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Questions on return lines.?.?.


Joe
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So I have the 120 all plumbed. And I was thinking, one return is further away than the other (as in most tanks). But is it necessary to have a valve on the closest one? It seems that it would get a lot more pressure thank the other if not restricted. Should I worry about it? 
 

Also, the return lines are 3/4”. At the end of each (2) returns there is a Y with dual 3/4” loc-line. Is the dual lines necessary?
Or is one on each going to be enough? 

 

Thoughts? 
 

Comments? 

Ideas? 

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I think if equaling out the flow is important to you a valve or some other restriction will be necessary, that said I can't think of why it would be important as I doubt any "dead spots" we're going to be present if you have proper circulation from powerheads.  I've tried to get fancy on my returns a few times now splitting them and such, but teach time I have to make a change on a tank I have just been closing it down to a single point coming back in the tank.

Edited by Muttley000
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6 hours ago, Joe said:

So I have the 120 all plumbed. And I was thinking, one return is further away than the other (as in most tanks). But is it necessary to have a valve on the closest one? It seems that it would get a lot more pressure thank the other if not restricted. Should I worry about it? 
 

Also, the return lines are 3/4”. At the end of each (2) returns there is a Y with dual 3/4” loc-line. Is the dual lines necessary?
Or is one on each going to be enough? 

 

Thoughts? 
 

Comments? 

Ideas? 

Necessary-no. Recommend-yes. Yes water will flow through the least resistant direction. But in this application it’s not a destructive amount. Definitely wouldn’t lose sleep over it. Lol. 
the dual loc-line outputs give you multiple options for flow direction and to help limit flow pressure. You got to remember that the return lines are laminar flow blasting out then dissipate. Splitting that (pressure) is a good thing. If you have some random flow generators it would cure the issue. Because then it becomes turbulent flow. 

 

I put valves on both returns just after the split from the pump. Two reasons I did so. I can match flow to each one if I want, and I can isolate either one to do maintenance and not have to stop flow. They both have a union to disassemble the pipe, the farthest has 2. My pipes are also 1 1/2” (Ridiculous overkill) but they are bumped down to 3/4 right as they adapt to the loc-line.  The loc-line also split into a y like yours. I pointed one from each input straight down and towards the center of the aquarium behind the rock work to give that gyre type of flow And to push detritus out. The others are pointed somewhat crossed and kind of upward to break surface tension to give the full shimmer from the lights. The gyres on each side roll the flow from the sides. 

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A lot of good information. I’ll keep it in mind. Thank you both. I originally wanted RFG’s on the outlets. But the system won’t handle the return pump it would take to run 4 of them. But it would run 2. I think for now I’ll run the 4 outlets and point them in the directions that need the most help. Between the overflows are my biggest concern. I have a few rocks back there. But there’s enough room that it should get flow. I do have one the 40’s pointed right at that part. The other will flow across the front of the tank. 

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