Plumbing my Anthias 160

[Koestby]

Hey guys. I'm in the process of getting pvc for my new build. It's a aqua medic anthias 160. Today it got 1.5" drainpipe, think it was used for a durso, it only came with a strainer all the way down in the overflow box near the bulkhead. It might been removed, dunno. And a 1" for return..
I don't like the thought of not having a emergency drain, so I'm thinking about making it into a herbie. My question is, do I keep the 1.5" as drain and 1" as emergency or switch it? Not sure if I can drill a bigger hole around the existing 1" .
This is my first attempt on hardplumbing and I wanna get it right the first time.
Tank is 750l, sump 150l. Returnpump is 8000l/h adjustable depending on wattage.

Admin, move to right place if wrong.


Thanks,
Kenneth



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[DaveK]

When you deal with hard plumbing for the first time, the best idea is to figure your going to rebuild it about three times before you get it just right. Allow for this and you'll be fine.

The requirement for an emergency drain only occurs with overflow systems that restrict the flow out of the tank using a valve, such as a Herbie or Bean Animal overflow. If you have no restrictions on the overflow, such as a Durso Standpipe, then you don't need an emergency drain.

As for which one to use, there are advantages and disadvantages either way. The Durso offers ease of construction and doesn't require an emergency drain, but it's going to make more noise. The Herbie overflow will be silent but it needs the emergency drain, and needs to be adjusted just right.

Your idea of using a 1" supply and a 1 1/2" drain is correct. If you are going to also have an emergency drain, it should be the same size as the normal drain 1 1/2".

A few helpful hints -

Always use PVC primer and cement on all joints. You don't want them coming apart.

A clear PVC primer is available and I recommend using it. You will not have the purple runs on your work that you get from the typical purple primer.

When you need to get around something or want a gentle curve, use flexible PVC pipe, also known as Spaflex. It glues up like normal PVC, but it will bend. Only use flexible PVC pipe where you need it, because it will restrict flow slightly and it's more expensive. This type of pipe works really well where you need the pipe to curve in to something or match up with a sump fitting. I made my drain tubes out of it, so they would easily match up with the sump.

When using valves, spend the extra money for true union ball valves. That way you can take it apart for cleaning.

Use unions at points where you will need to take the plumbing apart. It's not a bad idea to have a few unions on hand, just in case you need to cut something apart later.

 

[Koestby]

Thanks a lot @DaveK for that writeup, really helps a newbie. So U reckon I would be fine with just running it like it sits now? 1.5" as drain and 1" for return/supply? As a durso standpipe/stockman or something in that lane. I`ve read alot about people having trouble to get it quiet enough, the tank is in the livingroom just besides the couch and Im picky about too much noise.

If I were to run a herbie overflow, I gotta use both pipes in the overflow, 1,5" (drain today) and 1" (return/supply) as drain and emergency. And plumb the new pipe (supply) on the backside and over the top of the tank. Should the emergency be the biggest pipe in the overflow, or would it be enough with the 1"? and still use the 1,5" as main drain?

 

[spiraling]

I had a durso on a previous tank and the drain was quiet. Mine had a molded in hole at the top to let air in, which I think helps the noise. The noise I had was from the trickling in the sump, and then again from a return pump. If you design your sump plumbing to be quiet too, there shouldn't be a problem with noise. ... I will mention though - I had lower flow which also probably helped.

 

[DaveK]

Thanks a lot @DaveK for that writeup, really helps a newbie. So U reckon I would be fine with just running it like it sits now? 1.5" as drain and 1" for return/supply? As a durso standpipe/stockman or something in that lane. I`ve read alot about people having trouble to get it quiet enough, the tank is in the livingroom just besides the couch and Im picky about too much noise.

If I were to run a herbie overflow, I gotta use both pipes in the overflow, 1,5" (drain today) and 1" (return/supply) as drain and emergency. And plumb the new pipe (supply) on the backside and over the top of the tank. Should the emergency be the biggest pipe in the overflow, or would it be enough with the 1"? and still use the 1,5" as main drain?

Noise is very subjective. What is fine for me might sound like a jack hammer to you. Generally, a durso or stockman overflow will make more noise than a herbie or bean animal. Consider that the noise we are talking about is the noise you get from the water rushing down the overflow pipe into the the sump. There are a lot of other noises from a reef system that the overflow choice alone does not effect.

If you are going to build a herbie overflow, you'll need both pipes to be the same or the emergency pipe to be larger. Making the emergency overflow smaller than the main one is looking for trouble. This is because a smaller overflow can't deal with the volume of water that will need to pass through it. A 1 1/2" pipe can handle a bit more than double what a 1" pipe can. So if you want a herbie overflow using 1 1/2" pipe, you will need to drill the tank. A 1" pipe is likely too small to handle all the water you want to run through the filtration system.

If this is a new tank your setting up, and you have all the original parts, your best option might be to set it up as the manufacturer wants you to. The big problem with that is that if you want to change later, it does mean taking down the tank. If your going to try it, get all the plumbing setup and fill the system with FW, and run it for about a week, and see if you can tolerate the noise level. That way you only need to empty the tank if things don't work out.

 

[Koestby]

I've been speaking to aqua medic and the tank is not tempered. And originally it's not even set up as a durso, more like a trickle filter. Overflow filled with bioballs, same in the sump. That's why it only had a strainer at the bottom.

I'm going to cut the overflow box out, remove the existing 1" piping and drill the hole out to 1.5". And place it nicely back [emoji16].
Then I get same with both drains [emoji108]and the return will then become 1.25". Hopefully this will work a lot better then original thoughts.


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[DaveK]

...I'm going to cut the overflow box out, remove the existing 1" piping and drill the hole out to 1.5". ...

Be extremely careful here.

Do not drill too close to the edge of the glass, if that cracks and leaks, you might as well replace the tank.

If you want to accommodate 1 1/2" pipe, you need to drill a hole large enough to accommodate a bulkhead.

Just to keep your life interesting, bulkheads typically used in reef systems come it two general styles.

Here is one type, an ABS bulkhead fitting (offsite link) - https://www.savko.com/collections/b.../abs-bulkhead-slip-x-slip?variant=16345328769

Here is the hole size chart you use to determine how big a hole you will need for and ABS bulkhead (offsite link) - https://www.savko.com/pages/abs-bulkhead-fittings-sizing-chart

Note that you need a 2 3/8" hole for a 1 1/2" ABS bulkhead fitting

The other type is a PVC bulkhead fitting. These are larger and stronger than ABS, but you need to drill an even larger hole (offsite link) - https://www.savko.com/collections/b...vc-bulkhead-slip-x-thread?variant=16345809729

Here is the hole size chart for PVC bulkheads (offsite link) -
https://www.savko.com/pages/pvc-bulkhead-fittings-sizing-chart

You will need a 2 9/16" hole for a 1 1/2" PVC bulkhead.

Usually I'd say that the ABS bulkheads will be fine. However they are somewhat more fragile than PVC. If you use ABS make sure the pipes on the outside are well clamped down, so a bump to the plumbing can't act as a big lever and break the bulkhead.

 

[Koestby]

@DaveK, you sir are a guru I will be going with ABS bulkhead as that`s what`s been used originally from Aqua Medic, I´ve removed the overflow box and the existing fittings so its only glass on both holes as of now. Gonna put in new bulkheads on both when I get the drilling done. Need to buy me some hole saw from Ebay because it`s hard to find the exact size (60mm) here in Norway for glass aparently.

But, Im chuffed that I went with this solution.. 1.5 for drains and 1.25 for return. Much better in the long run Thanks again Dave

 

[DaveK]

@DaveK, you sir are a guru ...

Thanks. This only happens because of all the years I have been in the hobby. At one time or another, I have made almost every mistake possible.

 

[Koestby]

I meant to post a pic of what I accomplished, so here it is.

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