I put one on the outside too. The bulkhead is also threaded on the inside of it so I screwed 1 1/4" PVC pipe adapter into the bulkhead. Then I glued PVC pipe into the adapter. I DO have ball valves between the tub and the pump though, but they are wide open during normal operation. If anything happens to the pump, I can close the ball valve on the input AND output side of the pump and remove the pump.
Here is a pretty good place to buy bulkheads if you don't have a place locally. I bought my skimmer from Aquacave.
This is what my plumbing looks like going into and out of the return pump.
Before I put this into operation, I DID put another ball valve on the output side of the pump. I also have one behind the tank on the return line so I can control the flow at the tank so I can see what's going on. Also, if something drastic goes wrong, I can just close the ball valve behind the tank and THEN go downstairs to unplug the pump.
I'm building a controller so I'll be able to turn the pump off from any PC in the house but you might want to think about connecting a two way wall switch into the wiring for the pump. The pump DOES simply plug into an outlet but I think it would be nice to be able to reach behind the tank, throw a switch, and the pump is shut off. But you'll also want to be able to turn the pump off while in the basement, for when you're doing water changes and maintenance on the pump. Therefore, it would be nice (but not necessary) to have a wall switch at the tank AND in the basement that controls the pump.
Sorry, not trying to make it more complicated for you, but that is what I wish I had done.
Here is a pretty good place to buy bulkheads if you don't have a place locally. I bought my skimmer from Aquacave.
This is what my plumbing looks like going into and out of the return pump.
Before I put this into operation, I DID put another ball valve on the output side of the pump. I also have one behind the tank on the return line so I can control the flow at the tank so I can see what's going on. Also, if something drastic goes wrong, I can just close the ball valve behind the tank and THEN go downstairs to unplug the pump.
I'm building a controller so I'll be able to turn the pump off from any PC in the house but you might want to think about connecting a two way wall switch into the wiring for the pump. The pump DOES simply plug into an outlet but I think it would be nice to be able to reach behind the tank, throw a switch, and the pump is shut off. But you'll also want to be able to turn the pump off while in the basement, for when you're doing water changes and maintenance on the pump. Therefore, it would be nice (but not necessary) to have a wall switch at the tank AND in the basement that controls the pump.
Sorry, not trying to make it more complicated for you, but that is what I wish I had done.
BarbMazz
Well-Known Member
I bought bulkheads at Tractor Supply, which is also where I bought the rubbermaid tubs. I used 1 1/4" bulkheads. I used hole saw drill bits to cut the right size into the tubs. The bulkhead slides through the hole, the gasket goes on the INSIDE of the tub, and the bulkheads I bought had two gaskets so I put one on the outside too. The bulkhead is also threaded on the inside of it so I screwed 1 1/4" PVC pipe adapter into the bulkhead. Then I glued PVC pipe into the adapter. I DO have ball valves between the tub and the pump though, but they are wide open during normal operation. If anything happens to the pump, I can close the ball valve on the input AND output side of the pump and remove the pump.
Here is a pretty good place to buy bulkheads if you don't have a place locally. I bought my skimmer from Aquacave.
This is what my plumbing looks like going into and out of the return pump.
Before I put this into operation, I DID put another ball valve on the output side of the pump. I also have one behind the tank on the return line so I can control the flow at the tank so I can see what's going on. Also, if something drastic goes wrong, I can just close the ball valve behind the tank and THEN go downstairs to unplug the pump.
I'm building a controller so I'll be able to turn the pump off from any PC in the house but you might want to think about connecting a two way wall switch into the wiring for the pump. The pump DOES simply plug into an outlet but I think it would be nice to be able to reach behind the tank, throw a switch, and the pump is shut off. But you'll also want to be able to turn the pump off while in the basement, for when you're doing water changes and maintenance on the pump. Therefore, it would be nice (but not necessary) to have a wall switch at the tank AND in the basement that controls the pump.
Sorry, not trying to make it more complicated for you, but that is what I wish I had done.
LOL thanks so much. I was looking at your picture and thinking "he's not showing me these bulkhead things inside the tub!"... then the
lightbulb went on in my head and I thought BULKHEAD, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS. Ever feel really dumb? Well, that's how I felt!!! LOLBut this helps, and also the plumbing and electrical info...very helpful!
Thanks a bunch, Terry!
BarbMazz
Well-Known Member
One other thing I WISH I would have done is use union ball valves so I could just unscrew the union and the pipe would separate. I went cheap and used plain ole ball valves.
One thing I really loce about you, Terry that; there is almost always a second post with an afterthought following a very detailed explanation! Whenever I'm reading one of your posts I can count on getting a little smile when I see that second post (and sometimes a third)! I loce it, and those extra posts always have good information in them. Keep it up!
And, already have those union valves on the list!
tbittner
Well-Known Member
hehehe, yeah, you can see the outside of the bulkheads where the pipe connects to the white tank. You can even see the pretty pink teflon tape I used to seal the pipe into the bulkhead.
I have a bunch of other tanks besides the rubbermaid tubs, so the white tank is my actual sump. Like I said, I used 1 1/4" bulkheads because that was all I could find locally but the input on the pump is 2". So I installed two 1 1/4" bulkheads and fed both of them into a 2" pipe to feed the pump. It provides plenty of water to the pump, no cavitation occurs (air in the water), and I don't get any bubbles upstairs in the tank.
I have a bunch of other tanks besides the rubbermaid tubs, so the white tank is my actual sump. Like I said, I used 1 1/4" bulkheads because that was all I could find locally but the input on the pump is 2". So I installed two 1 1/4" bulkheads and fed both of them into a 2" pipe to feed the pump. It provides plenty of water to the pump, no cavitation occurs (air in the water), and I don't get any bubbles upstairs in the tank.