OK...Heres the plan for the new 420

[badbones]

I have been planning on doing an in wall large tank for some time. I have had a custom room built for this project so I hope I covered most, if not all, my bases. I have just had a hard time deciding how I want the tank. After reading post, asking questions, getting suggestions, I think I have come up with my ideal tank with the option of expansion or change.

What it will be is 96" x 24 - 28"H (this is variable depending on how much of a cost difference) x 36w. It will have an external overflow (60" x 6" x 20" h) with 4 drains to handle schedule 80 2" bulkheads. 2 will be for the over flow and two others capped off for future expansion if more drainage is needed or a closed loop since the water volume can be up 30 gallons by the size of it.

The tank will be eurobraced glass with a 5" perimeter and 9 2 1/4" holes drilled around. The plan is to use the front three for 1" seaswirl returns and just close off the ones not used with acrylic. I want the front panel starfire and maybe the sides, again based on cost. The one thing I want is to have additional bracing on the inside around the entire perimeter and sides. I was thinking just a 1" piece of glass to give more bonding area for the silicon. Yes I am paranoid since I had a 180 split a seam and flood my house!!!!

I really want this to be a clean system with no power heads inside. For circulation I plan on using 2 waveboxes, one on each end and just the sump return. I do plan on using a high turnover pump from my sump/ The sump will be pretty large with a built in refuge. The plan here is to have slower water pass in the refuge and a bypass for the other water to allow for the larger return pump. In theory sounds good to me.

The stand will be be a steel stank just like Sanjay Joshi which will be treated and powder coated.

I do have a wavebox question. Do these things have to be exposed in the tank or can they be concealed in the corners by the rockwork? I just want a natural as possible looking tank.

Please make any suggestions or advise of any potential problems seen

Thanks for looking
Tony

 

[Sanjay]

I am not sure, if any builder will be willing to put so many large holes in a 5" Eurobracing. You may want to check on that.

sanjay.

 

[thor32766]

love the external flows!

 

[Fiziksgeek]

You should have the back pane drilled to feed the closed loop. You will not be able to run a closed loop through your overflow. Even being 60" long, the overflow can only handle about 4000gph. The bulk heads will handle more, but the actual overflow length will limit you. Keep the closed loop and overflow plumbing seperate.

The biggest issue you will come upon with a high flow sump is microbubbles. If the water is moving too fast, the bubble don't have time to rise out, even through a bubble trap. Do not plan on getting all of your flow from the sump return.

I would put a couple of large holes (1.5-2" bulk heads) in the back pannel to feed a CL, as well as a few smaller returns (1-1.5"). This will help limit the number of holes drilled in the eurobracing too.

Also, IMO schedule 80 is overkill, but thats a personal decision.

 

[badbones]

Fiziksgeek

The plan with the overflow is to put in duroso standpipes to maybe a 1/2" -1" below the overflow teeth. This will keep the overflow box full of water and have the CL take from the bottom of the overflow. Again I am trying to keep away from the CL if possible.

For the flow in the tank, I was hoping the wavebox would give side to side flow and then the sump return would be from 3 1" seaswirls mounted in the front aiming towards the rockwork. I am also thinking of using 2 return pumps. One large for 2 seaswirls and a smaller for the last. This is just for the possibility of a pump failure and to hook the smaller to a UPS maybe for power failures.

Sch 80 bulkheads are just nice, expensive, but have more meat on them. I have had the regulars work fine, but not really that much more for the 4 when compared to the whole system.

Also where/how did you get the calc of 4000gph? I assume its from using the 2 holes for the sump. Is there a calc for how much the teeth will allow and how long I should have them made??

Thanks for the advice
Tony

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Hey Tony,

RC has a bunch of calculators available on the home page. Here is a link to the dran/overflow calculator.

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

You put in how much flow you want, and it spits out the required bulkhead size, and linear length of the overflow.

What are you planning to keep in the tank?? If its fish only, or just softies and shrooms, you will be fine with whatever you can push through that sump. I worry that you may have some issues, but there are others out there who run high flow sumps, so I know it possible.

If this is going to be mixed, or heavy with sps, I would bet that you will need a closed loop (or power heads) to get the necessary flow. If you look around here on RC, I doubt you will find a tank anwhere near the size of what you want that doesnt use either a CL or a set of tunze streams.

-Ken

 

[Chihuahua6]

I am just curious why you want the overflow to be 20" deep. I was planning an external overflow to run the length of the tank but I was thinking of making it 5" wide X 8" high max. I'm not saying that is the right way. In fact I don't know what the best way would be. I'm still very much in the learning phase when it comes to the building of the tank and equipment used.

 

[8mycash]

watch for dead spots. I know it seems like you have handled it but they will show up in the center or corners.

 

[badbones]

Chihuahua6

The reason I want the deep overflow was for first to have a duroso standpipe to keep the water fall sound down and second it will have a large water volume so that I can (the plan) to use one of the holes for a CL if needed.

 

[badbones]

Sanjay

I spoke with a builder and that many holes are not a problem, they just temper the glass after being drilled. The problem that I came with is the overflow is to big. They suggested I make two overflow boxes. The reason is for the euro bracing on the back, they need an 8" gluing surface in the middle of the tank. The overflow would not allow for this. Just some minor changes.

I really don't want a closed loop, but If I go duel overflows, I may put a 2" hole in the center between them and use that for a closed loop if I decide to do it. Just plumb it and put a ball valve with a plug for no leaks.

Anyone have other suggestions??

LMK
Tony