So, I recently purchased a Cadlights 70 gallon Artisan II. They actually delivered and installed it for me including the plumbing. It is plumbed with a 1/2" return line and 1 1/2" drain line. It is a durso overflow. So I am having a couple of issues.
It came with a modeaquarium pump per the link below. This is the name, I think, Cadlights is moving towards. So, I am also using an Apex and wanted to take advantage of using the flow sensor so I am using their 1" sensor because it is set up to handle higher flow. So, I have it plumbed with 1/2" tubing off the return pump adapting to 1" plumbing for the sensor and then adapting back to 1/2" tubing up to the standard 1/2" return line the aquarium comes with. I have 1/2" split locline at the tank return. The problem is with the pump at maximum I am only getting 275gph. This pump is rated up to 2000gph. Cadlights came back yesterday and they questioned the flow the apex sensor was actually giving but later after they left I checked it with a 1 gallon container. It took 1/2 of the localine 27 seconds to fill up the container. If you calculate that out each locline is supplying about 133 gallons per hour when added together is 266gph. Pretty close to the apex sensor. The question is why is the flow so low? The 1/2" line should handle around 1200gph. Also they brought me out an even stronger pump(Model 12000) and the flow was still only around 320gph. Maybe the transition from 1/2" to 1" and back is causing a problem. The apex sensor is basically right off the return pump output.
https://www.modeaquariums.com/product/dc-8000-aquarium-pump/
Also what would it take to make the return line bigger? Would I have to drain the aquarium and drill new holes?
The second issue is the drain. As I said before it is plumbed with a 1 1/2" piping. There is a ball valve inline. The issue here is leaking. When I first started up the drain manifold was leaking(dripping) and when I adjusted the ball valve to reduce the drain flow the leaking got worse. So Cadlights came back out yesterday and removed the drain manifold and put a new one in. Now it doesn't leak when you have the ball valve wide open but if you start to restrict the flow it starts leaking. Cadlights says this is because by restricting the flow I am putting pressure on the drain manifold which is causing the leaking but this doesn't sound right. Also I am using a cup rather than a sock and I can't get it to stop overflowing.
Cadlights is saying they are willing to come out and replumb it again but I am not feeling very confident. I am wondering if I should get someone else to come in a tear out the old and replumb.
Sorry to be so long winded and appreciate any feedback.
It came with a modeaquarium pump per the link below. This is the name, I think, Cadlights is moving towards. So, I am also using an Apex and wanted to take advantage of using the flow sensor so I am using their 1" sensor because it is set up to handle higher flow. So, I have it plumbed with 1/2" tubing off the return pump adapting to 1" plumbing for the sensor and then adapting back to 1/2" tubing up to the standard 1/2" return line the aquarium comes with. I have 1/2" split locline at the tank return. The problem is with the pump at maximum I am only getting 275gph. This pump is rated up to 2000gph. Cadlights came back yesterday and they questioned the flow the apex sensor was actually giving but later after they left I checked it with a 1 gallon container. It took 1/2 of the localine 27 seconds to fill up the container. If you calculate that out each locline is supplying about 133 gallons per hour when added together is 266gph. Pretty close to the apex sensor. The question is why is the flow so low? The 1/2" line should handle around 1200gph. Also they brought me out an even stronger pump(Model 12000) and the flow was still only around 320gph. Maybe the transition from 1/2" to 1" and back is causing a problem. The apex sensor is basically right off the return pump output.
https://www.modeaquariums.com/product/dc-8000-aquarium-pump/
Also what would it take to make the return line bigger? Would I have to drain the aquarium and drill new holes?
The second issue is the drain. As I said before it is plumbed with a 1 1/2" piping. There is a ball valve inline. The issue here is leaking. When I first started up the drain manifold was leaking(dripping) and when I adjusted the ball valve to reduce the drain flow the leaking got worse. So Cadlights came back out yesterday and removed the drain manifold and put a new one in. Now it doesn't leak when you have the ball valve wide open but if you start to restrict the flow it starts leaking. Cadlights says this is because by restricting the flow I am putting pressure on the drain manifold which is causing the leaking but this doesn't sound right. Also I am using a cup rather than a sock and I can't get it to stop overflowing.
Cadlights is saying they are willing to come out and replumb it again but I am not feeling very confident. I am wondering if I should get someone else to come in a tear out the old and replumb.
Sorry to be so long winded and appreciate any feedback.