Overflow plumbing questions

[Ramesh]

I am setting up the pumbing on my 500g tank and currently have the tank drilled with two bottom drains fitted with 40mm(1.5") bulk heads.
One will be for a sump and the second for a canister.
The canister will have no issues being a closed sysytem if the power goes out but the sump drain will, so I have chosen the overflow setup in the first sketch.
This will be fitted with a ball valve to turn off flow to the sump and a 30% water change ball valve.
To get addition flow to the sump I am getting an additional set of holes drilled this week and want to know if the overflow in the second sketch will work.
It is a much more simple system and should make it easier to set the water levels and therefore the amount of water both overflows are draining.
My question is will my second overflow work.
They will both use 40mm pipe.

 

[nguyenz]

The second one looks cleaner. But why use a canister. Why not use the second hole for the sump also.

 

[zennzzo]

#2 will NOT work as an overflow that stop during power outtages...

 

[Ramesh]

Yes your right , Zennzzo I don't know why I couldn't see that myself it would drain the tank to the level of the bottom drain.

 

[invisyblegypsey]

#1 to the sump #2 to the closed system

 

[zennzzo]

Yes your right , Zennzzo I don't know why I couldn't see that myself it would drain the tank to the level of the bottom drain.

sometimes it just takes stepping back and looking/thinking about something else, then go back to it, and it will be revealed differently to you...I seem to always think, plan, design things that I go back to and tweek it to serve the purpose better...

Right now, I'm in a jam with bulkhead fittings, on my 90 gallon sump...The way I built my stand, one of them it is in direct line with a rear frame member...I been thinking what kind of fitting will work and I been racking my brain for days...

DUUUUUH!!
any kind of fitting there will be useless because....(drumroll please!!) beCAusE...the frame member??!

So after 2 days of this mental tug0war I finaly figured it out and the fix will be even easier...Plastic weld a patch over the hole!...

#1 to the sump #2 to the closed system

I agree, that WILL work!

 

[invisyblegypsey]

i think you'll find out that the canester is going to be a maintance problem.i tryed this once on my first reef ready tank and soon found that the filter loaded up fast with large debris. so i run my overflows to the sump and used the canister in the sump. i now have 4 tanks in one community 300g sump with 4 ocean clear filters running after the main sump filtration.2 with UV and 2 that i can add what ever bio media i want . it works great for takeing the small particals out and polishes the water.what your trying will work but i think you'll find maintance a pain.

 

[The Rat]

That’s not that much water flow with just one 40mm bulkhead to the sump on a 500G tank. I am not sure on the size of your pump but for a 500g tank it would more then likely turn over more water than a 40mm can safely handle. Always better to have extra drainage then not enough so if you ever want a bigger turn over (bigger pump) you can. I just add taps so if I want to slow the drainage down I can.
As you know I am setting up a 600g tank very soon myself. Here is the way I will be setting up my tank .It’s just to give you an example as what works for me it may not work for you.
I will have 4x50mm (2&#8221 bulkheads along the back at water level going to the sump with two 32mm (1-1/4&#8221 returns. The reason’s I prefer to have the sump intakes at water level are they remove any surface dirt like the oily cover you get from some food (Hikari SCP & white bait).
Also my sumps are mainly for bio filtration so the real dirty stuff is taken care of by the mechanical filtration in this case two low fitted closed system mechanical filters.
There will be 2x32mm (1-1/4&#8221 bulkheads fitted down low near the bottom with two 25mm (1&#8221 returns for the two mechanical filters both are cleaned by back flushing..
I do think you will need more drainage as to future proof your system it cost so much to set up a 500G tank it’s better to go slightly over board then under.

 

[zennzzo]

I'm running 2 x 2" overflows and 2 x 1.5" returns on my 72 x 30 x 24 225g

the overflow box in centered at the top and the returns are 6" below the surface, just to the outside of the overflow drains with 45's directing the flow toward the front corners...

You NEVER want to restrict the overflows...they should be able to handle ALL the flow your pump can produce.

I am a believer in large filtration and major turnover rate...
If you do not need alot of current, then you need to install multiple returns to distribute the flow over a larger area ...

of course IMHO

 

[Ramesh]

I agree with you all on having more drainage and will have another set of holes drilled this week. I am aiming for 6-8 times an hour turn over rate for the filtration.
I am using bottom drains to pick up the debris that collects on the floor of the tank but may look at a surface drain for my next set of holes.
The sump pump I am using is a Rio 20HF which is good for 4900L and canisters pump is rated at 3600L and hour.