Let the fun begin

[~RuSh~]

You don't need to put ball valves on the drain pipes. The overflow is rated for 1500gph but it will only drain as fast as the pump pushes water into the tank, in other words the overflow can handle up to 1500gph but it's not set to that. If your pump only pushes 100gph into the tank, then that's what the overflow will drain.

I would go with the mag drive 18. The 24 just seems over the top to me. 10x turn over is a popular rate for sumps so even if you have 500 gph headloss you will still be able to achieve 10x turn over with the mag drive 18. If you went with the 24, you would definitely need a ball valve on the return plumbing - you don't want to go over 1500gph into the tank because the overflow will not be able to keep up and you will flood the tank.

You can split the returns if you want but that is going to get complicated with plumbing and it will significantly increase headloss. I would personally go with one return probably somewhere in the middle of the tank.

The return pipe diameter will probably be determined by the pump size. You could probably use an adapter to change the pipe diameter if you want, but again this will also affect headloss.

[~RuSh~]

Here's a nice little link that allows you to calculate head loss.

http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.ph ... ntrances=1

[Jon M]

I've only used mag drives for past tanks and would recommend them to anyone. Quiet, solid, never had any problems.

I am curious about your drill holes though. Did the overflow come with some sort of instructions on where to drill the holes or did you just pick a decent height yourself? The reason I ask is because they seem sort of low in the overflow which won't allow water to build up and seems like you'll get a splash effect. Specially with 1,500gph. I've done 1,450 and if you don't have a pipe stand in there it SPLASHES at the bottom of the overflow. (of course you can't do a pipe stand with your drain holes being horizontal [well it's possible but not enough room in this scenario])

Though your overflow is MUCH shorter of a drop than my 2' tall one was, and your drains are horizontal to my vertical. Still with the drains that low it still seems like the water is going to have a bit of a drop when entering the overflow and even a little drop with that high of a GPH can cause a splash effect. Please update us on these areas of the overflow when you do run it. I'm quite curious about the drop/noise effect it's going to have with the holes positioned where they are.

[sarge5121976]

You don't need to put ball valves on the drain pipes. The overflow is rated for 1500gph but it will only drain as fast as the pump pushes water into the tank, in other words the overflow can handle up to 1500gph but it's not set to that. If your pump only pushes 100gph into the tank, then that's what the overflow will drain.

Lol, now that im thinking about it, your right, im not sure what i was thinking there.
if i had a pump larger than the overflow could handle i would actually t off of a return with pipe and a ball valve, that would go back into my sump. Just so i could run the pump with no restriction.

I still think im gonna go with the mag 18 and use 1" diameter flexible hose.

thanks for the info Rush.


Sarge

[sarge5121976]

I've only used mag drives for past tanks and would recommend them to anyone. Quiet, solid, never had any problems.

I am curious about your drill holes though. Did the overflow come with some sort of instructions on where to drill the holes or did you just pick a decent height yourself? The reason I ask is because they seem sort of low in the overflow which won't allow water to build up and seems like you'll get a splash effect. Specially with 1,500gph. I've done 1,450 and if you don't have a pipe stand in there it SPLASHES at the bottom of the overflow. (of course you can't do a pipe stand with your drain holes being horizontal [well it's possible but not enough room in this scenario])

Though your overflow is MUCH shorter of a drop than my 2' tall one was, and your drains are horizontal to my vertical. Still with the drains that low it still seems like the water is going to have a bit of a drop when entering the overflow and even a little drop with that high of a GPH can cause a splash effect. Please update us on these areas of the overflow when you do run it. I'm quite curious about the drop/noise effect it's going to have with the holes positioned where they are.

Heres a link to where i got it - http://glass-holes.com/product.sc?categoryId=3&productId=7

The overflow came with a wooden template as a guide(see the pics). The over flow kind of works similar to a sump, it has two walls outside of the holes and gapped from the bottom and top. you than put a cover on the walls, the water hits the cover and runs down the sides and under the walls until the water level rises to the holes and drops into the sump. I tried to take some pics to show you.

Heres the template








heres the cover

[~RuSh~]

Looks like a sounds design and a good plan. Keep us updated Sarge.

[sarge5121976]

Will do, I just ordered the Danner supreme mag drive 1800 and a u tube return nozzle. Hopefully within the next week or so im gonna attempt to build a stand, widh me luck....lol

[~RuSh~]

Good luck man. Start something in the DIY forum and I'll definitely follow along.

[sarge5121976]

Just finished building my stand, very pleased with the way it turned out. Heres some pics.









I might still add a vertical brace in the middle.

[Buehler]

I would do a vertical brace on the front so you can do some cabinet doors.

[Herefishyfishyfishy]

Looking good! What are your plans for finishing (trim, doors)?

[sarge5121976]

Looking good! What are your plans for finishing (trim, doors)?

I stained it, i think i will put plywood on the bottom and leave it open all around. I will put a trim around the top to hold the aquarium on.

[Buehler]

Where is it going to sit?

[Jon M]

The overflow came with a wooden template as a guide(see the pics). The over flow kind of works similar to a sump, it has two walls outside of the holes and gapped from the bottom and top. you than put a cover on the walls, the water hits the cover and runs down the sides and under the walls until the water level rises to the holes and drops into the sump. I tried to take some pics to show you.

Ah. So there is a piece that sits at the top right below the overflow to catch water and let it flow around it? Interesting. Sounds like a sound design, but I've never seen one like that. If there was nothing to break the water coming in threw the overflow you can guarantee with 1,500 gph you'd have one heck of a splash effect.

[sarge5121976]

Where is it going to sit?

Not sure yet, probably next to, or behind the light brown recliner. Thats my basement in the pictures.

[Jon M]

Thats my basement in the pictures.

Can I have your basement? One of the reasons I wanted to move up here was because there are no basements in Florida!

[sarge5121976]

Thats my basement in the pictures.

Can I have your basement? One of the reasons I wanted to move up here was because there are no basements in Florida!

My last house was on a crawl space, this house has a basement, i will never have it any other way. I hated the crawl space.

[Buehler]

I live in Kansas where basements are a must have. Those tornadoes will get ya

[Jon M]

@ Sarge - Well I just moved up here to MI in November so soon as I get my at home business really rolling (working right now actually) and get settled in I want to find a house with a few bedrooms and a basement. I found some cheap ones for sale that looked super nice around Pellston area. I mean CHEAP. 40k and in NICE shape. So this apartment is just for me to get settled. Sucks though that I'm going to have to move my 40g sw since I'll probably finally have it going decent by November.

@ B - Gotta have the basement. It's the best man. You can make the house area look all clean and normal, and then the basement can have big tanks and comfy couches for big TV and video games. Man... Can't wait for a basement, lol.

[sarge5121976]

@ Sarge - Well I just moved up here to MI in November so soon as I get my at home business really rolling (working right now actually) and get settled in I want to find a house with a few bedrooms and a basement. I found some cheap ones for sale that looked super nice around Pellston area. I mean CHEAP. 40k and in NICE shape. So this apartment is just for me to get settled. Sucks though that I'm going to have to move my 40g sw since I'll probably finally have it going decent by November.

@ B - Gotta have the basement. It's the best man. You can make the house area look all clean and normal, and then the basement can have big tanks and comfy couches for big TV and video games. Man... Can't wait for a basement, lol.

Way up there in Mackinac....nice, I hear you, the Michigan housing market is crazy right now, ive only been in this house for a year, and some people pay more for a car than i paid for my house....lol

Im gonna post some updated pictures of the finished stand soon. Than its time to put the tank on it and start plumbing.
Im getting pumped up.

[Buehler]

Make sure you document the plumbing aspect really well, cause I will probably be doing something similar.

[sarge5121976]

heres some more pics, getting closer.

stand done with tank on it



overflow plumbed to bashsea sump




will plump return sometime this week

[Buehler]

That is just a downright good looking sump.

[~RuSh~]

Tank and stand are looking great Sarge! What's the next step?

[sarge5121976]

Thanks guys, i recently put the sand and dry rock in. Than started filling with rodi water, put some salt in and just trying to finalize the salt parameters. Oh yeah im gonna do some plumbing changes also. Pictures soon to follow.


Sarge