Need some help with a walk around tank

[dantimdad]

I am picking up a 36x36x18 eurobraced acrylic tank.

It is undrilled and I thought about making it a 360 degree walk around setup in the middle of my fish building I am in the process of.

I will run electricity under the floor. The stand would be plywood with a double layer solid top and doors on all sides.

The question I had is should I build a square overflow for a herbie style setup and pass the wires through for power heads and lighting? Or is there another way to do this?

I would imagine the power heads will have to be on acrylic or printed hangers since the magnets can't be in the overflow.

Any input would be helpful.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Place on the 18” side of tank, drilled if possible for bulkheads

 

[afrokobe]

Place on the 18” side of tank, drilled if possible for bulkheads

isn't the 18" side the height of the tank? thtas what I read it as

 

[vetteguy53081]

18 “ is the depth/length sideways

 

[Gtinnel]

isn't the 18" side the height of the tank? thtas what I read it as

I assumed from the dimensions that it is a 3 foot square that is 18 inches tall also. A 3 foot tall tank that is only 18 inches deep seems unlikely to me.

 

[Kershaw]

I would build a rectangle overflow for center that is large enough for a main drain and an emergency and a return. Also enough room for a closed loop for flow instead of power heads. Then hide it all with rock.

 

[dantimdad]

I spoke with @Joe Glass Cages and think we figured out a good plan.

I want two 3/4" drains and 3/4" return and a 1/2" wire tube, but would really rather have 1" drains so, what I am going to do is tape of a 4x7 or 5x7 rectangle and take my vast collection of bulkheads and lay them out to see what I can fit in there and then drill out the holes and glue up a black acrylic overflow to go around them.

Should work out... if the plan doesn't change. LOL!

 

[Eagle_Steve]

If it was me:

Center overflow with main siphon (gate valve to adjust)
Emergency in center
Return with Tee up to for a return
Closed loop for all flow.

On the closed loop, I would use a switching valve to alternate the flow from the closed loop. This would allow for random flow throughout the tank.

You could also add another pipe for wiring I. The center, if you wanted to go the powerhead route.

 

[Kershaw]

If it was me:

Center overflow with main siphon (gate valve to adjust)
Emergency in center
Return with Tee up to for a return
Closed loop for all flow.

On the closed loop, I would use a switching valve to alternate the flow from the closed loop. This would allow for random flow throughout the tank.

You could also add another pipe for wiring I. The center, if you wanted to go the powerhead route.

You said this much better then I did. The OP might still want the cords coming from center for lights as well

 

[Eagle_Steve]

You said this much better then I did. The OP might still want the cords coming from center for lights as well

Knowing Stephen, he will have the wires hidden in ceiling and the lights will hang from it and look like they are floating lol.

 

[dantimdad]

I assumed from the dimensions that it is a 3 foot square that is 18 inches tall also. A 3 foot tall tank that is only 18 inches deep seems unlikely to me.

The tank's foot print is 36*36 it is 18" tall.

 

[Jubei2006]

I dont know if this helps but this is my central overflow set up. 4 holes, left upper is return from sump tee'd to return nozzles. Left lower is empty cord pass through for electrical (powerheads if needed), NO WATER through this pipe as it is open through to the bottom of the stand. Tank is herbie style so upper right is emergency overflow, and lower right is full siphon with a gate valve.

 

[Jubei2006]

Most flow is from a closed loop. Intake is just on the left side of the central tower behind the tonga branch. 4 returns in each corner. Ocean motion 4 way rotates flow between the right and left side each minute for wave flow and turbulence. Dolphin amp master with ocean motion seen in the top left of the fish room. Still need to clean that area up, sorry.

 

[vetteguy53081]

OK- this is a cube tank. I assumed , like a 65 gallon with is 36 X 18"
My 93 cube ( i believe yours is a 150g) had bulkhead on back wall and I used XAqua overflows.

 

[dantimdad]

OK- this is a cube tank. I assumed , like a 65 gallon with is 36 X 18"
My 93 cube ( i believe yours is a 150g) had bulkhead on back wall and I used XAqua overflows.

This does give me an idea...

 

[dantimdad]

Most flow is from a closed loop. Intake is just on the left side of the central tower behind the tonga branch. 4 returns in each corner. Ocean motion 4 way rotates flow between the right and left side each minute for wave flow and turbulence. Dolphin amp master with ocean motion seen in the top left of the fish room. Still need to clean that area up, sorry.

Love that setup! The way you have lighting hung makes me think the whole walk around idea may not be a good idea. I didn't stop to think about having to have more lights because of the overflow breaking it up into basically 4 sections.

If I still do it, I may just do a freshwater and use a canister filter and low light. I am already spending a ton on lighting for the 12 foot and the 625xxl.

 

[Jubei2006]

Love that setup! The way you have lighting hung makes me think the whole walk around idea may not be a good idea. I didn't stop to think about having to have more lights because of the overflow breaking it up into basically 4 sections.

If I still do it, I may just do a freshwater and use a canister filter and low light. I am already spending a ton on lighting for the 12 foot and the 625xxl.

Keep in mind mine is also a 7 foot by 4 foot tank. So it' wouldnt take as many lights. Probably 2 7206's to light up that area. The spread is around 35x23 for each light, and they say usable light to 36" deep.

 

[Jubei2006]

Initially I had the 4 x LX 7206 on the sides. To leave lower light in the middle for LPS and lower light corals. Caused too much shadowing. So added the 7204s on the out side to prevent light spill into the overflow. Also to save money as the 7204s are plenty powerful and about half the cost. The 7204 spread is 23x23 and also up to 36". Each puck has the same power output as it's bigger brother. So two of those would also probably work.

 

[dantimdad]

I love those lights. I have seen Brew12's tank a few times and he has them and they are gorgeous!