I'm looking to start a 180 FO build. I'm wondering about going sumpless with a L4 up in a canopy. What do you guys think? Will I get too many air bubbles? Or maybe I won"t care of there not blown every where?
I'm going to install an L2 to "compete" with my UAS on my personal tank, it will be top-of-tank with a loc-line drain w/valve, etc, and in-tank HOB overflow/pump box (sumpless). Just need a few hours to set it up and I'll take some vid of it.
Code: Great on making the vid of it! I didn't think of that. A hang on the back box to surface skim and also becomes the support for the pump.
Fyi. I have a top-of-tank installation of an L3. Located about 16" above my tank on a shelf. I tried the loc line valve only, but it was not controllable enough. Installed a true gate valve. Bubbles are minimal but not zero. Would love to see your HOB idea in action. Much more elegant and unobtrusive. I would retool if you showed me how.
I wonder if the loc line worked poorly because you have it 16" above the tank? That is a big drop. I'm looking at having the ATS right on the tank rim. Sent from my mobile Don
But the valve on the loc line is only about 1 " above the surface of the tank. I could make it below the surface. That may help. In any event, the gate valve is 8" above the surface and I get very minimal large bubbles that really don't affect the Display Tank TD in my opinion. The loc line valve is a ball valve and its just too hard to dial in precisely.
Im thinking more on that the 16" drop is making it harder to dial in with a cheep ball valve. For yours it would seem to me that having the valve valve up higher would make less air bubbles. But I'm no fluid hydraulics expert! Lol Sent from my mobile Don
The location or the valve has less to do with hydraulics than it does with purging the line of air. The lower in the plumbing that you place the restriction point, the more the pipe will fill with water more easily, leaving a shorter section below the restriction point that must be 'purged' by the action of mixing the water with the air so that it gets ejected. Once the air is purged, it makes no difference where the valve is located. One of the reasons I lowered the side drain as low as possible was so that there was less reliance on getting the drain valve in the perfect position. If you close it too much, you will just get more flow through the side drain. However for a top of tank with a high mounting location, this could become problematic as the water coming out the side drain would tend to get turbulent by the time it reached the water. If Loc-Line only made a gate valve, I would be set. Hmmm..
Does loc line, or anyone else, make a nozzle, flare or otherwise, that can attach directly to pipe? Rotatable is nice. That loc line ball valve is really bulky. Actually, I am able to dial in with the gate valve 8 " above the surface to get no bubbles, its just difficult to do and changes day to day. Perhaps my pump gets slightly variable voltage or algae growth somewhere etc changes things slightly. In any event, I am happy with the result. I don't mind a few bubbles. I actual like it so long as it's localized which it is.
Yep. I have used them before with reef ready tanks. I got mine from Bulk reef supply. Sent from my mobile Don
Yes, I have the loc-b drain kit. Just tinkling about eliminating the bulky ball valve which is completely open and unnecessary with my gate valve at 8" above. Not so much an issue here, but it is with my 3/4 return to the tank from my sump. It's very obtrusive. For me, I think the loc-b would be better without the ball valve and only have a loc line pipe adapter to connect a flare or other nozzle shape so that it can be aimed. Perhaps a loc-c? Ie remote operation with a true gate valve and loc inside the DT.