Help with plumbing for new set up ....

[McLaughlin4]

Well I finally got my glass hole drill bits , so now I need help deciding how many holes to drill. The tank is a 60 gallon cube 24x24x24. It is going to be plumbed into the basement into a rubbermaid tubs one is 100 gallon the other 60 gallon. The tubs are set-up with a smaller one raised above the 100 gallon. I was planning to make the top one a fuge and frag holding tank. The bottom will have the skimmer and return pump plumbed into them. Here is my question should I drill one or two holes for the overflow ? I am planning to use 1.5 " pvc for the over flow and 3/4" pvc for the return. Should I do one return and two overflows? Should I run both overflows into the 100 gallon tub and pump water for that tub into the fuge , frag tub then let it trickle back into the big tub? I hope you can understand what I am trying to ask ? Thanks Jim

 

[sjames]

one 1.5" drain should be plenty. I would run a 1" return just to keep your head loss down.

 

[McLaughlin4]

It's weird to think the bigger the return the less head loss? You would think the narrower the tube the more preasure the farther and harder the pump would push .

 

[sjames]

here is the head loss calculator

http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php

its a pretty significant difference.

 

[McLaughlin4]

yea it is thanks for the help