Planning a 40 breeder

[Fanof49ASU]

As some of you know, my 75g went away with the wife, so now I'm looking to start again at a different size.

To start, I'll have just fish with a large leather coral. Later, I'd like to add more softies to it as I upgrade my lighting.....mainly zoas.

I have a 40 breeder, and need suggestions 'specifically' on the plumbing. (I have several small tanks, but they are the all-in-one types). I have read countless threads on 40br's, but it's starting to blur...so many different opinions on what is 'best'.

For the overflow, I've read that a 1.25" drain is good.....or should I go with (2) 1"?
I'd like to have a horizontal overflow to keep as much of the bottom floor as possible. Good idea? Bad?
Here's an idea that I'm looking at.
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/5906/40breeder009aw8.jpg

For the return, would (2) 3/4" returns be plenty? I'd like to use a SCWD.

Also, need advise on getting this tank drilled. Where? How much? How long does it take?

Geez....I feel like a newbie all over again.

 

[CKreef]

I plan on drilling to tonight or tomorrow give me a shout.

 

[Fanof49ASU]

I will. I'd like to see it.

 

[crumbletop]

It's awesome you are planning an upgrade

The drains will depend on how much flow you want to push through the return pump. The overflow you link to looks like it could only handle maybe 400 gph or so. A single 1.25" drain would work fine for that. My 90 has a single 1" drain.

What do you plan to do for flow? Do you plan to use powerheads or a closed loop in addition to the return from the sump? If so, I'd recommend going easy on the return pump (maybe around 350 - 400 gph at the display -- or even less).

 

[NeveSSL]

Hey Mark!

Personally, I used two drains and would recommend it. I also connected them with a cross-pipe, so to speak, so that if one gets clogged (below the cross-pipe, anyway) my overflow will be minimally effected. I think two just makes much more sense than one.

As far as overflows, I'm biased. Personally, I did my own horizontal overflow out of glass. I just siliconed it to the back of my tank using the bottom of my tank trim as a guide. That works out perfectly because the water line stays above my trim.

Here's where my bias comes in. If I was doing it all over again (and one day I will be... hopefully ), I would go with a Glass-Holes.com overflow. They actually look a whole lot like the one you referenced in your picture, but you just drill the holes and the overflow is held in place with the bulkheads. Very effective and pretty darn simple.

Here's possibly a good option for your tank. And here is their installation video that may be able to better show you how they're installed.

I'm not sure how many GPHs you're going to be running, but I run a SCWD with 3/4" returns on my tank. However, I think there's also a new 1" SCWD that just came out recently. I think the 3/4" version is probably fine for a 40 breeder, but if you want a 1" its available.

Hope this helps!

Brandon

 

[NeveSSL]

Here's the one inch SCWD.

Brandon

 

[Fanof49ASU]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12765949#post12765949 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
Hey Mark!

Personally, I used two drains and would recommend it. I also connected them with a cross-pipe, so to speak, so that if one gets clogged (below the cross-pipe, anyway) my overflow will be minimally effected. I think two just makes much more sense than one.

As far as overflows, I'm biased. Personally, I did my own horizontal overflow out of glass. I just siliconed it to the back of my tank using the bottom of my tank trim as a guide. That works out perfectly because the water line stays above my trim.

Here's where my bias comes in. If I was doing it all over again (and one day I will be... hopefully ), I would go with a Glass-Holes.com overflow. They actually look a whole lot like the one you referenced in your picture, but you just drill the holes and the overflow is held in place with the bulkheads. Very effective and pretty darn simple.

Here's possibly a good option for your tank. And here is their installation video that may be able to better show you how they're installed.

I'm not sure how many GPHs you're going to be running, but I run a SCWD with 3/4" returns on my tank. However, I think there's also a new 1" SCWD that just came out recently. I think the 3/4" version is probably fine for a 40 breeder, but if you want a 1" its available.

Hope this helps!

Brandon

Thanks guys.

Jack
I'm still figuring out the flow. I will have powerheads that will provide additional flow during the daylight hours only and turn off at night.

Brandon
Thanks for the tips. I have read about those overflows a while back, and forgot about it. That may be a very good option.

Also, I saw a pic of the 1" SCWD......IT'S FREAKING HUGE. I guess I need to keep it at 3/4".

 

[CKreef]

Im useing the glassholes kit

 

[Fanof49ASU]

The glassholes kit will only give me one drain. I would like the idea of having two, in case one gets clogged.
Hmmm.

 

[NeveSSL]

Just give Mike a call. He can and will make you one for two drains.

They do "custom orders" a lot. Mine was considered such when I did my order.

Just give them a call!



Brandon

 

[Fanof49ASU]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12772828#post12772828 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
Just give Mike a call. He can and will make you one for two drains.

They do "custom orders" a lot. Mine was considered such when I did my order.

Just give them a call!



Brandon

You were saying that having two drains would decrease the likelyhood of getting a clog....at least before the point they connect together.
Why did you connect them together before they reached the sump? Why not have both dumping individually into the sump?

 

[NeveSSL]

I may not have been very clear.

It doesn't decrease the likelyhood of a clog, but it does decrease the likely hood of a clog making the overflow irregular.

I put the crosspipe as high as possible because if there's a clog above the crosspipe, the crosspipe won't do a bit of good. The idea is that if one side clogs up, the water can travel to the other side of the drain.

The other reason I did it is so I can turn down or off the flow to either my skimmer or my refugium, which is where the two drain into, and the water would just go to the other side. To be honest, I think this was my main reason for doing it... its been a while... :lol: In fact, it was a year yesterday! heh How time flies...

Anyway, I hope this helps explain it a bit better.

Brandon