Drilling a 210 gallon Acrylic tank

[pfcbizz]

I want to drill my 210 gallon tank, I ant to make my overflow box from a 4" PVC Pipe with the drain and return inside, I've heard so many different ways people do their overflow's but I want to know how I would go by doing mine in the manner I want to do it, mind you this is going to be a complete walk-around tank with all the plumbing underneth in the cabinet with plumbing in the center of the tank, so my question is to all :

1. what size plumbing and bulkheads should I use for the overflow, drain & return
2. how many holes need to be drilling in the overflow box to acheive this task
3. how much plumbing I need to run into the sump

 

[mr_X]

I think you might need something larger than a 4" pipe, but if I was installing drains in a 210, i would want 2 x 1.5" bulkheads for 1.5" drains. I would construct a box out of acrylic. I would make it probably 18" x 6" maybe, and put the 2 drains inside that. you could stack rocks/glue rocks around it so it isn't so noticeable.
if you are stuck on the 4" pipe, then a single 1.5" drain would be about what fits in that situation. I would cut grooves in the top of the pipe so water goes in but the fish can't.

2 holes for total for the 4" pipe design idea of yours- a hole for a drain and one for a 3/4" or 1" return. Come to think of it, i don't think those 2 will fit in a 4" pipe at all.
3 holes for the acrylic box idea- 2 drains and one 1" return.

 

[mr_X]

Here are some images of what i was trying to explain-
Glasscages.com - Overflows

 

[pfcbizz]

I think you might need something larger than a 4" pipe, but if I was installing drains in a 210, i would want 2 x 1.5" bulkheads for 1.5" drains. I would construct a box out of acrylic. I would make it probably 18" x 6" maybe, and put the 2 drains inside that. you could stack rocks/glue rocks around it so it isn't so noticeable.
if you are stuck on the 4" pipe, then a single 1.5" drain would be about what fits in that situation. I would cut grooves in the top of the pipe so water goes in but the fish can't.

2 holes for total for the 4" pipe design idea of yours- a hole for a drain and one for a 3/4" or 1" return. Come to think of it, i don't think those 2 will fit in a 4" pipe at all.
3 holes for the acrylic box idea- 2 drains and one 1" return.

What if I ran a pipe on the outside along the side of the overflow for the returns would that work ?

 

[mr_X]

I guess, but the object of the overflow is to protect that bulkhead there, so if it ever leaks, you don't have to drain the entire tank to fix it.