Everyone has one....opinion on overflow placement (1 Viewer)

[Xavier]

My Mr Aqua 17.1g arrived this week. I need to decide on drain and return placement, and would like opinions. I've added a picture of the stand I will be making next weekend to the end of the thread.

Would prefer a plumbing to be in the back wall to preserve the look.

I'm set on using one 1/2" return, there will be a mp10w in the tank to provide the majority of random flow

I'm also set on not using an overflow box, but rather bulk heads with strainers on them positioned at the waterline

Options:

1) a single 1 1/2" drain (makes me nervous for obvious reasons)
2) two 1" drains, side by side in the middle back wall
3) two 1" drains - one on either side of back wall with return on the left side
4) open for suggestions


Goal is to obtain best drainage and surface skimming as can be had w/out overflow boxes

Xavier

 

[northern_reefs]

No suggestions, as I don't have any of that on mine, but I'm excited that you got it! It's going to be beautiful!


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[Bschowa]

Id go coast to coast and then bean animal overflow through the wall. I take it your sump is behind the wall?


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[Xavier]

Id go coast to coast and then bean animal overflow through the wall. I take it your sump is behind the wall?


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Trying to avoid an overflow box at all cost. Tank is only 12" wide, and don't want an overflow box taking up real estate

Sump will be below the tank.


Xavier

 

[Xavier]

... but I'm excited that you got it! It's going to be beautiful

My Fingers are crossed!!


Xavier

 

[reeffamily]

paint the back black. do an external black overflow box. drill your two drains. will be barely noticeable. or google tank pics and see what your eyes like the best to keep looks the best

 

[eschulist]

If you are set on putting it on the back I would paint the back black. Otherwise it will look like this.

On a side note. Did you order the stand or building it yourself following this tutorial?

[YOUTUBE]7xjZXQa-krY[/YOUTUBE]

Because I've been hoping to redo my stand like this one, but with black laminate, maybe you can make me one while your at it

 

[Xavier]

If you are set on putting it on the back I would paint the back black.
Did you order the stand or building it yourself following this tutorial?

I'm going to follow that tutorial, but use pocket holes instead of biscuits
Pic I posted isn't my tank, just an example...next weekend I'll be building it.

I'm torn on the placement of these drains....but have to figure it out before Friday when the stand building starts


Xavier

 

[yell0w]

I use to have 2 33L tanks setup. One had two 1" bulkhead drain in the corner and the other had an overflow box with a herbie drain setup. The one without the overflow box was very loud when I used a return pump bigger than a maxijet 1200. Both the drain were at the same level and they would only be partially submerged so when the water went down the drain they would pull air with it and cause a gurgling noise in my sump. The one with the overflow box and herbie was super silent and so I kept that setup and shut the other tank down. If you are still set on not using an overflow box, make sure that the two drains are not on the same level(1 has the be higher than the other.) This would be almost a herbie drain setup where the lower drain is always fully submerged and the higher one is for emergency. The only downside to having one low and the other high would be that you are losing the surface skimming benefit and not to mention that your water level would be as low as the lowest drain when the return pump is shut off. The best would be an overflow box with a herbie drain. The overflow box benefit would be the surface skimming and the herbie drain benefit would be a silent drain.

 

[Xavier]

Did you have the pipe in the sump submerged in water, or was it above the water level?

I use to have 2 33L tanks setup. One had two 1" bulkhead drain in the corner and the other had an overflow box with a herbie drain setup. The one without the overflow box was very loud when I used a return pump bigger than a maxijet 1200. Both the drain were at the same level and they would only be partially submerged so when the water went down the drain they would pull air with it and cause a gurgling noise in my sump. The one with the overflow box and herbie was super silent and so I kept that setup and shut the other tank down. If you are still set on not using an overflow box, make sure that the two drains are not on the same level(1 has the be higher than the other.) This would be almost a herbie drain setup where the lower drain is always fully submerged and the higher one is for emergency. The only downside to having one low and the other high would be that you are losing the surface skimming benefit and not to mention that your water level would be as low as the lowest drain when the return pump is shut off. The best would be an overflow box with a herbie drain. The overflow box benefit would be the surface skimming and the herbie drain benefit would be a silent drain.

Xavier

 

[yell0w]

Both the drains were submerged. If they r above the sump water level the noise would b even louder.

 

[eschulist]

I have the 2 bulkhead setup and it is silent. It's been running in my office at work for 2 year, if it made any noise my boss would make me get rid of it. By using a 1200 gph pump you are getting a lot of turnover and forcing the waterlevel in the display to fluctuate. When the drains can't keep up the water level rises causing them to be fully submerged. They turn into siphons and then quickly drain until an air hole is created. This cycle then repeats every few seconds causing a lot of noise. If the pipes are submerged in the sump it would create even more noise as the only place for air to escape is at the top of the tank.

By using a slightly less powerful pump or Teeing off the return the water in the display is allowed to equalize. Now there is a full channel of air in the pipe and it doesn't gurgle. The downside to the design is that the amount of water that you can drain is greatly diminished. Full siphon systems move huge amounts of water, but if its a nano tank I don't see the need for it.

In the end its really up to you how you want it to look. You'll be the one looking at it every day and people will judge it I'm sure based on whatever direction you take. If you are the one thats happy with its aesthetics and its purpose then it doesn't matter what they think.

On my TCMAS build thread I asked a similar "Where should I put my bulkheads?" question. It was almost 100% unanimous for on the back and I still went with how I envisioned the tank. Im sure if you flipped a coin you would be hoping for one of the outcomes more than the other - that is the one you should go with.

 

[Xavier]

eschulist,

I agree the best placement on your tank was the sides, as the sides really aren't the main viewing point due to the size of them.

This 17.1 is a bit different, with a 12X14 paine of glass....I may pull a move that I found today, where a guy made it into a peninsula tank, plumbing everything into one side of his wall.

Being that I rent, what I'd do is build my stand 1 1/2" wider than the tank and create a half wall that was the height of the tank, and half the width of the tank.
That way I could run all my plumbing, as well as my Lighting Holder/Pole to hang lights in the false wall thing... Going home to mess with it Now...

 

[RSnodgrass]

I like Xavier's idea. Unique, still out of the way and gives you maximum viewing. The challenge will be how creative you can be with the rock. Either simplistic or use lots of very small pieces glued together to make a miniature version of what can be done in large tanks.

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[Xavier]

I know this is crazy, but I've starting mocking up rough digital renders of the tank...

Here is Version One I like to Call the "Fail Safe Setup" (Return Drilled in bottom, 1 Drain on right side)

 

[David Grigor]

I've never known laminate to hold up to saltwater seepage long term. Usually ends up buckled or swell over time.

 

[Xavier]

Interesting.

Is this something you've seen on factory made stands (i.e. ones that use MDF board)?

Or if you have any other details or know of any thread links to help avoid?

After looking at laminate sheeting, there is a huge difference between brands I think, some being much more sealed/higher quality than others.

My big problem right now is actually getting laminate that doesn't look like it belongs on my grandmother's bathroom cabinets..although pink marbled look was tempting...:- )

Custom ordering can take up to 2-3 weeks, I'm want to finish the stand this weekend...just doesn't work out the greatest. I may be going to putting a mirror finish on it with paint.