mixing station questions

LowDime · 04/18/2018, 10:13 AM

Yes i have searched and read page after page. I am going to make a mixing station in the sub basement of my house and put my ro system down there as well. I have never got this complicated with a tank set up before, I just recently got an apex for the system so i am working on getting that all working right as well. I am going to do a couple of containers on one wall with some valves and unions, (this part i think i understand) my confusion is on the pump part. I want to be able to pump water from the mixing area up about 8 stairs then into the sump. So my rough estimate is up 10-12 feet but across probably like 30-35 feet or so. I haven't measured it yet just guessing at this point.

Also how does using 1 pump for both the mixing and pumping work?

Sorry for the newb questions

soulpatch · 04/19/2018, 09:30 AM

you use 1 pump by using valve to redirect the flow from one container to the next, circulate one container, or pump out into a tank.

I use a panworld pump on mine and it pumps about 40 feet away. I believe it is only the 50px or such as I was not overly concerned about hitting 1000 GPH to the tank. I use 1/2" tubing to the tank so I am highly limited on flow anyway so no need to go crazy on pump.

McPuff · 04/19/2018, 10:10 AM

When pumping from your saltwater mixing bin to the sump, you actually may want to use a fairly small line (1/2" ID maybe) so that the volume within the tubing is minimized. Because you are pumping up, that volume will either go back into the mixing bin or be wasted.

Member No. 1 · 04/20/2018, 05:39 AM

One pump, very simple plumbing.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...8&postcount=17

mcgyvr · 04/20/2018, 06:29 AM

First "good" pic I found..
See post #69 here.. (JoshuaG.. blue barrels about half way down the page)
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...1711626&page=3
The part on the outlet of the pump with just pipe hanging there would instead go to the tank upstairs..
The valves allow you to either mix fresh into the salt side or stir up the salt side or pump saltwater out to tank....

Wait.. Lets just try linking the image..

Member No. 1 · 04/20/2018, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

First "good" pic I found..

Wait.. Lets just try linking the image..

First "good" pic?

This only takes one valve to divert water from mixing station to holding barrel/tank.

mcgyvr · 04/20/2018, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Member No. 1

First "good" pic?

This only takes one valve to divert water from mixing station to holding barrel/tank.

"Good" in that the picture is very clear/easy to understand and covers the typical 2 barrel (fresh/salt) station and includes the takeoff to feed the tank with saltwater..

Yours IMO just might not be as clear to some and only shows a single barrel setup...

Smokey Stover · 04/20/2018, 07:45 AM

Basic simple, clean setup,Tight space so pump is under platform. RO/DI in left barrel, Mixes/Recirculates salt in right, Turn one more valve flows to sump. One more valve on sump side so I don't have to run around corner to start/stop flow. My tank is just on the other side of the wall but it could go up,over,anywhere you can run pipe.

0114171839 - Edited.jpg

LowDime · 04/21/2018, 07:46 AM

so i have found some good information on these finally after many pages of reading and looking. One person had a set up i am going to try to somewhat copy. He used the similar 2 barrels and a pump between like shown above. But on his valves he used the quick couplers which i will also do. But he used some high end hose to run to the sump with a hang over U shape deal that went into the tank and had a valve. Last dumb question for now, I will use the valve to start or stop flow but how long can one of these pumps go dead headed against a valve?

Smokey Stover · 04/21/2018, 08:41 AM

I don't know, My little PanWorld puts out a lot of flow, I leave the Mix/Re-circulate valve ope all the time. If the pump is on it's mixing. I trust my plumbing but don't want to build unnecessary pressure or stress the pump motor just in case.

homer1475 · 04/21/2018, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokey Stover

I don't know, My little PanWorld puts out a lot of flow, I leave the Mix/Re-circulate valve ope all the time. If the pump is on it's mixing. I trust my plumbing but don't want to build unnecessary pressure or stress the pump motor just in case.

Same here.

Panworld 50px or something like that. I leave the mixing valve open so as to not put unneeded stress on the pump.

This is an old photo(using a crappy pump I had laying around), but you get the idea of the plumbing and valve placement. The quick connect coupler is where I plug in my WC hose. Bottom 2 valves close off each barrel from the pump. Turn the one on the left to fill my SW barrel(right barrel), turn the right valve and the top valve coming out of the pump to mix(recirculating). Then simply connect my WC hose and turn that valve to open, but again I leave the top valve open so when I shut the valve on the end of my WC hose I'm not putting unneeded head pressure on the pump.

Forgot to mention that the left barrel has a valve before the valve to shut off the barrel from the pump so I can fill my ATO with RO/DI(pipe facing down with a valve on it).

EDIT:

Noticed this is an old photo that does not have the quick connect coupler where the WC hose is connected. Just remember to use unions so you can remove each barrel for cleaning, or removing the pump should it fail.

LowDime · 04/22/2018, 10:12 AM

i was talking with one of my fish store people and they said that the Jabeo dc15000 might be a good option for what i am trying to do. Does anyone have experience with those pumps?

Bent · 04/22/2018, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowDime

i was talking with one of my fish store people and they said that the Jabeo dc15000 might be a good option for what i am trying to do. Does anyone have experience with those pumps?

Not sure why you would need a DC pump for this.

I would just get a fluval sp6 and call it a day.

I most certainly would not choke the long run with undersized plumbing either.

I would run 1.5x the inlet and outlet size, otherwise you will loose max output on the long, high head run.

Vinny Kreyling · 04/22/2018, 05:03 PM

Homer's suggestion about leaving the top circulation valve open somewhat open sounds
like the winner to me.

LefkoNJ · 04/22/2018, 06:07 PM

I use gravity to get RODI water into the salt container. I then have a simple pump inside the salt reservoir with a PVC large "T" to move water around and mix it. I then use the Apex DOS to perform the AWC functions.

IMG_2472.jpg

LowDime · 04/23/2018, 05:18 AM

Well my initial plans are not going to work. The lower portion of the house is on a concrete slab, with no access under it and no way to get to it from the basement side. So now i have to find some different style containers and use the closet next to the tank. So now i wont need near as much pump is the only good side.

04/18/2018, 10:13 AM	#1
LowDime Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kansas City Posts: 81	mixing station questions Yes i have searched and read page after page. I am going to make a mixing station in the sub basement of my house and put my ro system down there as well. I have never got this complicated with a tank set up before, I just recently got an apex for the system so i am working on getting that all working right as well. I am going to do a couple of containers on one wall with some valves and unions, (this part i think i understand) my confusion is on the pump part. I want to be able to pump water from the mixing area up about 8 stairs then into the sump. So my rough estimate is up 10-12 feet but across probably like 30-35 feet or so. I haven't measured it yet just guessing at this point. Also how does using 1 pump for both the mixing and pumping work? Sorry for the newb questions

04/19/2018, 09:30 AM	#2
soulpatch Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 4,017	you use 1 pump by using valve to redirect the flow from one container to the next, circulate one container, or pump out into a tank. I use a panworld pump on mine and it pumps about 40 feet away. I believe it is only the 50px or such as I was not overly concerned about hitting 1000 GPH to the tank. I use 1/2" tubing to the tank so I am highly limited on flow anyway so no need to go crazy on pump. __________________ 150 SC tank build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2550948 Some have bar tabs. I have a coral tab at my LFS. Life goals.

04/20/2018, 05:39 AM	#4
Member No. 1 Ver. 2.1 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rehoboth, MA Posts: 1,803	One pump, very simple plumbing. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...8&postcount=17 __________________ Pete "I never make mistakes... I thought I did once, but I was wrong" Current Tank Info: In the process - http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661614

04/20/2018, 06:29 AM	#5
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	First "good" pic I found.. See post #69 here.. (JoshuaG.. blue barrels about half way down the page) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...1711626&page=3 The part on the outlet of the pump with just pipe hanging there would instead go to the tank upstairs.. The valves allow you to either mix fresh into the salt side or stir up the salt side or pump saltwater out to tank.... Wait.. Lets just try linking the image.. __________________ Who me?

04/22/2018, 05:03 PM	#14
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Homer's suggestion about leaving the top circulation valve open somewhat open sounds like the winner to me. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

04/19/2018, 10:10 AM	#3
McPuff Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,735	When pumping from your saltwater mixing bin to the sump, you actually may want to use a fairly small line (1/2" ID maybe) so that the volume within the tubing is minimized. Because you are pumping up, that volume will either go back into the mixing bin or be wasted.

04/20/2018, 07:45 AM	#8
Smokey Stover Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Largo, Florida Posts: 361	Basic simple, clean setup,Tight space so pump is under platform. RO/DI in left barrel, Mixes/Recirculates salt in right, Turn one more valve flows to sump. One more valve on sump side so I don't have to run around corner to start/stop flow. My tank is just on the other side of the wall but it could go up,over,anywhere you can run pipe. 0114171839 - Edited.jpg

04/21/2018, 07:46 AM	#9
LowDime Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kansas City Posts: 81	so i have found some good information on these finally after many pages of reading and looking. One person had a set up i am going to try to somewhat copy. He used the similar 2 barrels and a pump between like shown above. But on his valves he used the quick couplers which i will also do. But he used some high end hose to run to the sump with a hang over U shape deal that went into the tank and had a valve. Last dumb question for now, I will use the valve to start or stop flow but how long can one of these pumps go dead headed against a valve?

04/21/2018, 08:41 AM	#10
Smokey Stover Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Largo, Florida Posts: 361	I don't know, My little PanWorld puts out a lot of flow, I leave the Mix/Re-circulate valve ope all the time. If the pump is on it's mixing. I trust my plumbing but don't want to build unnecessary pressure or stress the pump motor just in case.

04/22/2018, 10:12 AM	#12
LowDime Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kansas City Posts: 81	i was talking with one of my fish store people and they said that the Jabeo dc15000 might be a good option for what i am trying to do. Does anyone have experience with those pumps?

04/22/2018, 06:07 PM	#15
LefkoNJ Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 213	I use gravity to get RODI water into the salt container. I then have a simple pump inside the salt reservoir with a PVC large "T" to move water around and mix it. I then use the Apex DOS to perform the AWC functions. IMG_2472.jpg

04/23/2018, 05:18 AM	#16
LowDime Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kansas City Posts: 81	Well my initial plans are not going to work. The lower portion of the house is on a concrete slab, with no access under it and no way to get to it from the basement side. So now i have to find some different style containers and use the closet next to the tank. So now i wont need near as much pump is the only good side.