diy plumbing a 30 gallon, need advice

[WeePee]

so i have a 30 gallon acrylic tank that I want to make into a drilled reef ready frag tank. anyone got any diy sites, posts, or advice for doing this?

 

[WeePee]

nn those kits. already have the drill bit, bulkheads, and lockline.
need more specific help design wise about how i should do the overflow. and where to get the internal overflow box or to just make one

 

[fastrc]

My smaller tanks use a 1" bulkhead with a screen over them, I get mine from marinedepot.com. The overflow and drain are both at the same height at the overflow point in the top part of the tank. The return can be adjusted with a gate valve to regulate the return to keep the water level correct.
http://www.marinedepot.com/plumbing_parts__index-ap.html

 

[fastrc]

I can setup a chart for you if you send me your tank/sump picture with your pump output size.

 

[EyeReef]

Simple route is a 90 degree elbow with a durso standpipe to help min noise. You can buy a overflow box to cover the elbow in the tank

durso

 

[scotty]

you want todo a box, or just straight drill, you making this a display frag tank, or get by frag tank, silent or dont care cause basement bound, all pertinent questions.

 

[WeePee]

thanks eyereef. i shall do that setup.
and plan on using 1" overflow with 3/4" return, though i might do 2x 1" over flows with 2x 3/4" returns. then i wouldn't need any powerheads inside the tank.

 

[WeePee]

ya, good call.
so i guess ill be planning for a closed loop as well.

 

[WeePee]

this 30 barely has enough depth for the loc line.

top center hole will be the drain to sump, lower center hole probably be the drain to closed loop. though i might switch it with the return loc line instead.

any opinions?

 

[jcarlilesiu]

I prefer durso standpipes to HOB overflow boxes. Don't have to worry about the siphon issue, nor can you see it if it is screened behind a dedicated overflow area.

Follow this design with PVC to ensure that it is quiet.

You can use a similar design for the return. Get lock line pipe for adjustable return assemblies.

http://www.reefland.com/articles/rho/overflows-and-sumps

Then just build the overflow area.

This is a good place to order them, or of course you could make it out of acrylic if you are handy.

http://www.wetdryfilter.com/internal_overflow_boxes.htm

 

[jcarlilesiu]

this 30 barely has enough depth for the loc line.

any opinions?

You could always remove some of the sections so they aren't so long.