help me identify
- Thread starter bhamdmac
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Mr. Brooks
Active Member
They were most likely used in a closed loop system for water flow. If you don’t want to run a closed loop you can plug the bulkheads.
BeejReef
2500 Club Member
Can't see exactly. Agree with ^^.
Whatever it was, it was very custom... maybe an undergravel filter?
Anyhow, the two larger ones look to be your standard overflow drains. It's also possible it's a single drain and a return.
What type of system/setup do you plan to run?
Whatever it was, it was very custom... maybe an undergravel filter?
Anyhow, the two larger ones look to be your standard overflow drains. It's also possible it's a single drain and a return.
What type of system/setup do you plan to run?
BeejReef
2500 Club Member
Well, a closed loop system is one where you produce your flow from one external pump, similar to a return pump, instead of powerheads on the sides of your tank. You'd typically use random flow generators.
Those smaller holes/bulkheads are on the bottom of the tank though. For a closed-loop, some would prefer to have the holes drilled and bulkheads installed much higher up on the back glass, or possibly the sides of the tank. Out of caution, most will want to avoid any scenario where a failure could lead to the entire tank draining or siphoning out into the sump.
That's why I'm wondering if that tank wasn't drilled to use an under-gravel or reverse under-gravel filter. That approach is long before my reefing time. Perhaps @Paul B will lend his eyes.
The larger two holes in the back middle look like they go into a pedestal overflow in the tank. The pics don't show that view. Hopefully, it's still there. You have the option of using one of the holes as a single overflow drain to your sump and the other as a return line from your return pump (that's how it probably was used... how my tank was when I got it) OR using both holes as drains, one main, one emergency (a herbie overflow) and either drilling a new hole in the back glass for the return from your sump, or simply looping the return line over the back of the tank.
Either of the latter two are preferable. If a single drain ever gets clogged, your return pump will empty the sump into your display tank, likely melting the return pump when it runs dry and overflowing your DT onto the floor. A single drain is also noisier because it can't be dialed in as well.
Unless you're looking to run a highly unique setup, I'd probably find plumbing to seal off those odd holes in the bottom or simply remove the bulkheads and use REEF SAFE silicone and pieces of acrylic to seal the smaller bottom holes.
Use the search feature for Durso, herbie, and bean animal and the mechanics of the pedestal overflow will make a lot more sense.
Plumbing is difficult, not bc it's complicated, but bc very few hardware stores carry the couplings, nipples, valves, etc. that are common in the hobby. They'll have like 80% of it, but not all. Then you're on the computer trying to figure out if a slip fitting of x diameter will fit into a spigot of the same. Unless you have a good set of calipers to measure, you might save yourself a lot of hassle by stripping off all the existing plumbing.. maybe even the bulkheads.. and proceeding from there.
EDIT - may simply be a closed-loop system after all. See https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/closed-loop-in-a-new-build.636384/
Those smaller holes/bulkheads are on the bottom of the tank though. For a closed-loop, some would prefer to have the holes drilled and bulkheads installed much higher up on the back glass, or possibly the sides of the tank. Out of caution, most will want to avoid any scenario where a failure could lead to the entire tank draining or siphoning out into the sump.
That's why I'm wondering if that tank wasn't drilled to use an under-gravel or reverse under-gravel filter. That approach is long before my reefing time. Perhaps @Paul B will lend his eyes.
The larger two holes in the back middle look like they go into a pedestal overflow in the tank. The pics don't show that view. Hopefully, it's still there. You have the option of using one of the holes as a single overflow drain to your sump and the other as a return line from your return pump (that's how it probably was used... how my tank was when I got it) OR using both holes as drains, one main, one emergency (a herbie overflow) and either drilling a new hole in the back glass for the return from your sump, or simply looping the return line over the back of the tank.
Either of the latter two are preferable. If a single drain ever gets clogged, your return pump will empty the sump into your display tank, likely melting the return pump when it runs dry and overflowing your DT onto the floor. A single drain is also noisier because it can't be dialed in as well.
Unless you're looking to run a highly unique setup, I'd probably find plumbing to seal off those odd holes in the bottom or simply remove the bulkheads and use REEF SAFE silicone and pieces of acrylic to seal the smaller bottom holes.
Use the search feature for Durso, herbie, and bean animal and the mechanics of the pedestal overflow will make a lot more sense.
Plumbing is difficult, not bc it's complicated, but bc very few hardware stores carry the couplings, nipples, valves, etc. that are common in the hobby. They'll have like 80% of it, but not all. Then you're on the computer trying to figure out if a slip fitting of x diameter will fit into a spigot of the same. Unless you have a good set of calipers to measure, you might save yourself a lot of hassle by stripping off all the existing plumbing.. maybe even the bulkheads.. and proceeding from there.
EDIT - may simply be a closed-loop system after all. See https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/closed-loop-in-a-new-build.636384/
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