Please see if my tank design will work. Thanks

[PotysGSXR]

Hi.

I currently have a 35g acrylic hex thats way too scratched up. So, I've decided to replace it with a glass tank thats very slightly larger. I've come up with a design for it and was hoping the good people of RC could give me some feedback. I like my tanks to have the very minimum amount of plumbing, heaters, etc. visible as possible so I've decided to get an overflow box to cover all that up. I've also decided to add a closed loop system so I dont have to worry about having a sump. Here's the design. This will be a FOWLR and mushroom/softies/low light LPS tank.

I had a few questions. The more detailed your feedback the better.

1. My overflow box will be 3.5 inches from the back to front. Will that be large enough to put my hand in and take the strainer out if needed? I'm not a very big guy so I'm hoping so.

2. The closed loop returs will come over from the back of the tank, into the overflow box, and out the black holes you see above. I want to make sure again, that I have enough room in the overflow box to install or uninstall plumbing as necessary. Does anyone forsee any problems that may occur?

3. As long as there is enough water in the tank, strainer should stay submerged completely right? I dont want any air going through the strainer and therefor creating air bubbles when it comes back through the CL system.


I think that should be it. Thanks everyone.

 

[turtlespd]

you can have the cloose loop intakes on the overflow box also but low in the box and the returns near the top, that way all your in sump design will have good flow. It would be nice to have a tray of some sort to place carbon and some heater holders or some sort. Other than that i think it should work. I would make the overflow a little larger but you should be fine.

forgot to mention, you should use two close loop intakes so that you wont have to worry about suction.

 

[laverda]

I think yourt set up should work nicely. My only sugestion is to but the returns on a scwd on one of the new wavy seas. The nice think about a hex tank is you can get a nice circuler flow with on pump. If you want to get rid of your old acrylic tank I might be interested.

 

[Konadog]

I would make your overflow a min of 4", 5 would be better as 3 1/2 is going to be hard to do any plumbing in at all. Think about making that last connection and how much room you will have to work in.

 

[818]

I would definatley do what ken said.

Or you might want to put a durso stand pipe in there, that straight pipe will cause alot of gurgling.

Sam

 

[laverda]

Sam: His set up should not cause any gurgling, if there is enough flow over the overflow to keep it under water at all times.

 

[PotysGSXR]

I was thinking about making it 4" at first but since it's such a small tank already, I wanted as much real estate as possible. But you're probably right. I will want room in there for any type of plumbing that may occur. Thanks.