New (to me) 265 Gallon Acrylic Tank

[Keimaxbode]

I just purchased a used 265 gallon acrylic tank with center overflow and not sure how to plumb it. I've only been in saltwater for a couple of years and started small. My current tank is a 100 gallon with center overflow and sump/refugium in cabinet, pretty straight forward, came with plumbing.

The 265 looks like it was made by an individual (not the person who sold it to me). I will attach pics. The cabinet was clearly not used to house a sump or filtration system as it has four sections and a back and no access for hoses. It must have been plumbed through a wall to another room or basement I'm thinking.

I'm hoping for those who have been in the hobby forever, it will be clear how it was plumbed and someone can point me in the right direction. I do have a place to set it where I can plumb it through a wall into another room.

There is a hole at the bottom right of the display front side of the overflow and another on the right side near the top. There are two ball valves in one section of the overflow. I'm guessing one for return and one for sump with the top one being for return because it looks like it could come in then do a 90 degree turn and through the hole in the right top side of the overflow maybe. Don't know what the hole near the bottom of the overflow is for. That would more than likely be covered with sand???? then the second ball valve is to take water out of tank to sump??? The other section almost looks like an internal wet/dry filter. I can take more pics if needed. I really need some guidance on this. I have a 55 ready to modify for the sump. Have already done one of those for my 100 or should say hubby did it. Plan to do a little differently this time though to leave more room for skimmer and less for fuge area.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Hubby is willing to help but I have to tell him what I need him to do.

Thanks, Diana

 

[Keimaxbode]

No ideas or do you need more, better pictures? I really need help.

Diana

 

[Pisces3473]

It looks to me like the black section is your overflow area and all your plumbing is set up there. I don't know why your return would be in that section though, which is somewhat confusing. That being said, I know very little about plumbing for overflows, sumps, and returns. Is there two different sections in the black box area that are totally separate? I think, if there is, then your return is in one of them. Can you contact the previous owner and ask how they had it set up? Maybe one of the holes is for a Chiller or an ATO. I suppose it could be for anything you want depending on what type of set-up you're wanting. This is all supposition and hypothetical, but I hope it gets you thinking in the right direction. I'm sure some one knowledgable will be along shortly...

 

[Keimaxbode]

Yes, there are two compartments but they are connected at the bottom of the divider. There are also shelf holders in the overflow portion, which could be for egg rate for a wet/dry or trickle filter. There is a top shelf also for that section with numerous small holes again making it look like it might have been used as a WD/Trickle/bio ball area. There are no holes into the display from that section. The two open holes are in the smaller section where the ball valves are located. One hole is near top of side and is larger. I will measure and post exact size and other is small hole near bottom of the black wall of that section. There were 3 cut off tube sections with it. I'll also post pics of those. The large top hole is at same level as top ball valve but at a sharp 90* angle.

Don't think a chiller would have been used in Ohio but I could be wrong. The person I purchased it from did not set it up and had never been in the hobby so sold when she found out how much it was going to cost when she went to LFS. I will see if I can ER contact info from her for person she purchased from who I was told had several tanks set up. Makes me think he probably had them all plumbed together in a "fish room" possibly. I'll get more pics posted soon.

Thanks so much!

 

[Grizz]

Looking from the top down (last pic) it looks like the bottom pipe is the drain the top right pipe is a return, there should be a pipe with a 90 on it that feeds through the hole on the right then hooks to a line lock tube.
The 3rd hole is most likely a drain also a short stand pipe with a strainer would go there The idea is you draw from both the top and bottom of the tank. I would plug the hole as it's not needed

 

[Keimaxbode]

Ok so plug the bottom hole that is in the black front of the overflow and if I do that, I won't need the stand pipe, correct? There wasn't a 90 degree pipe so I would have to get one. Can I get that from a home supply store or is it something special I need to get from a fish place? It looks like whatever went through that hole was sealed in place. Then I would need to get some type of nozzle for the other side of the return pipe going into the main display portion?

Do I need to do anything with that overflow compartment? And how do I figure out what size return pump I need? I have a Quiet One 4000 now. Will that be powerful enough? Should I have more than one return nozzle? My current tank has a DIY spray bar but I think I read someplace that isn't a good idea. And is it best to use flexible tubing or PVC for the plumbing?

Sorry so many questions. The tank I currently have came with all the plumbing. We had to replace some of it but at least knew what should go where.

 

[Grizz]

"Ok so plug the bottom hole that is in the black front of the overflow and if I do that, I won't need the stand pipe, correct?" Yes you are correct.
"There wasn't a 90 degree pipe so I would have to get one. Can I get that from a home supply store." Yes lowes or home D or any hard ware store will carry the PVC needed

"It looks like whatever went through that hole was sealed in place." You will need to reseal what ever pipe you run through there or it will drain down to that level and could over flow your sump.
"Then I would need to get some type of nozzle for the other side of the return pipe going into the main display portion?" I would use loc-line Bulk Reef Supply - Search Results for loc line you can split it into two returns and aim them where you like.

Your Quiet One will work fine you may need a valve to slow it down so the drain can keep up. I like to use flexible tubing as any elbows add to head loss

Sorry so many questions. No worries Ask that's why we're here.

 

[Keimaxbode]

Thanks SO much! I also need to buff the tank. I did my current one by hand (hard work) and plan to buy a buffer to use on the 265. Would I just buy the kind you use to buff a car or is there a better or cheaper choice for an aquarium? Any thoughts?

And one more question, do I put anything I. The overflow section that appears to have had shelves for possibly bio balls? Should I put some filter media or maybe nitrate remover there?

 

[Grizz]

For buffing im thinking a drill with a buffer pad would be cheaper plus you can use it for other things around the house
I dont put any thing in the overflow im always afraid of restricting the flow.
You can put bags of carbon in there. it will polish the water and help remove any toxins. You can put a ball of cheato (a macro algae) in the sump to remove nitrates

Post some pics of the work in progress We love builds here lol.

 

[Keimaxbode]

Sure, I will post pics. What forum should I do the build thread in? I have Chaeto in my current sump. It was growing well until the last couple if months that it seems to be dying. I read on one I the forums you need to add some supplement and I can't remember what it was now.

 

[Grizz]

This thread is your build lol Dont add any thing that you cant test for.
When my cheato starts dying off i trim it back, if it's not growing it's because there's nothing for it to feed on A good sign, IMO The system is balanced

What is your stock? Fish,inverts,coral?