Overflow drain/return size?

[billyocean]

Just finished sanding/polishing the inside of the tank (looks great)! My current Drain line is 1" and I believe the return line is 1/2" (tank is 60x18x21 w/one corner overflow). Just curious if I should go with at least 3/4" on the return or if 1/2" would be fine. Planning on doing fuge skimmer/fuge/return..uv ster. added at some point, also perhaps a reactor down the road. It would be much easier to make any plumbing size changes now if I need to obviously. Any advice on preparing for future endeavors would be much appreciated. TY

 

[hnguyen]

You can run whatever reasonable size return line you want and just reduce it once you get to the return pipe at your tank. My return bulkhead for my tank is 3/4" but I'm running 1" flex PVC from my return pump until I get to the bulkhead. From there I reduced it to 3/4" and glued it to the bulkhead.

 

[morganatlanta]

I would bump it up to 3/4" and add another drain hole so you can do a Herbie drain.

 

[jdw]

morganatlanta;944701 wrote: i would bump it up to 3/4" and add another drain hole so you can do a herbie drain.

+1

 

[billyocean]

I dont believe I room in the overflow for it...unless I utilize the return line hole for the extra drain pipe..and devise another way to return the water elsewhere.

 

[billyocean]

problem is they have both lines already centered in the overflow and with another 1" bulk I am out of space.

 

[jdw]

I have a 90 w/corner overflow. It had 1 x 1" and 1 x3/4" I believe. I ended up drilling 2 holes. I now have 2 x 1" holes and 1 x 1.5" hole. It was a tight fit but I got
Them in there

 

[jdw]

You could do a return over the back if you wanted
That option

 

[jdw]

I drilled the extra 1" on the edge of the 3/4"

 

[billyocean]

my guess would be a u-shaped return line over the back of the aquarium for return..just dont like the three 90 degree elbows associated with the flow.

 

[billyocean]

drilling on the edge could be an option...

 

[jdw]

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All in a corner overflow on a 90

 

[morganatlanta]

The full siphon could be 3/4". It doesn't need to be 1", and probably shouldn't be since you want the 1" overflow drain to be able to handle all the flow if the siphon drain stops up.

You could drill the back for the return if you just can't fit a third hole in the overflow. My Herbie set up is silent and very stable.

 

[billyocean]

ha...just removed the bulkheads (which apparently were installed upside down i.e. nut on the inside) and revealed the holes which are approx. 1 1/4" and 1 3/4". I dont know if these bulks are just old timey or they really require a hole that big..

 

[billyocean]

JDW;944753 wrote:

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class="gc-images" title="ImageUploadedByTapatalk1395782220.503101.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:400px" /></a>
All in a corner overflow on a 90

Im pretty sure fitment is ok with the help of this pic. TY

 

[jdw]

Could be schedule 80... Those are bigger and heavier duty

 

[jdw]

No problem

 

[billyocean]

Just read the specs on schedule 80 B.H. JDW appears to have nailed it. Should I go back with 80 instead of 40? I believe I can stagger the predrilled 1 1/4" to 1 3/4" a tad to be off center with the origional hole and would leave room to accommodate the 1.16" hole to upgrade to a 3/4" return line. I suppose the true test would be to order the bulks and see what it leaves me...

 

[billyocean]

btw JDW what size are your pipes? I see a 1" line for your return...but different sizes on the herbie

 

[jdw]

I have 2 x 1" and 1x 1.5". 1.5" is my main drain. One i the 1" is my emergency, the other 1" is my return