Drill bottom tank or side tank ? ( need some Help)

[TorontoBoy]

Hey guy I start my new upgrade soon I Need some help on tank design . tank be 3 side view . Also Plan to keep most SPS.
Will used Drat pump return and 2 dart pump for 2 Oceanmotion
for those 3 pumps . Is it good enough for water moving ?

Should I make it drill bottom tank ? see Drawn

 

[flasher1]

for closed loop, I would definately drill the bottom if you have that option. I bought a 125 and have to drill the side and run a pipe for 4 feet in order to have an effective closed loop

 

[mortonl]

I have same Q. I am designing a 168g (72x18x30) 3 side view right now and was recommended to plumb the CL from the bottom. Many folks I have spoken with do not like the risks associated with the bottom drill. Guy from LFS says he has seen a couple failures when something falls on the CL return and the force provides enough leverage to crack the bottom of the tank. I just got a quote from Lemar and they suggested tempered 1/2 for the bottom to help strengthen, but I have now als been advised to use acrylic or ?? for bottome. A.G.E apparently does this as shown in the "my new AGE build"

I really like the idea of the plumbing from the bottom, but it looks like it really changes the tank build? I also had question as to where to take the inflow from for the CL. I was going to do a 2" from the bottom but was told too much suction could endanger fish, so I like your side plumbing that you can do with the external overflow. I had not thought about that. what are the dimensions of your overflow? I think I have seen that they may be more noisy, but with only one side we are limited. Look forward to more replies.

 

[TorontoBoy]

hi Mortpnl ,IfI drill Bottom . I will do Pump like this. add an other 6x6 1/2" glass drill with same side bottom glass then cilicon together ,use Schedule 80 Bulkhead 3/4" S/T (1 5/8" hole)

also think used Pump Penductor / Eductor 3/4" Female for main pump return

 

[TorontoBoy]

I thinking overflow ( 24 long x 8 wide x 12 deep) 2 x 1.5" (1 fpr spare) 1" direct feed skimmer

 

[RBU1]

I had my 300 drilled in the bottom.....Here are some pics....

 

[mortonl]

RBU1 - I assume your bottom glass? How thick? What size returns & drain? Who made your tank? Beautiful, BTW.

Toronto - glue extra glass from bottom or inside tank? Why the extra drains in overflow? How would you use, considering you have intake for CL and Skimmer?

Sorry Toronto, hope U don't mind my questions to RBU1?

 

[RBU1]

My tank is acrylic....PM for info on who made the tank if you want it.

 

[mortonl]

Toronto - is your Glass tempered? When I asked for holes in the bottom, LeMar quoted tempered. However I understand holes need to be drilled before tempering??

 

[bag151]

Bottom drill the tank, You will have to offset the bulkheads a bit of the bottom so you will have to direct your pipes down to the bottom of the tank and if you ever want to go Bare Bottom you will have to do a much better job of hiding the pipes.

My tank is a AGE tank which makes the best of both worlds, PVC bottom so you can drill a million holes in it at any point of time and not crack out the bottom and the sides are glass so I don't have to worry about scratches.

Large tanks always have a bottom tempered pain, float glass doesn't have the sheer strength to support large weight. They drill the holes and then heat treat the glass or "Temper" the bottom pain.

 

[TorontoBoy]

HI Mortonl closeloop intake are on side glass see Drawn .extra glass inside help for strength bottom glass. Not temper 3/4" bottom glass. But may think about it?
Dart pump be intake 2" return 1.5"
I buy Glass My friend come build it for me

 

[mortonl]

I have a client that sells glass as well and was also thinking of assembling tank myself. Would be interested in your friends opinion on how hard for DIY to assemble tank right 1st time, since I do not want to waste $1,000 in glass, or have tank failure!

So you would keep your drains on the side even if you drilled the bottom? Have you heard noise level with external overflow? R U Concerned?

 

[mortonl]

So what did you decide?

I have decided to have my bottom drilled and then tempered. I am still deciding where to put my CL drains. Because I will be using an overflow box, I cannot use your idea from the side, which I like. I would like the drain holes at that end outside my overflow box, but I need to ask about having that many holes in the one end (Overflow drain, return line, closed loop drain and a hole for lighting wires) and whould it might do to the integrity of the glass.