Curious where most MFK drill their drains and returns?

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FishNCash

Goliath Tigerfish
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Aug 1, 2009
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Where do you guys place your drain hole and return holes? I planned to do two returns on the left and two drains on the right. Is this the ideal setup for most people?
 
I usually drill drains near the upper rim, and put return lines on the opposite end.
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I don't drill for return lines, I want water cascading onto the surface creating as much aeration, and turbulence as I can get.
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That said
This is because I keep riverine cichlids, tetras, plecos and other rheophillic type fish, that I collect , and below are some of the conditions that are found in.
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Where do you guys place your drain hole and return holes? I planned to do two returns on the left and two drains on the right. Is this the ideal setup for most people?
its mostly preference. my current setup has all the drains on the right side. most returns are on the left side. with 2 more returns dropping from the top of the tank ( acrylic) from my pothos planters.
 
Top of the tank. My big brutes have managed to break three bulkheads by slamming into pipes. Placing holes any place except the top of the tank would have resulted in flooding
 
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Thank you all for taking time out of your busy day to reply. I really appreciate the info provided.

I usually drill drains near the upper rim, and put return lines on the opposite end.
I don't drill for return lines, I want water cascading onto the surface creating as much aeration, and turbulence as I can get.
That said
This is because I keep riverine cichlids, tetras, plecos and other rheophillic type fish, that I collect , and below are some of the conditions that are found in.
Great info. I thought about dropping the return the top brace too. My only concern is the top brace is only 1/2” vs 3/4” on the side.

its mostly preference. my current setup has all the drains on the right side. most returns are on the left side. with 2 more returns dropping from the top of the tank ( acrylic) from my pothos planters.
I am think of doing something similiar to your. Do you have a picture of your returns locations?

Top of the tank. My big brutes have managed to break three bulkheads by slamming into pipes. Placing holes any place except the top of the tank would have resulted in flooding
oh wow, I didn’t forsee this could happen. Great info.
 
Leakage, or a brocken bulkhead is one of the reasons I always put holes up near the waters surface, in that way, a leak will only run out until the bottom end of the hole.
I have had tanks with stand pipes, and if that pipe underneath gets jarred, or broken, the entire tank can empty out.
 
Leakage, or a brocken bulkhead is one of the reasons I always put holes up near the waters surface, in that way, a leak will only run out until the bottom end of the hole.
I have had tanks with stand pipes, and if that pipe underneath gets jarred, or broken, the entire tank can empty out.
ihave had 2 failures over the last 15 years or so. both of them were bottom drilled tanks with standpipes. so i have to agree with this 100%.
 
Thank you all for taking time out of your busy day to reply. I really appreciate the info provided.

Great info. I thought about dropping the return the top brace too. My only concern is the top brace is only 1/2” vs 3/4” on the side.

I am think of doing something similiar to your. Do you have a picture of your returns locations?

oh wow, I didn’t forsee this could happen. Great info.
i will take some better photos tonight.
 
oh wow, I didn’t forsee this could happen. Great info.

When bulkheads break, the mechanical system only sucks air...no water on the floor. After all these years big tank system still not done..I had eleven holes drilled on the top of the tank for the primary mechanical filtration system.
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1685482444725.pngUptake and return pipes for mechanical filtration. Uptake pipes will be just off the floor of the tank. They work wonderfully well for removing debris and will be utilized when doing water changes (excellent way to drain the tank). I have a 405 gallon fiberglass tank to be used for redundant filtration. I don't want to drill that tank either, so will extend a vertical pipe just off the floor of the sump tank to return the water to the main tank.

There are two 4' overflow boxes on the back of the tank for the redundant filtration system. So there will be 8 LocLine returns from the sump. There is no chance of leakage/flooding, though, since the pipes will come up through the overflow boxes. So I guess I do have eight holes and six slots drilled on the back of the tank going into the overflow boxes....I consider that "safe" though...
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