New 120 gallon build questions

[fishman101]

Hey everyone,

I've been running a 40 gallon mixed softies/LPS reef for a year and am planning on making the jump to a 4 x 2 x 2 (ft) 120 gallon tank. My current 40 gallon is sumpless so I'm fairly inexperienced with how I should be approaching plumbing and filtration when it comes to the new 120 gallon.

Due to where the tank will be placed, I am planning on getting the tank drilled through the bottom glass and having an internal overflow box alongside the middle of the back glass. However, I'm not sure as to how many holes I need drilled and what sizes. I have thought about going with a bean animal setup for the increased benefits, so that would be 3 holes for the drains, but should I be going with 1 or 2 holes for the returns? Also is it okay to have the return hole/s also inside the internal overflow box or would it be better to have the plumbing come over the top of the tank? I am considering a Jebao DCP pump for the return - is the DCP - 10000 suitable for my needs?

Also, I am a little unsure about sump dimensions. I am considering a 3ft sump so that I would have 1ft of space in the stand. However, what sort of height and width should I go for? Finally, when purchasing a glass sump, should I be specifying the positioning of the baffles and the space between each chamber to the builder, or is it fine to simply request e.g. 4 chambers in the sump?

Thanks in advance and I really would appreciate any help and advice!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Typical is 1.25” for return pump and 1.5” for overflow to the sump

 

[fishman101]

Typical is 1.25” for return pump and 1.5” for overflow to the sump

Hey thanks! If I'm running a bean animal set up with 3 drains, would all 3 be 1.5"? For return, if I go with either 1 or 2 returns, would it still be 1.25" for both?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey thanks! If I'm running a bean animal set up with 3 drains, would all 3 be 1.5"? For return, if I go with either 1 or 2 returns, would it still be 1.25" for both?

Most pump outlets are 1-1.25” . The overflows can be large as 2” but keep in mind that the larger the overflow lines are, the more water that reaches the sump quickly and the pump needs to be able to return water to tank at same rate otherwise you’ll have high water levels in the sump

 

[fishman101]

Most pump outlets are 1-1.25” . The overflows can be large as 2” but keep in mind that the larger the overflow lines are, the more water that reaches the sump quickly and the pump needs to be able to return water to tank at same rate otherwise you’ll have high water levels in the sump

Ah I see, that makes sense. So if I'm running 3 drains, would I have all 3 of the same size? Or does the size vary?

 

[fishman101]

Still looking for advice on my questions if anyone is able to help! Thanks.

 

[X-37B]

On my 120 its a corner overflow.
Almost went with a center but it would be hard to work on of needed.
My only regret is no turning it for a peninsula style.
1" drain to sump but from bulkhead to intake its 1.25.
1/2" return.
I only run 250-300gph through the sump.
Sump is a 40 breeder with no baffles. 7" filter sock, return pump, skimmer, carx, small carbon reactor, and 3 liters of eheim substrate pro in a mesh bag, and a tunze ato.
Very simple and efficient.
Check my build thread.

 

[arichmond1003]

I personally have 4x2x2 120 setup. I have dual overflows in the back, personally wish they where corner but that’s neither here nor there. Return lines are 1” and one overflow has a main that sits low low in the overflow and is full siphon with a gate valve below to dial in the flow. The other overflow is my emergency that sits higher up and water trickles down, no gate to allow full flow when needed. Returns run out of each overflow and are 3/4” attached to a Simplicity 1600 DC Return Pump that runs wide open 24/7.

 

[fishman101]

On my 120 its a corner overflow.
Almost went with a center but it would be hard to work on of needed.
My only regret is no turning it for a peninsula style.
1" drain to sump but from bulkhead to intake its 1.25.
1/2" return.
I only run 250-300gph through the sump.
Sump is a 40 breeder with no baffles. 7" filter sock, return pump, skimmer, carx, small carbon reactor, and 3 liters of eheim substrate pro in a mesh bag, and a tunze ato.
Very simple and efficient.
Check my build thread.

Hey thanks for your reply! I had a quick look through your build thread and first of all, that's a great looking tank!

A couple of questions - does your tank have 1 drain and 1 return?

Also with your no baffles sump, do you run into issues with your ATO and is the skimmer ever affected? I originally wanted to go no baffles sump too with this tank build, however I felt that I might have difficulties with fine tuning the skimmer height and ATO and I also am considering a refugium.

 

[fishman101]

I personally have 4x2x2 120 setup. I have dual overflows in the back, personally wish they where corner but that’s neither here nor there. Return lines are 1” and one overflow has a main that sits low low in the overflow and is full siphon with a gate valve below to dial in the flow. The other overflow is my emergency that sits higher up and water trickles down, no gate to allow full flow when needed. Returns run out of each overflow and are 3/4” attached to a Simplicity 1600 DC Return Pump that runs wide open 24/7.

Thanks this is very helpful! Dual corner overflows are something I'm still contemplating too - the tank is going to be snugly positioned in an alcove so I think dual corner overflows would be a neat look. However, as I'm inexperienced with running a sump and plumbing, I'd like to keep it all to one overflow if possible.

So my plan is 1 overflow with 4-5 holes. I'm not sure if 5 holes are too much or not to have in 1 overflow so if I had to go with 4 holes, my options would be either 3 drains (main, secondary, emergency) and 1 return OR 2 drains (main, emergency) and 2 returns. What do you think is better?

 

[arichmond1003]

Hey thanks for your reply! I had a quick look through your build thread and first of all, that's a great looking tank!

A couple of questions - does your tank have 1 drain and 1 return?

Also with your no baffles sump, do you run into issues with your ATO and is the skimmer ever affected? I originally wanted to go no baffles sump too with this tank build, however I felt that I might have difficulties with fine tuning the skimmer height and ATO and I also am considering a refugium.

I have one drain out of each overflow completely independent of each other. The return come out of the pump as one and splits off running one return line to each overflow. So, in each overflow box there are two lines, one return one drain per overflow.
my sump is chambered, but not how I would like it, partially because I hacked it apart when I got it thinking I knew what I was doing and partially because it’s a very old design. My sump set up so that my drain lines dump into filter socks that drain into a big chamber I use as my refugium. That chamber waterfalls into a second chamber I use for my skimmer, which flows to a 3rd chamber for my return pump. The way chamber 2 and 3 are designed the hold the same amount of water. My float for my ATO is in chamber 3 with my return. I had problems with my skimmer when I was first setting it up but I raised the skimmer in the chamber to combat the issue

 

[fishman101]

I have one drain out of each overflow completely independent of each other. The return come out of the pump as one and splits off running one return line to each overflow. So, in each overflow box there are two lines, one return one drain per overflow.
my sump is chambered, but not how I would like it, partially because I hacked it apart when I got it thinking I knew what I was doing and partially because it’s a very old design. My sump set up so that my drain lines dump into filter socks that drain into a big chamber I use as my refugium. That chamber waterfalls into a second chamber I use for my skimmer, which flows to a 3rd chamber for my return pump. The way chamber 2 and 3 are designed the hold the same amount of water. My float for my ATO is in chamber 3 with my return. I had problems with my skimmer when I was first setting it up but I raised the skimmer in the chamber to combat the issue

Hey thanks again for your reply! My response that you replied to above was actually to @90's reefer's post haha (I replied to your post underneath that). I still appreciate what you've said though and your sump design can come into handy too.

What I was wondering is what sort of drain design could be more optimal.

My plan is 1 overflow with 4-5 holes. I'm not sure if 5 holes are too much or not to have in 1 overflow so if I had to go with 4 holes, my options would be either 3 drains (main, secondary, emergency) and 1 return OR 2 drains (main, emergency) and 2 returns. What do you think is better?

 

[arichmond1003]

I think you could have great success with 3 holes. One return line, and T it off at the top of the overflow, with two drain lines.

 

[X-37B]

Hey thanks for your reply! I had a quick look through your build thread and first of all, that's a great looking tank!

A couple of questions - does your tank have 1 drain and 1 return?

Also with your no baffles sump, do you run into issues with your ATO and is the skimmer ever affected? I originally wanted to go no baffles sump too with this tank build, however I felt that I might have difficulties with fine tuning the skimmer height and ATO and I also am considering a refugium.

I have had one drain and one return since the 80's, lol.
No issues with sump level with skimmer as Tunze ato keeps the level consistent.
Never had an issue with micro bubbles from the skimmer. The return pump sits next to the skimmer outlet.
I run a Tunze 9410 dc skimmer.
Set and forget. Just empty and clean the cup twice a week.
Dont even have to turn the pump off.
I set it up 1.5 years ago and have not adjusted it since.
Have removed it 3 times to fully clean and no adjustment needed when I turn it back on.
Very underrated skimmer, imo.

 

[fishman101]

So I'm thinking about just going with the 1 return and splitting it off into two at the top. Still can't decide whether I should go with 2 drains or 3.

Anyone with 2 drains wished they could have gone with 3 in retrospect? Or vice versa, people with 3 drains that reckon that 2 would have been enough?