getting ready to order a tank, how does this sound

[bbortko]

I will finally be ordering my new tank by the end of the month and I think I have things in orderu but. I'm new to sumps and being a custom build I want it built right from the factory. Ive asked a few random questions over the last couple of months and mulled over the feedback, thank you all who replied. I'm hoping you guys can check my plan so that when I contact the vendor I'm not a deer in headlights.

Tank: 72"*30"*25" - 237g with external overflow box with beananimal pipes
Sump: diy 75g, similar to jcardona's sump in the diy forum minus the first baffle
Pumps: 2 laguna maxflos

I'm aiming towards 2000-2200gph with about 5' of head and 4 90s going through 3/4" pvc so that I can use locline. Each return will have a y fitting to hopefully eliminate the need for a current pump. To achieve these I need pumps rated for 3600gph, can I use a 2000 and a 1500? Each return will be independently piped. The returns will. Be roughly 4" of the rear corners on the top.

Standpipes will be beananimal using 2", I feel 1.5" would require the channeled pipe to run at 50% and that would jeopardize silence. Another issue is accessibility, how accessible should the rear plumbing be? My quote was for a rear 24" long box but this would probably screw me on getting to the pipes, coast-to-coast with pipes at one end would be great if the price isn't a deal breaker or I can put the overflow on one end. Not sure where to place second return if overflow is on the side.

Stock will be from my 125 and consists of 1melanurus, 4 heckelli, 2 sev, 1 bellycrawler, 2 commn plecos, 3 silver dollars and a couple endlers livebearers. I have no idea what i'll get next. I like to keep fish for life and the ones I'm interested in at the moment wouldn't be the best choice for my current stock.

The sump will be 3 chambers. Filters socks then drip tray over micron sheeting and bio then urigen & pumps.

While I'd love a bigger home with a basement and an 8'*4' tank someday there is a possibility that this is as big as I'll ever get to go and I'll have this setup for quite some time so I'd really like to do it right. Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[duanes]

Sounds like a good combination to me.
None of your combination are overly similar looking, which to me, tends to keep aggression down. (I find similar shaped and colored fish, don't get along because they see others like them, as competitors.)
My heckelli are not aggressive with anything I keep with them, and that size tank should be large enough to keep intra-species aggression down between them.
I have a young beani with my heckelli, and Tomocichla, which I think would have a similar temperament to melanurus.
Also keeping a bellycrawler with Guianacara without problems, which would also be a similar combination.


The endlers will probably end up snacks for the bellycrawler in short order though

 

[festaedan]

It will probably work out, defenitely has enough filtration and the fish aggression levels (except for the endlers) are similar. I say go for it!

 

[bbortko]

Thanks for the confirmations. The endlers were stowaways with duckweed and cherry shrimp from a swapmeet and never wanted so that's not a worry, they actually found there way to my 125 when adding duckweed as a treat back in may.

 

[Dan F]

The only thing I would suggest is running your returns with 1" and then reducing at the loc-line, as you will have considerably less frictional loss.

Sounds like a nice size, I wish my 210 was wider....

 

[bbortko]

The only thing I would suggest is running your returns with 1" and then reducing at the loc-line, as you will have considerably less frictional loss.

Sounds like a nice size, I wish my 210 was wider....

Good idea. When debating between 3/4" & 1" it never occurred to me to reduce inside the tank, I only toyed with reducing externally at the bulkhead and that seemed like a needless connection that would wind up leaking.

 

[ElectricBlueSeanBurch]

I have a 72x27x27 225. I actually have 2x Laguna 2000's. I have 2 returns and each return has 2 loc-line nozzles. I love this setup and 3" of extra depth would be great. I have no experience with beananimal or external overflow boxes, but they sound amazing. Good luck and keep us posted...

 

[bbortko]

I have a 72x27x27 225. I actually have 2x Laguna 2000's. I have 2 returns and each return has 2 loc-line nozzles. I love this setup and 3" of extra depth would be great. I have no experience with beananimal or external overflow boxes, but they sound amazing. Good luck and keep us posted...

So 2 200s isn't too much, I like symmetry.

My order plan was the overflow centered with returns in the top rear corners but decided its in my best interest to move it to thecside for accessing the plumbing should the need arise. I'm hung of on where the place the second return. The one on the opposite corner is fine but what about the other side? I know intank overflows house both the intank and return but that just doesn't seem optimal to my inexperienced mind.

 

[lanceiswaiting]

You don't need to have the return inside an internal overflow. I have just set mine up and I have run a pipe straight from the pump into the top of the tank. Only minimal siphon if the power fails. I've used the theory behind the bean animal for my internal overflow, but with only 2 drains, and it's dead silent. The trick is using the ball valves to control the flow into the drains. It handles the flow of my pump with ease.

I agree you should take your time and plan it. I've spent 3 months planning my 8x2x2 (96x24x24 for you Americans) and it was worth it. Good luck with the build. Hope it turns out for you


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[David R]

I've always run a single return and had it at the opposite end to the overflow to try create a left-right flow. I've never bothered plumbing them through bulkheads either, I usually just have a hole drilled in the brace for them to go through, yes it means a couple of extra 90* bends but it isn't the end of the world, especially if you're using 1" or larger plumbing.

Sounds like a good set up, I like the stock too!