No overflow box, just a strainer screwed into the bulkhead?

[KafudaFish]

I have seen all plastic drain covers in the plumbing section and have wondered if that could be used as a strainer.

Seems like Sanjay has flat strainers on his closed loop intakes that could work.

 

[fishhawk123]

Remember, as far as my setup that I was planning to have a main sump under the display tank and a display fuge above the display tank. Lots of live rock and rubble in the display fuge and maybe some algae, mainly as a pod farm ( 60 gal. ) this is the tank I am considering the 3 bulkhead drain with elbows and strainers approx. 1 to 3" from top of tank. The 110gallon Display tank will have a bean animal ghost overflow leading to a 55 gallon sump.As the display fuge will have 3x gravity drains into the main tank, and the bulkheads will b close to the top of the fuge, I am having a hard time seeing any problems. It s possible , I am not understanding the "One failed bulkhead and the entire tank will drain" situation u mentioned. Did I miss something?

 

[fishhawk123]

My thoughts were 1. U don't need to skim the above tank refugium as the display tank has an overflow skimmer, and then hits the sump with a large protein skimmer, then baffles, then a smaller refugium area, then returned to display refugium. So if the return died, 1to 4" of water drains to display where the ghost overflow drains that to sump 2. Why pay another $200 for an overflow box for a refugium ?

 

[heathlindner25]

The only thing I can think of happening is if your tank crashes and you lose a few fish... those fish can get sucked into the drain and plug it. I've seen it happen but only once in 10 years or so, 2 drains and 2 dead fish plugged both.

 

[fishhawk123]

But the drains will have low profile strainers. Don't think they could get 100% clogged.

 

[ca1ore]

I ran a tank this way, with three bulkhead/strainers across the back of the tank, and didn't find it materially inferior to a more traditional overflow box in terms of surface skimming. Bigger disadvantage was the much greater volume of water that ends up in the sump when the return pump was off. You just have to account for it when choosing the sump.

 

[fishhawk123]

Oh and probably no fish, in refugium above display tank unless small ones.