Anything else i need?

[Zer0]

Alright well.. i'm at the stage of drilling and then plumbing my tank now.. so i need a bit of help.. since i've never done this plumbing stuff before.

Alright so.. i have the overflow box(drilled), 1" bulkhead with fittings and everything, and a 1/2" return kit, which i will be drilling the tank for the return. I will be drilling the return as close to the water line as possible so there is minimal drain-back in to the sump if the pump shuts off. I just wanted to keep the top of the tank clean and wire/hose free since it's a rimless design, and since i can just drill near the water line and achieve the same effect as if the return line was sitting above the tank.

Anyways, are there any other fittings i need besides the flexible vinyl tubing? The return pump has the barbbed adapters so i stick the hose on it.. and... i think that's it lol.

Let me know if i missed anything or if there is anything else i need. Also.. how do i connect the hose to the overflow bulkhead? Do i just put silicone in the bulkhead and then shove the hose in there and then silicone the part where the hose and bulkhead meet? Also, would it be wise to silicone the hose to the return pump? Or should i just use teflon tape for that application since i might need to disconnect the two..?

Thanks.

 

[mr_X]

the return will have a directional exhaust port, like loc-line or similar, correct? if so, you will need to worry about how that is positioned more so than the position of the return bulkhead.
what size return pump are you using and what is the overflow rated for? you may need a ball valve at the exhaust port of the return pump.
you don't need to silicone anything. i would use pvc glue to attach the drain line to the bulkhead. they never develop leaks and never need to be removed, unless you decide to break the tank down and maybe not even then.
the return pump is submersible i am guessing. i would just screw it in. the tiny bit of water that may escape through the threads is not important.

 

[Zer0]

So you're saying i could have the return bulkhead below the water line, as long as the directional exhaust port is facing towards the surface, so as to not let a lot of water in when/if the return pump cuts off? And yes, it is loc-line with a flared nozzle on the end. I was planning on using that return line as surface agitation, which means facing it towards the surface, and then using powerheads or an MP10 to accomplish the current for the corals i want to keep. Sounds good?

My return pump is a QuiteOne 1200 for Wet/Dry applications. It's rated for 6.5' max head height, but i only have 36" to cover.. From the bottom of the sump, to the top of the tank where my return line is, is only 36".

The overflow is a 1" bulkhead.. and last time i checked that's 600GPH. Correct?

I also have another question, on my overflow box, how long should i make the teeth? 1 inch? And also, should the top of the overflow box be lined up with the top edge of the aquarium? Glass-holes states that the water line on their boxes is usually 1/2" to 3/4", but they never state how long the teeth are.. but i'm guessing it's one inch.

And yes, the pump is submersible, and ok, i'll just screw the hose in.. no biggie.

Thanks for the help mr X.

 

[mr_X]

what size tank is this?
yes, if your locline is almost at the surface, you don't need to worry about the depth of the bulkhead.
i like my drains coming over the top, but if you are determined to have nothing hanging over your rimless tank except a few power cords, then you'll be fine drilling the tank a little lower to ensure the strength of the back pane.

 

[Zer0]

It's a 25G cube. 18x18x18

Are there any benefits over one or the other of having a return coming over the top of the tank, or being drilled?

If i could give you more rep points i would lol. Thanks for the help dude. I appreciate.

 

[mr_X]

i would probably go with the quiet one 2200 for that tank. the benefit of a return coming over the top would be one less hole in the tank. one less chance to leak. one less bulkhead purchased.

 

[Zer0]

What makes you say i should go with a 2200? I already bought one and used it.. so it's kind of hard for me to just go out and buy another pump like that.. but i'm confused why since the 1200 has a max head height of 6.5ft.. which seems like overkill on my tank in the first place. I was using it today to drain my tank when leak testing and the water was straight gushing out of the tube i was holding up at about 4ft.. so.. Yeah. Also.. the 1200 is really.. quiet lol. It's an excellent pump IMO. Plus.. i only really need it to push the water back in to the tank.. nothing more. I'll be getting an MP10 for flow.

And yeah.. i get the whole one less hole thing, one less chance to leak, etc.. But i still really want a clean look to my tank, and if i have only one PH(MP10), then that means NO wires coming from the tank.. at all.. and to me that's exciting lol. Also.. i just think it promotes less clutter inside and around the tank. Besides.. it's not like i'm drilling two return lines.. its just one. One overflow and one return drilled. 'tis all.

Also, do you know about the overflow box question i had in post #3? That's the part i'm really confused about still.

 

[mr_X]

max head only means that some water will reach that high. at 4' you are barely getting 200gph. i would just like something a little stronger if it was me.
yes, it's just to return water, but you are going to keep your media reactors, heaters, skimmer maybe, in the sump, so you will need to feed it with the proper amount of water for all of those to be at peak efficiency.
i also think the mp10 is too small for your tank too, depending on what you want to keep.
no, i don't know how long to make the teeth, but an inch sounds about the norm.
btw, mount the overflow box slightly lower than the rim of the tank. in the event the teeth get clogged up, you won't have a mess on the floor.

 

[Zer0]

Ahhh that answered all my last questions. Thanks a lot dude. Also, I'll tell you what,lol, I'm going to try and use the 1200 only because I don't have all the money in the world and I dont have a job lol, but in the event that I start to see any decrease in flow, or if it's barely pushing water back in to the tank, then ill switch it out for the 2200. But that's the best I can do for now... So just know that your advise was not ignored... I just don't have the money to execute it at the moment. And the only things in the sump are a refugium and my heater, with the exception of the LR in the overflow drain cubby. I won't be running any skimmers or filters so those are also a couple less things to think about.

Thanks for all the help mr X. Was greatly appreciated.

 

[mr_X]

i don't think you'll see it decrease. just make sure that amount after head loss is best for your application. you might be able to get by with it. it was just my humble opinion.