More newb questions

[Thunderfan]

In the process of setting up my first tank. It is 75g that isn't drilled. I plan on drilling drain and returns. The plan is to do a bean style drain. My question is, if I do 1" holes and drain pipes will that allow enough flow?

 

[Teenreefer15]

yes but do 1 1/2 inch to be safe. I'd also recommend a herbie style overflow.

 

[mcgyvr]

assuming you mean 1" plumbing/bulkheads (not just drilling 1" holes) then yes thats the perfect size for a 75G..
and bean style is much better than a herbie setup so stick with that.

 

[Thunderfan]

assuming you mean 1" plumbing/bulkheads (not just drilling 1" holes) then yes thats the perfect size for a 75G..
and bean style is much better than a herbie setup so stick with that.

Yes, I was meaning 1" bulk heads and plumbing all the way to the sump. I have thought about doing 1" bulkheads and 1-1/2" plumbing to sump like in the bean animals description of what he did.

 

[JoelA7]

1" INSIDE diameter is fine. You can do a Herbie with 3 holes. Nice. Put a gate valve on the main drain to run a full siphon. Vewy qwiet.

 

[mcgyvr]

Yes, I was meaning 1" bulk heads and plumbing all the way to the sump. I have thought about doing 1" bulkheads and 1-1/2" plumbing to sump like in the bean animals description of what he did.

just stay 1" all the way.. 1 1/2 is way overkill

 

[phenom5]

Agree with mcgyvr. A 1" drain at full siphon will handle plenty of water for a 75g. There isn't a huge cost difference between the two, but for some of the expensive fittings (true union valves, bulkheads) there's a jump in price...and it's just not needed IMHO.

Both work well, if you have 3 drains, I would go with a bean animal.

 

[formsix]

In our custom 75g (first tank) we went with a herbie style with the main drain at 1", the emergency at 1.5", and the return at 1". The 1.5" emergency might have been overkill, but that is what was recommended to me at the time (including on these boards) and I don't regret it.

The one kinda strange thing is that we later realized that our return pump, and in fact most pumps sized for our tank, are 3/4" rather than 1". I'm not sure if I would have made the hole 3/4" had I known that, but I would have considered it. With our design -- which does work perfectly, BTW -- we ended up dealing with plumbing in 3 different sizes, which was a HUGE pain. Especially because 1.5" schedule 80 isn't sold in stores around here, and no matter how carefully you plan out the plumbing, you WILL need extra pieces

This is a mock-up that I sent to our tank manufacturer. The return is on the left.

 

[Wryknow]

Have you first verified that the 75g tank is NOT made of tempered glass? That seems to be pretty common on that specific size tank. A 1" drain and 3/4" return is plenty for a tank that size IMHO.

 

[Jeff210]

Especially because 1.5" schedule 80 isn't sold in stores around here, and no matter how carefully you plan out the plumbing, you WILL need extra pieces

Since you are drilling your tank, I would suggest drilling for Schedule 80 bulkheads as opposed to ABS. The rest of your plumbing can be schedule 40 as it is available at local retailers and, yes, you will more than likely need extra parts that you didn't think about...

In addition, Marine Depot sells 'Ultra Flex PVC pipe/tubing'. I used this and was very pleased with the product. You glue it up just like regular 'hard' PVC fittings but it flexes somewhat like vinyl tubing. I say somewhat because it is NOT as flexible as vinyl but it does flex (especially if you warm it up a bit with a hair dryer)...

 

[Thunderfan]

Thanks for the replies. I am definitely going with the bean design. How do you determine how far down you need your holes to be? What determines the displays water leve? From reading about this design the emergency drain is 1/2" above waterline. So if I find where the hole for the emergency needs to be and make all my holes at the same height wild that be the right way to do it? Unless somebody just happens to know where I need them. I am going to silicone an overflow box inside to cover plumbing and increase surface skimming.

 

[mcgyvr]

Use street elbows on the inside and put the top of the emergency elbow 1/2" below the "maximum" (like anymore and it will overflow the tank) line. The center of where it hits the back glass is where you center the drill. Just make sure thats sufficiently down for the OD of the bulkhead flange to not hit the trim (if you have a rimmed tank)
Always get the PVC parts and mock it up before you cut/drill anything.

and you only need 1 valve for the main siphon line.. you don't need one on the emerg or open channel (just a money saving tip)

use caution if you silicone in an acrylic overflow box.. silicone doesn't bond to acrylic well at all and it can fail. Glass is much better to use and can be purchased for fairly cheap from a local glass shop. 5mm (or 1/4") glass is sufficient.