bulkhead questions

[tgriffin]

So my last tank was an all in one and was pretty simple to set up obviously! Now I am lost as can be on setting my new tank up. I am trying to figure out what size bulkhead I need for my sump. I will be using a Blueline 40HD for my return. tank is a little over 100 gallons and the sump is a sealife system berlin 125 (28"x12"x16") which I believe is acrylic and says it has a 9 gal capacity. I need suggestions on what size bulkhead to go with and also am curious if I can drill my sump myself with a normal hole saw?

Thanks in advance

 

[lilrobb]

A 40HD on a 9gal sump?
Can you say Vortex?

 

[cr500_af]

tgriffin;591993 wrote: curious if I can drill my sump myself with a normal hole saw?

Thanks in advance

If you are correct that it is acrylic (and I think they all were), then yes.

 

[cr500_af]

LilRobb;592004 wrote: A 40HD on a 9gal sump?
Can you say Vortex?

Mental note: no using the sump as "time out" for badly behaved fish in this system...

 

[tgriffin]

LilRobb;592004 wrote: A 40HD on a 9gal sump?
Can you say Vortex?

Is this too much for this sump? It was suggested by one of the more experienced reefers on here. If it is too much can I throttle it back with a valve?

 

[acroholic]

This sump actually has a 23 gallon capacity, per the measurements. Not sure where the 9 gallon figure comes in. Yes, you can drill this with a hole saw. I did with my Sealife sump. The trick is to start on one side and drill, then go to the other side and use the hole in the middle as a guide and drill From that side. then you get nice clean edges on both sides when you break thru the arcylic.

You are going to run several accessories, like reactors, chiller and possibly a refugium thru a manifold system on this tank as well, I believe, so a 40 HD is appropriate.

 

[tgriffin]

I wanted to have a return pump that would allow me to feed a chiller one day if I decided to add one.

If this won't work I'll be trading to something smaller as I definitely don't want a vortex going on

 

[tgriffin]

I just checked sea life's website and it said the sump capacity was 9.2 gals. I'm assuming that is the amount of water that it holds while running? I honestly don't know where they are getting that number

 

[acroholic]

The 9.2 is probably the actual water amount in the sump at the return section water level, which makes sense because in normal operation the sump is about 2/5 full, or 9 gallons. The sump has a flow rate capacity of 600 GPH. The 40 HD has a flow rate of 790 GPH at 0' head, and 720 GPH at the 4' head you will be operating it at. And you are running peripherals off of it was well, which will add more head and pull away from the flow back to the tank...shouldn't be an issue. The 40 should be appropriate.

 

[tgriffin]

Acroholic;592010 wrote: This sump actually has a 23 gallon capacity, per the measurements. Not sure where the 9 gallon figure comes in. Yes, you can drill this with a hole saw. I did with my Sealife sump. The trick is to start on one side and drill, then go to the other side and use the hole in the middle as a guide and drill From that side. then you get nice clean edges on both sides when you break thru the arcylic.

You are going to run several accessories, like reactors, chiller and possibly a refugium thru a manifold system on this tank as well, I believe, so a 40 HD is appropriate.

Thanks for the info Dave! You are correct. I plan on running for now a calcium reactor (Korallin 3002) and a refugium as well as having a manifold that I can expand from.

Any suggestions on what size bulkhead?

 

[acroholic]

tgriffin;592014 wrote: Thanks for the info Dave! You are correct. I plan on running for now a calcium reactor (Korallin 3002) and a refugium as well as having a manifold that I can expand from.

Any suggestions on what size bulkhead?

For your tank size I would install a 1" return bulkhead.