2” drain for two tanks into one sump???

[mrleojr22]

So I’m plumbing in two tanks into one sump I’m building In my basement. A 90 gallon tank and a 40 gallon breeder. They both have two 1” drain lines i was planning on hooking them up into a 2” drain for both tanks to head into my sump. The sump is a 60g breeder. Does that sound like a good idea?

 

[Cousteau666]

GO for it! Personally, I would use two checks and union valves before joining the pipes, you may need to throttle the flow of on or the other. Additionally, consider height differences of the tanks. You could potentially have one tank push water into the other if the hydraulic circuit allows for it. Mind sharing a napkin drawing of how you imagined plumbing the system?

 

[TheMetalReefs]

Any particular reason you wanna join the drains? I dont have experience with this, so curious. However, my gut would go with leaving them seperate.

 

[Cousteau666]

Any particular reason you wanna join the drains? I dont have experience with this, so curious. However, my gut would go with leaving them seperate.

I've misunderstood what you were planning to do. You are right for wanting to leave the drains separate.

 

[Formulator]

I've misunderstood what you were planning to do. You are right for wanting to leave the drains separate.

Why? If each drain has a gate valve upstream of the tee into the 2 inch pipe it should be fine.

 

[mrleojr22]

Any particular reason you wanna join the drains? I dont have experience with this, so curious. However, my gut would go with leaving them seperate.

For simplicity and not having to drill so many holes into my floors lol

 

[Formulator]

For simplicity and not having to drill so many holes into my floors lol

Theoretically the single 2 inch hole would fit two 1 inch pipes through it

 

[mrleojr22]

Theoretically the single 2 inch hole would fit two 1 inch pipes through it

Yeah but I have 4 1 inch drains. 2 from the 90 and 2 from the 40b

 

[Formulator]

Yeah but I have 4 1 inch drains. 2 from the 90 and 2 from the 40b

I was just joshing you. Though it does remind me, I ended up just cutting out a rectangle for all 3 of my pipes between my display and basement sump room. When I sell the house I think repairing a rectangle will be easier than holes anyways.

 

[mrleojr22]

I was just joshing you. Though it does remind me, I ended up just cutting out a rectangle for all 3 of my pipes between my display and basement sump room. When I sell the house I think repairing a rectangle will be easier than holes anyways.

Any photos of your sump? What size tank?

 

[Formulator]

Its a 120g display. Here is my sump and fuge setup.

 

[mrleojr22]

Its a 120g display. Here is my sump and fuge setup.

Awesome! What are you running for a return pump??

 

[Formulator]

Thanks. Its an external iwaki mag drive, 750 gph. Been running strong for 6 years with zero maintenance. Drilled drain in my sump return chamber so it drains to the pump below, and back upstairs to the DT.

 

[Cousteau666]

Its a 120g display. Here is my sump and fuge setup.

Thats a nice iwaki pump you got there

 

[maroun.c]

That is perfectly fine. Even a 1.5 inch would do as a 1.5 can drain way more than 2x1 inch pipes (has to do with surface friction more than pipe size ) and there was online calculators for that. As long as sump is lower than both tanks and that plumbing is going down or at least a few degrees from horizontal there wouldn't be any return water from one tank to another unless the pipe gets blocked but they ud have a flood even if its a single tank alone....I run multiple tanks in the basement and 3 of them are linked to a single pipe 1 step larger than their drains which goes horizontal for about 20 feet before draining into the sump and I've had 0 issues since years.

 

[Cousteau666]

Why? If each drain has a gate valve upstream of the tee into the 2 inch pipe it should be fine.

I don't disagree, however I thought the response was from OP. I could sense some hesitation, and after reading the part about not having experience, I really did not want to encourage someone with novice skills to take actions which may result in damages to their property.

 

[mrleojr22]

Thanks. Its an external iwaki mag drive, 750 gph. Been running strong for 6 years with zero maintenance. Drilled drain in my sump return chamber so it drains to the pump below, and back upstairs to the DT.

I actually just purchased a pan world 250ps I think it’s 1750 gph I figure if I wanted to add a frag tank in the future I’d have the power.

 

[mrleojr22]

That is perfectly fine. Even a 1.5 inch would do as a 1.5 can drain way more than 2x1 inch pipes (has to do with surface friction more than pipe size ) and there was online calculators for that. As long as sump is lower than both tanks and that plumbing is going down or at least a few degrees from horizontal there wouldn't be any return water from one tank to another unless the pipe gets blocked but they ud have a flood even if its a single tank alone....I run multiple tanks in the basement and 3 of them are linked to a single pipe 1 step larger than their drains which goes horizontal for about 20 feet before draining into the sump and I've had 0 issues since years.

I watched a few videos on YouTube with guys using 2” for multiple tanks just seems to be more simple the. Running a bunch of different lines. Thank you

 

[DCR]

I think the worst thing that could happen would be that the drains might be noisy with the air in the 2" if you really tried to push a lot of water. The 2" is really oversized so my guess it that it would work fine as a low flow gravity drain. It really depends on if you tried to push enough water through the 2" to make it gurgle. I tend to doubt that would happen from a 90 and 40 gallon set-up with a basement sump. You should try to avoid any long horizontal runs on the 2" if possible.

 

[mrleojr22]

Here is my horrible drawing of the layout lol