Need some advices on a pvc over flow box for 65g

[Finhead]

If I drill then I’m forced with a sump and I know many reefer here will but im not running a sump it’s all basic marinland empire for 80 gallon hang. I’m new in the hobbie but with the new build I have fear of flooding the house I rent. But with the sump I have to do a diy sump for the time being or a inexpensive but decent sump used or new. Can’t afford the trigger but maybe one day the wife will allow it

I agree With @Greybeard DIY is a fine way to go, that's what I did about 1/4 the cost. And you don't need to buy or run a premade sump ethier, built mine out of a $20 used 40gal breeder and a few pieces of glass cut from a local shop.

 

[Alewis81]

Greybeard that picture works, shows me a lot. If I drill over the weekend. How far Down from the top of the tank and how far away do I want to be from the side walls and would I want to use 3/4 or 1” it’s a 65” and I will be putting easy coral

 

[Alewis81]

Sorry graybeard missed the 1” bull head part if anyone could tell me where to place the holes on the back of the tank since it’s less likely to drain the whole tank if something goes wrong and when I resealed the tank I had water-moving in it for a month how long would I have to push water to see if the bulk ahead are done right

 

[Greybeard]

I'd go 1" on the bulkhead. Note: A 1" bulkhead needs a 1.75" hole saw. If you're building the overflow, you can make it whatever distance from the top you want it... the height of the overflow is going to dictate the water level in the aquarium, so height is important. In the crappy drawing I did, the vertical bit of tube can be cut to whatever length you might need it to get the water level right. If you're buying one, the vendor should have a template.

Don't drill closer than 3 or 4 inches to any edge of the glass.

 

[Alewis81]

Dulley noted I prob would have used a 1” bit and been closer then 3” due to water level i don’t want to mess this up if I dive In and drill over the weekend

 

[Greybeard]

I'd mock up the plumbing... get it cut and pieced together (without glue), so that you can position it in the tank, and find where to drill. Don't get in a rush, and drill without _KNOWING_ where you're going to want the hole.

I think, on my 240, where I was using this kind of a setup, the holes were 5.5" below the top edge.

Here's the layout I did on my new tank:

And, the actual tank, initial fitting of the plumbing:

Note, with the H2Overflows, there is NO vertical adjustment. I'm not sure why the designed it this way, were I designing it, I'd have included a short bit of straight tube between the elbow and the custom molded overflow box. That way, some vertical adjustment would have been possible. Still, it's not a bad design.

Oh, those returns are 'siphon stoppers', from the same company. I don't like them, or recommend them. I had to alter them quite a bit to make them work out for me. I do like the H2Overflows, but not the return lines.

 

[Alewis81]

Thank you greybeard that mock up of yours really helps me out I’m going to make the move with the drill but I’m going to make a template not sure if it will be with wood or the acrylic panels you can get at Home Depot and then take advantage of the $1 gallon and get a 20h and 20l and practice over weekend and then patch them up for hospital tank and plan out where the holes will go for the 65 and do mid week or next weekend

 

[Even Further]

If it was me, I would check to make sure it is not tempered glass. Then buy a Modular Marine overflow box. There other areas of setting up tank up a tank that take a good mount of time and DIY effort. The MM kit is very straight forward.