pluming help with my prop set up

[SERVO]

I have some questions that I think every one's collective knowledge will be able to help me out with. I am moving becasue of a job. I am going to move the contents of my 200 gallon tank into a “new system”. I would like to simplify things. I will only be there for a year, so instead of setting up my tank, taking it down and setting it up again, I am going to set up a propagation system. The system will consist of a 50 gallon long Rubbermaid tank with a run off into another 50 gallon and finally into a 150 gallon Rubbermaid sump. (I have always wanted to set up a true propagation system). Anyway, I am planning on setting this up next weekend. I am a total neophyte to the pluming world and I have grave concerns about my "plans" not working. It looks easy enough any way. Attached is a crude diagram. I am going to drill out the top tank to put in a spray bar. Other than that, I am going to use the bulk head that are pre-plumed and just connect PVC and use gravity and siphon the water “down stream”. I am kinda unsure about what size pump to run the thing with. I was thinking just a Mag Drive 9. ???? If you have any ideas about what to do to avoid disaster, or any info that would help I would be really grateful.



Thanks for any help

Servo

[Chuck S]

Okay from what I see there is going to be only one main thing to worry about here

This type of design is amost fullproof.

You will take whatever pump. I would go with something like a Mag 18-24 and you can always put in a ball valve to restrict flow. That is alot of water to only try and power with a Mag 9

Also might also want to consider drilling the overflows up the top of the two smaller tanks instead of the bottom where all the water fill siphon out in case of water failure. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

So you gravity siphons from the two smaller tanks will be towards the top maybe an inch or so from top draining into the other tanks down.

The only thing you have to worry about after you correct your siphons I stated above is that the bottom big tank is sufficiently marked to not be above the max fill line so in a power failure it does not overflow. That means whatever run off from the other two runs down will not overflow the main one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[tendar]

I would agree other than probably wanting a bigger pump and definetly raising your drians on the 2 smaller tanks to the top you have a decent design. I woudl go with 1.5-2 drian for the 2 smaller tanks also with 2" being prefered.