Bulkheads/Overflow help
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URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=43182
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Topic: Bulkheads/Overflow help
Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Subject: Bulkheads/Overflow help
Date Posted: September 03 2010 at 9:50am
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I am looking to switch out my tank from a 40 gallon breeder to another 40 gallon breeder, LOL. Petco is having their $1/gallon sale and I can't pass up the opportunity to get a new tank for $40. On my current setup I built the overflow and built it WAY too big. I didn't think it through at all and have regretted it since day one. It takes up over 4" of depth and my 40 gallon breeder is now only 14" instead of 18"  . Big mistake.So now is the best time for me to fix the issues. The wife is all for me switching out the tank but I can't upgrade. I am fine with this as I have loved the size of a 40 breeder. So I need to figure out how to build the smallest overflow possible. I am open to external but at the same time know nothing about them and not sure I trust them. This time around I am going to put the returns through the back wall. I will have two returns into the tank instead of one. This will allow me to run my return pump towards full capacity, roughly 500 gph I think. On my current setup I am running the Herbie method and LOVE it. My setup is dead silent. I can hear my ceiling fan over my tank. Since the tank is in our room, it MUST be quiet. So after that long winded explanation, here is what I am thinking of doing. 1) Glass-Holes overflow box. Not sure on which size yet. I have read great things about them but have heard they can be extremely loud. Pros are that very little space will be taken up. Cons are possible noise and plumbing out of the back of the tank. 2) Drilling the bottom of the tank with 2 holes this time instead of 3 and putting them pretty close together. I will have one be the drain and the other be an emergency drain. Once again I want to use the Herbie method. I will then build an overflow box out of black acrylic. Easy enough. Pros: herbie method, silent, smaller amount of real estate taken up then my current setup. Cons: More space taken up then the overflow box and having to drive clear up to Salt Lake to pick up the acrylic and other materials. (Unless someone knows of a good place in Utah County to buy from.) So this brings me to the next question. If I go with option #2, I want the smallest bulkheads I can get. I bought one from marine Depot and it is like half the size of the other 2 I picked up locally. Very nice to have them that small. Anyone know of the smallest bulkheads out there? Smallest in terms of radius if that makes sense. I know I need the bulkhead to be 1". I just don't need 8 inches of freaking plastic around the hole. Any other ideas are welcome! I have a couple weeks until the sale ends but I want to pick the tank up ASAP. Thanks guys! and gals! |
Replies:
Posted By: sterling18
Date Posted: September 03 2010 at 11:25am
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Glassholes are noisy. I have the 700. If I were to do it again, I would go with the 1400. But to reduce the noise, I reduced the flow from my sump to my tank.
I could have used a Mag 7 but that was too much flow and too much noise, I'm using a Mag 3. But the 700 is a single 1 1/2" Bulkhead, while the 1400, I think is dual 1".
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Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: September 05 2010 at 11:15pm
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BUMP I am buying the tank and am pretty sure on what I want to do but am welcome to suggestions!
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Posted By: Ahanix
Date Posted: September 06 2010 at 1:29am
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I've got the Glassholes 750 with a Rio hyperflow for the return and I don't think it is loud at all. I'm personally glad I went with that and two 1" returns (I think)
You are more than welcome to come check it out any time. Obviously I wish it were a tiny bit quieter, but I find it to be worth it due to the tank space that I saved by going with the box. |
Posted By: tcfab
Date Posted: September 06 2010 at 11:31am
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Ryan, have you thought about doing an external overflow with the Herbie? External are the same as internal you are just moving the box to the outside of the tank, they are safe alot of people do them. ------------- Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386 |
Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: September 06 2010 at 12:51pm
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Tyler, how do I get the water into the external overflow? Do you just drill holes in the back pane and it goes through that way?
Sorry I'm at work and can't research the external right now. I actually came up with a sweet idea last night that I want to sketch up and see what people think. Thanks! |
Posted By: tcfab
Date Posted: September 06 2010 at 3:20pm
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There are a few ways to make the water go into the external overflow. The best way involves drilling two holes and scoring and cutting the back glass to create a notch out of the back glass, you then cut a piece of acrylic with teeth into it and silicone that into the notch in the glass. You then just make a box on the back of the tank with your plumbing in it and your holes in the bottom of the box. Sounds difficult but it really isn't if you have a little bit of DIY experience, which I believe you do. Or you can simply just drill a few holes for water to go through the back glass into the external overflow box, but you lose the ability to have "teeth" in the overflow.
------------- Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386 |
Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: September 06 2010 at 4:50pm
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My tank will have the black rim all the way around it so I don't know that I want to cut the glass right below that or try anything too fancy. I was reading a few threads that stated that you really want an external overflow to be at least 5 inches deep. Not sure how true that is or why but multiple people said that.
I don't want something hanging off my tank that far. My new idea goes something like this: (wish I was good with paint or some other CG program to draw it out but I will try to explain) I will drill the bottom of the tank and put my main drain stand pipe in that hole. Using a strainer of course like I am now. It keeps it nice and clean in the pipes. I will then drill the emergency drain in the back pane of glass and just put a bulkhead there that is piped into the sump. This will allow me to have my overflow box take up maybe a 3x2 area. I really only need it large enough to go around the bulkhead(s). I thought about just using black acrylic and creating an overflow box. It won't be curved like mine is now but I don't care this time around. I just want it SMALL or should I type it small, LOL. Going with the external overflow though would you build the box out of glass instead? That way you can really seal it to the tank. I think if I went external I would want to build it like 20" in length though to get as much of the surface as I can. Thanks Tyler! |
Posted By: tcfab
Date Posted: September 08 2010 at 12:23am
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Yeah you want the external box to be glass ifs its a glass tank like your 40 gallon breeder. Your idea sounds like it would work as well, you can get an internal overflow box really small if you really squeeze everything inside just make sure to space all your holes apart enough so your glass won't crack down the road. They recommend if you drill say a 1.5" hole then space the next hole 1.5" away from that one and so forth. Are you running your return line up through the overflow box and into the tank or externally? ------------- Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386 |
Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: September 08 2010 at 12:38am
The returns will come through the back glass. Located in the corners of the tank. I have decided to build a small internal overflow box. I will probably use black acrylic again. Blue would be cool as I have seen some really cool blue background tanks. In the end I have always like black though. I probably won't paint the back of the tank which means you will see some plumbing but oh well. I like how an unpainted back adds depth. |
tcfab wrote:Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: September 08 2010 at 12:49am
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Tyler,
Like this: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=41940 My overflow box will be full internal however and I will drill the bottom. The back pane of glass will have 3 holes drilled into it. 2 for the returns and 1 for the emergency drain. |
Posted By: Ahanix
Date Posted: September 08 2010 at 1:33am
| Sounds great to me. I love how mine turned out and I don't think I would have done it any other way |