Return jet hole location

[estevenson78]

Hey everyone! As the title suggests I am drilling holes for my 75g rimless aquarium and could use some help with placement. I will be having 2 return jets. My tank is 46x22x19. I would like to have your input on where I should drill my return jet holes? I was thinking approximately 4-6" down and 4-6" from the side. Thoughts?

 

[jordan10]

Shoot I would put a drain on each side and the return right in middle. That is my plane when I do my next upgrade. I think about just turning more water

 

[estevenson78]

Well, the issue there is that I'm ordering the shadow overflow box from BRS and I'm thinking it's going to be smack dab in the middle

 

[motortrendz]

It all depends on the return piping your gonna use? Are you planning on just a straight return or using a couple elbows to raise to the waterline? I'd want the returns as close to the top as possible with a sypon break so it doesnt drain your tank to your sump and floor when power goes out

 

[estevenson78]

It all depends on the return piping your gonna use? Are you planning on just a straight return or using a couple elbows to raise to the waterline? I'd want the returns as close to the top as possible with a sypon break so it doesnt drain your tank to your sump and floor when power goes out

My plan is to actually use a check valve to keep back siphoning from happening.

 

[motortrendz]

My plan is to actually use a check valve to keep back siphoning from happening.

They can fail. Expecially if a grain of sand or algae builds up in it causing it not to seal properly

 

[jordan10]

Just got make sure ur sumps not the fullest I guess lol

 

[estevenson78]

Yeah, I will probably go with the WYE version from BRS, they seem to be the most reliable!

 

[RocketEngineer]

A check valve is just another chore to do that you will forget to do that one time and then go on vacation and the power company will turn off the power to the street and you will come back to a mess.

Do yourself a favor and design the sump to handle the drainage. Physics always wins. Why not use it to your advantage?

As for the return, I would put it as high in the tank as I could, a corner works, and I would run loc-line nozzles (2 off a wye) to near the surface to increase surface agitation and also so they pull in air as soon as the flow stops.

 

[estevenson78]

A check valve is just another chore to do that you will forget to do that one time and then go on vacation and the power company will turn off the power to the street and you will come back to a mess.

Do yourself a favor and design the sump to handle the drainage. Physics always wins. Why not use it to your advantage?

As for the return, I would put it as high in the tank as I could, a corner works, and I would run loc-line nozzles (2 off a wye) to near the surface to increase surface agitation and also so they pull in air as soon as the flow stops.

I can see doing that! I probably have enough space in the sump I'll be using to accomplish that. Would there be any value in doing both though? Almost a double protection situation?

 

[don_chuwish]

As others have said, skip the check valve and just set the return nozzles at about the same level as the Ghost drains down to. See my build thread for an example. I was talked out of using check valves and am glad for it.

 

[George Lopez]

Don't trust check valves. Place the returns higher with a siphon break just under the water line

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

how can someone add a siphon break to a 3/4" loc line? I just bought one, as well as a check valve. getting ready to do the final plumbing on the 75g and this thread has definitely helped!

Don't trust check valves. Place the returns higher with a siphon break just under the water line

 

[George Lopez]

A siphon break is literally a small hole (about 1/8") drilled on the fitting. Just drill the hole just below your running water level to prevent splashing.

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

So I drill the hole on the loc line? Or on the fitting to bulkhead?

 

[George Lopez]

Depends which is highest just below the water line

 

[don_chuwish]

In my case the nozzle mouth is the highest point so there was no need to drill any holes.

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

oh ok iget it now! thanks for the info fellas!

 

[Frozen Tundra Reef Dreams]

I'm drilling my first tank. I'm using eshopps eclipse large overflow.

72 gallon bow. Just say for example my overflow bulkheads are 3 inches down on center. How far down should my returns be? 3/4" Locline with rfg's

How far in from sides to prevent cracking?

Sometimes things sound like greek to me.

Anybody help a brother out?

 

[RocketEngineer]

Holes need to be one diameter from the edge. So a 2” hole for a bulkhead should be 2” down and 2” over at a minimum.