How would you do it? Overflows, PVC Size (230 & 310 US Gallons!)

[louiloui]

Hello, I recently got 2 new aquariums, one of these will be a big upgrade for my African cichlids and the other I'm planning on using for when I get my first freshwater stingray.
The stingray I'm planning on getting is a mini marble motoro and will have 3 mono pbass.

My tanks are getting drilled sometime this month and I still can't make my mind up! So I'm wondering what you guys would do in my position.

Questions:
What size PVC would you personally run?
How would you run it (side wall, or bottom?)
What method would you use (Durso, Herbie, other?)
How many holes would you have drilled and why?
What filtration methods would you run? (fluidised bed? what media?)

The tank sizes are (LxHxW)
(inches are rounded to the nearest 1/2 inch)
African cichlids: 210x60x70 cm, 82.5x24x27.5 inches (1,176L / 310 US Gallons)
Stingray: 280x60x70 cm, 110x24x27.5 inches (882L / 230 US Gallons)

Sump sizes: (LxHxW)
(inches are rounded to the nearest 1/2 inch)
African cichlids: 120x40x55 cm 47x14.5x17.5 inches (223L / 59 US Gallons)
Stingray: 190x40x40 cm 75x14.5x14.5 (304L / 80US Gallons)

 

[duanes]

I have had both, drilled on the bottom, and drilled on a side wall.
I prefer the side wall.
If drilled on the bottom, you need a vertical stand pipe running from the bottom hole , to the depth of water you want in the tank.
I find the stand pipes get in the way if trying to catch fish, and can be an eyesore.
Below, a small tank drilled on the bottom, where the stand pipe is obvious.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/sumps/.highres/045_zpsb22b6c45.jpg?width=450&height=278&crop=fill

As far as number of holes, I usually drill at least two.
There is always a chance one can somehow get plugged with something (plants, detritus, dead fish, etc etc) and the other hole can be a life saver in that occasion, until the one gets unclogged up.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/overflows/.highres/IMG_8093_zps4d6f43c5.jpg?width=450&height=278&crop=fill

As far as hole size, different pump rates determine what size hole can handle what strength of flow.
There are flow charts available, and the pump you buy is a a determiner.
I just drilled a 180 gal with 2 holes to fit 1"PVC for a 1500 GPH pump, but also ran a separate pump return line to a separate, strictly mechanical/bio-media sump.
My main sump is a planted refugium.

Above refugium, below the separate bio-media sump that returns water to the refugium (where the pump is located).

That extra sump, and line also mitigates pump overflow that the 1" lines might not accept if one gets partially clogged.

 

[louiloui]

I have had both, drilled on the bottom, and drilled on a side wall.
I prefer the side wall.
If drilled on the bottom, you need a vertical stand pipe running from the bottom hole , to the depth of water you want in the tank.
I find the stand pipes get in the way if trying to catch fish, and can be an eyesore.
Below, a small tank drilled on the bottom, where the stand pipe is obvious.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/sumps/.highres/045_zpsb22b6c45.jpg?width=450&height=278&crop=fill

As far as number of holes, I usually drill at least two.
There is always a chance one can somehow get plugged with something (plants, detritus, dead fish, etc etc) and the other hole can be a life saver in that occasion, until the one gets unclogged up.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/overflows/.highres/IMG_8093_zps4d6f43c5.jpg?width=450&height=278&crop=fill

As far as hole size, different pump rates determine what size hole can handle what strength of flow.
There are flow charts available, and the pump you buy is a a determiner.
I just drilled a 180 gal with 2 holes to fit 1"PVC for a 1500 GPH pump, but also ran a separate pump return line to a separate, strictly mechanical/bio-media sump.
My main sump is a planted refugium.
View attachment 1492016
Above refugium, below the separate bio-media sump that returns water to the refugium (where the pump is located).
View attachment 1492017
That extra sump, and line also mitigates pump overflow that the 1" lines might not accept if one gets partially clogged.

That's one impressive setup! Yes, I agree a second hole is a great idea, with it being stingrays in the 300 I was thinking of trying to run 2700-3000gph to give a turnover of around 10 times per hour, as for plumbing this will be my first time and I'm excited but also a little bit scared that I will mess things up! That being said there are loads of videos on youtube to help me along the way! In your experience what runs quiet/silent, best is the bottom drilled or the side-drilled from what I've heard the sidewall is quieter but flows less water, but if you run vertically through the bottom you can use certain methods to stop the sound and I think this reduces the flow as well but if I was to run 2 pipes at 2" it should be fine I believe because it doesn't matter if the pipe can take more flow than the pump since it's not a siphon and is just an overflow (I think)

Thank you so much for your input it helps a lot!!

 

[duanes]

I realize sometimes what I write may not be as clear to others, as it appears to me. So.....

In the above photo, the separate line taking water to the media sump, is on the far right, and flow rate is controlled by the red (far right) valve)
Below, an opposite view, with a PVC line that runs the entire tank length to the media sump, and then falling by gravity into the refugium

The refugium sits kitty corner to the main tank.
I don't like sump/refugiums stuck in a cabinet below the tank, making it hard to do maintenance.

 

[twentyleagues]

I would look into getting an overflow installed or installing one my self. My 180 is a reef ready marine land bottom drilled 2 in each corner 1" with a corner overflow. It's ok and works well.
My 90 cube is also drilled bottom 2-1" holes again corner weir, again works well. Problems with the weirs/ overflows they take up space in the tank.
I have a 75g I installed an eclipse overflow on my self very small interior foot print but adds about 8" for the box on the outside. This one works great and besides the extra space outside the tank it's great. I got the large one it uses two 1.5" bulk heads through the glass and three 1" to the sump so you can configure it a lot of different ways.
I wouldn't do a stand pipe only myself, to many possibilities for catastrophe.

 

[ADawson23]

Here is my 385 gallon, I’m running a stockman setup in each overflow and a emergency drain in each overflow. The pipes are 1 inch drain and 3/4 inch emergency drains. I am running 2 return pumps totaling 3800 gallons an hour. The sump is 150 gallons. With rays you will want as much media as possible. I chose not to go fluidized to cut down on sound.

 

[andyroo]

My recommendation:
~55gal HDPE drum with some manner of sealing & clamped lid assembly - you should be able to find second-hand or order direct/new in the UK/Scotland; this link is NZ but these are rare like rockinghorse poop around here.

Once sourced, you can buy(?) or home-make an O'ring from heavier air-line, and
make your through-passages with bulkheads and/or sealed with polyurethane (5200) overtopped with a good epoxy paste or putty.

I use an 8gal of same with the Jaebo 3500 on the 230, with course exterior-grade dry-foam over a punched length of 1/5" PVC drain pipe before the pump.
Remaining space in the drum is then filled (packed) with older + newer bamboo charcoal, various sized. I don't know my volume throughput rates, but the water is moving -fast- with the pump at ~1/3-power setting.

Yes, it's a giant sealed canister without limitation to your pump incl. in-out flow rates, dead-silent without undue humidity and without head-pressure issues, so more $efficient$ to run albeit somewhat more difficult to clean or swap parts, can't tank-externally set the heater & BB(etc) will die if it's turned-off. Best to plumb/deploy outside, or in a disused bathroom's shower, until you get comfortable with the theme

Note: making your own odd-size Orings takes some getting used to, but once you get the knack it's pretty straightforward.

 

[andyroo]

PS: Ooooh no, we gott'a go. Ya-ya-ya yah

 

[Backfromthedead]

2x 1.5" drains would be great for both tanks ime. I would definitely drill a wall panel, only reason i would drill bottom would be for a 360 degree view, "Island type tank. Look into external overflow boxes with coast-to-coast style bulkhead mount weirs like those offered from Fiji cube or modular marine. If you don't like the bulkhead mount the same boxes can easily be set up with a silicone mounted weir.

 

[louiloui]

View attachment 1492107

My recommendation:
~55gal HDPE drum with some manner of sealing & clamped lid assembly - you should be able to find second-hand or order direct/new in the UK/Scotland; this link is NZ but these are rare like rockinghorse poop around here.

Once sourced, you can buy(?) or home-make an O'ring from heavier air-line, and
make your through-passages with bulkheads and/or sealed with polyurethane (5200) overtopped with a good epoxy paste or putty.

I use an 8gal of same with the Jaebo 3500 on the 230, with course exterior-grade dry-foam over a punched length of 1/5" PVC drain pipe before the pump.
Remaining space in the drum is then filled (packed) with older + newer bamboo charcoal, various sized. I don't know my volume throughput rates, but the water is moving -fast- with the pump at ~1/3-power setting.

Yes, it's a giant sealed canister without limitation to your pump incl. in-out flow rates, dead-silent without undue humidity and without head-pressure issues, so more $efficient$ to run albeit somewhat more difficult to clean or swap parts, can't tank-externally set the heater & BB(etc) will die if it's turned-off. Best to plumb/deploy outside, or in a disused bathroom's shower, until you get comfortable with the theme

Note: making your own odd-size Orings takes some getting used to, but once you get the knack it's pretty straightforward.

I don't have enough room for one of these but I did think about it