Wondering how yall would plumb this overflow

[sneakyeskimos]

over flow is 5" x 5" x 20 "

 

[sneakyeskimos]

Tank is a used 70 gal acrylic tank, just not sure how i should go about return and overflow plumbing.
Do i get a variable dc return and tune it to a wide open pipe?
Nee to reefs only a year in, even newer to plumbing tanks.

 

[Snoopy 67]

2 holes = A Herbie style overflow with return(s)
coming over the back.

herbie overflow design - Bing

Check out what I just created on Bing Image Creator

www.bing.com

USE A GATE VALVE--NOT A BALL VALVE
Yes, a DC pump is fine DC 10,000 max.

 

[sneakyeskimos]

2 holes = A Herbie style overflow with return(s)
coming over the back.

herbie overflow design - Bing

Check out what I just created on Bing Image Creator

www.bing.com

Only has a single hole drilled now and another drilled in back for the return.
Not sure i have enough space for a herby being as the overflow box is only 5 x 5

 

[sneakyeskimos]

Only has a single hole drilled now and another drilled in back for the return.
Not sure i have enough space for a herby being as the overflow box is only 5 x 5

Also my sump only has 1 filter sock slot

 

[KStatefan]

Only has a single hole drilled now and another drilled in back for the return.
Not sure i have enough space for a herby being as the overflow box is only 5 x 5

Your picture makes it look like there are two holes.

 

[Troylee]

Do a full siphon drain and cap the top of the overflow with acrylic to keep snails out.. that’s the only way it would ever clog up! You should never have a problem.

 

[sneakyeskimos]

Your picture makes it look like there are two holes.

Ahh i see the refelction now.. yeah only a single 2" hole

 

[KrisReef]

Your picture makes it look like there are two holes.

Look carefully and you can see 4!

 

[KrisReef]

Ahh i see the refelction now.. yeah only a single 2" hole

So you are stuck with a bulkhead fitting to plug the hole. Add a standpipe to raise the water level in the drain and reduce the waterfall sound in the box. These drains with a 1 inch pipe can handle 600gph (or more). The key to setting up the sump and tank is to make sure the return pump runs dry before the tank overfills, and likewise to make certain the sump can hold all the run off when the pump stops.

Get a variable speed DC pump and you can run it faster or slower across a range of speeds and the return will adjust, as will the water level in the sump while you dial the pump speed around. Leave it where you like it, and then set up an automatic top off switch in the sump that keeps the level you set as the tank evaporates.

Its pretty simple and takes care of itself without much thought once you set it, and then leave it alone.

 

[Troylee]

So you are stuck with a bulkhead fitting to plug the hole. Add a standpipe to raise the water level in the drain and reduce the waterfall sound in the box. These drains with a 1 inch pipe can handle 600gph (or more). The key to setting up the sump and tank is to make sure the return pump runs dry before the tank overfills, and likewise to make certain the sump can hold all the run off when the pump stops.

Get a variable speed DC pump and you can run it faster or slower across a range of speeds and the return will adjust, as will the water level in the sump while you dial the pump speed around. Leave it where you like it, and then set up an automatic top off switch in the sump that keeps the level you set as the tank evaporates.

Its pretty simple and takes care of itself without much thought once you set it, and then leave it alone.

He’s got a weird size hole which is actually 1-1/4” bulkhead.. could reduce it to 1” without killing flow but yeah the rest of what you stated is spot on.

 

[sneakyeskimos]

He’s got a weird size hole which is actually 1-1/4” bulkhead.. could reduce it to 1” without killing flow but yeah the rest of what you stated is spot on.

Actually a 2" hole

 

[sneakyeskimos]

So you are stuck with a bulkhead fitting to plug the hole. Add a standpipe to raise the water level in the drain and reduce the waterfall sound in the box. These drains with a 1 inch pipe can handle 600gph (or more). The key to setting up the sump and tank is to make sure the return pump runs dry before the tank overfills, and likewise to make certain the sump can hold all the run off when the pump stops.

Get a variable speed DC pump and you can run it faster or slower across a range of speeds and the return will adjust, as will the water level in the sump while you dial the pump speed around. Leave it where you like it, and then set up an automatic top off switch in the sump that keeps the level you set as the tank evaporates.

Its pretty simple and takes care of itself without much thought once you set it, and then leave it alone.

Whats a 2" rated for gph wise, 70 gal tank 30 gal sump thinking i need around 1000gph in return ish.

 

[KrisReef]

1000/70 = 14 times per hour turn over1 You are going to swim those fish to death. I don't recall the passive flow capacity for a 2 inch drain pipe but I suspect it could easily handle more than 1000gph, if that much water will move thru the weir teeth without over flowing the tank?

Some places on line list pipe flows by diameter for drains and for pressurized flows. ....


Edit
+100 gpMinute!

Agricultural Drainage Calculator by Pipe Size | Prinsco, Inc

www.prinsco.com

 

[sneakyeskimos]

1000/70 = 14 times per hour turn over1 You are going to swim those fish to death. I don't recall the passive flow capacity for a 2 inch drain pipe but I suspect it could easily handle more than 1000gph, if that much water will move thru the weir teeth without over flowing the tank?

Some places on line list pipe flows by diameter for drains and for pressurized flows. ....


Edit
+100 gpMinute!

Agricultural Drainage Calculator by Pipe Size | Prinsco, Inc

www.prinsco.com

My bad i was doing math on total volume, bit variable dc 1000 pump running 75% should do about 700-750gph, so the pipe should be more than sufficent.
The tank is 48"x16"x20" new to reefing so would that be a more acceptable flow rate?

 

[KrisReef]

My bad i was doing math on total volume, bit variable dc 1000 pump running 75% should do about 700-750gph, so the pipe should be more than sufficent.
The tank is 48"x16"x20" new to reefing so would that be a more acceptable flow rate?

That is more in the range most people aim for. It might be at the upper end for flow, but with the DC pump you can adjust it to what you find will work once it is on line.

I have a fish tank that is a bit larger and run it at 2 to 4 times turn over per hour without issues. I used to run them faster but I like the quieter tanks sounds now.

And since you will be getting a bulkhead, they are made to be hand tightened. The knurl is designed for the tool, a hand, to torque the thing down snug. Over tightened (wrenched ) bulkhead fittings crush the rubber gasket seal and may distort the rubber causing leaks, or worse the excess pressure on the plastic nut causes it to stress crack in time and it starts leaking while you are in Tahiti poaching maximas near Teahupoʻo. Not sure where the last part came from, but don't let this happen to you

 

[sneakyeskimos]

That is more in the range most people aim for. It might be at the upper end for flow, but with the DC pump you can adjust it to what you find will work once it is on line.

I have a fish tank that is a bit larger and run it at 2 to 4 times turn over per hour without issues. I used to run them faster but I like the quieter tanks sounds now.

And since you will be getting a bulkhead, they are made to be hand tightened. The knurl is designed for the tool, a hand, to torque the thing down snug. Over tightened (wrenched ) bulkhead fittings crush the rubber gasket seal and may distort the rubber causing leaks, or worse the excess pressure on the plastic nut causes it to stress crack in time and it starts leaking while you are in Tahiti poaching maximas near Teahupoʻo. Not sure where the last part came from, but don't let this happen to you

Lol thanks, so would you run the standpipe up like 18" or lower. Im assumming higher will be louder, another question is it safe to run it with tap water or hose water outside to test flow rates before install? Just clean well before swapping the tank?
Im moving my 40b reef to the 70 hopefully within a month.

 

[KrisReef]

Whenever I can, I set them up outside and fill them and let them sit for awhile. If I am not busy, I put them in the garage and set up the sump and pump with flex hose and run them to see what the pump, overflow, sump, and return do for the tank when they are working together.

The standpipe inside the overflow can come up to an inch or so below the weir teeth for starters. Cut it lower if it is threatening to cause a flood. The longer the internal pipe in the overflow box, the shorter the (waterfall) drop and less noise.

Most noise from the drain happens in the sump. Mt reef in the garage sounds like Niagara. My fish tank in the house is a bit quieter, and how to adjust them will depend on your systems components. I suggest going to LFS or to other reefers homes to see what they have done, or cruise the build sections, maybe search quieting return, or something similar to see what all folks do to make them quiet. GL

 

[sneakyeskimos]

Whenever I can, I set them up outside and fill them and let them sit for awhile. If I am not busy, I put them in the garage and set up the sump and pump with flex hose and run them to see what the pump, overflow, sump, and return do for the tank when they are working together.

The standpipe inside the overflow can come up to an inch or so below the weir teeth for starters. Cut it lower if it is threatening to cause a flood. The longer the internal pipe in the overflow box, the shorter the (waterfall) drop and less noise.

Most noise from the drain happens in the sump. Mt reef in the garage sounds like Niagara. My fish tank in the house is a bit quieter, and how to adjust them will depend on your systems components. I suggest going to LFS or to other reefers homes to see what they have done, or cruise the build sections, maybe search quieting return, or something similar to see what all folks do to make them quiet. GL

Thanks for the info mate happy reefing

 

[Troylee]

Actually a 2" hole

A 2” hole fits 1-1/4” bulkhead. Not a 2” bulkhead