Overflow bulkhead size?

[marcrothschild]

I am getting ready to order a 240 (72x30x24)i will be relying on some 6100s and a waveboy for flow. I am going to have a center back overflow box. Because of the wavebox, I would like to keep the overflow box as narrow as possible. I will have one drain and 2x 1" returns comming up through the overflow. Should I do a 2" drain, or is 1.5" enough. The 1.5" bulkhead would save me some space.I wont be pushing more than 800gph through the sump anyway.... but The 2" seems like it would never be @ risk for clogs?
LMK your thoughts.

 

[Acrylics]

I'd agree that 2" would hardly be at risk of clogging given that flow rate but 1.5" is more than enough for 800gph (1.5" can handle an average of 1500gph IME.)
You might also try to imagine what you may be apt to do in the future as well. If adding a little to the overflow allows you to run the 2" and therefore up to 3000gph, you might want to do that.
Hmm, if you never plan on running more than 1200gph or so, stick with 1.5". If you might want to run more and/or would like the safety factor, run the 2" - you'll just have to make the overflow a little bigger.
FWIW, personally, I'd run the 2" just for safety and options down the road. I doubt the extra size will impact the wavebox performance that much.

Hope this makes sense,
James

 

[marcrothschild]

thanks, thats what I was thinking

 

[yaktop]

what does the size of the drains in the overflow box have to do with the "performance" of the wavebox? water bring pushed over the wall is water being pushed over the wall. The concern is if the drain can handle the sporadic increase in water every cycle. Or are you concerned you have to tune the flow down?

 

[marcrothschild]

The size of the bulkhead determines how wide the overflow box will be. The narrower I can make the overflow, the closer I can place the wavebox to the back wall while still keeping the direction of flow relatively free from obstructions. With a wide overflow box, I will need to place the wavebox around 10" off the back wall...I dont want the wavebox to be any more noticable than it has to be. With a 4" wide overflow box, I could tuck the wavebox in a corner without blocking the wave production. With the amount of flow I will be running through the sump a 1.5" BH will suffice...I just worry about a large turbo getting in there. It has never happened, but you know how Murphey workes. A 2" drain could handle a turbo and the flow.

 

[yaktop]

ahhh, I was thinking it was behind the tank and not in the tank , my bad. I'm doing a 270 with the box but I put the box in the back so I have a complete rectangle inside and no obstruction.

good luck, I think we both need it

 

[bryanth73]

consider the elbow you will need to put in there an 1 1/2 barely makes in in a 4" over flow box I had to wedge it in mine and there is no chance anything can get in to the pipe, the bottom of the elbow is just off the bottom of the overflow box making it snail proof