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Plumbing a 3 Return From Pump System:
Here are instructions on how to "Return" the conditioned
water from the sump back up into your tank.
We will plumb from the sump pump through to the Left end
a
Center Return (to flow water L & R behind your rocks)
and a Right end. 4 foot wide tanks and larger will
appreciate a tripple return system.
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Pump Union |
Sump & Pipes |
Sump Pipes
with text |
Returns |
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Pictures here are the “Return” plumbing up from
the pump.
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If your pump has a sponge prefilter, remove
the plastic grid from inside the foam that
comes with the pump & only attach this grid
to the intake of the pump. Do not use the
foam.
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Screw on the Union on the outflow of the
pump.
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Install a male threaded adaptor into the top
of the Union. May Teflon tape the threads
before installing (see picture Pump-Union)
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You might want to mock this section before
PVC cementing. We want to install a ball
valve vertically before you have to “elbow”
you PVC pipe out to the back. (see picture
Sump & Pipes) Use a small straight PVC piece
to connect the threaded adaptor to the ball
valve. PVC cement all pieces.
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Use a small straight PVC piece to connect
the Ball valve to an elbow.
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Use a length of straight PVC that will
attach to the elbow & bring the pipe out to
the back of the stand & connect it to a PVC
T
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If your sump is on the left end of your
stand use a long length of straight PVC pipe
connected to the T to go out to the
end of the stand/tank – not to go beyond
with an elbow attached on the end (which
will direct the flow vertically to the tank
top). (see picture Returns). Ignore the
pipe dimensions in the picture if your pump
is of a different diameter. Use this
picture as an example of how to reduce your
main pipe down a size on the vertical
returns.
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Install a ball valve a few inches below the
tank top then PVC over the tank top trim
using 2 elbows (connected together with a
very small straight PVC pipe).
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Now you have one end of an elbow pointing
down into the tank. Install a male & female
threaded adaptor using a small piece of
straight PVC to connect to the elbow. Do
not Teflon tape the threads on the adaptors.
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Cut a length of straight PVC that will get
your return pipe just about but not quite ½
way down from the tank top to the sand top.
You will cement an elbow on the end.
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Now, from the pump T at the back of
the stand – plumbing to the right – you want
to try & get the center return as close to
the center of the tank as possible so using
a straight piece of PVC pipe, cut it at a
length so when you install another T,
the top of the T (which will now be
pointing to the tank top) is centered on the
tank. Install a ball valve at the bottom
right at the T so you can reach it
from under the stand (see picture Sump &
Pipes). Continue up & make your return the
same as you did for the left end BUT the
last piece will be a T on the end
instead of an elbow. This will make the
water flow left & right down behind your
rocks.
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From the Center return T – plumb
right & do just like you did on the left end
return.
DRILL siphon holes: A final return
plumbing step will happen once the tank is full
of water & running….you will need to mark the
water line where it touches your return pipes.
Make a mark with a pencil on all 3 pipes. This
will be to drill a ¼” hole to stop any water
back flow to the sump later on. Once marked,
shut off the pump & let it back flow to the sump
as much as you can without it overflowing the
sump. Use the main pump ball valve to turn off
the back flow when the sump is full. Drill all
3 returns at the base/below the pencil marks.
Angle your drill tip upwards so that it creates
a angles hole to give a downward flow when
running. |
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