Return over the top or drill
- Thread starter JTL
- Start date
jimmyj7090
aka John K
Bulkheads don't leak if installed properly, but every additional hole drilled is an additional chance of banging into the bulkhead and cracking the tank.
At least that's my take on it
At least that's my take on it
james3370
Premium Member
* as mentioned above...less holes in tank & less chance of leakage
* additionally....less need for unions & ballvalves, easier to take off for maintence, or to re-plumb a change in flow pattern, & you can do anti-siphon holes right at waterline, so less drainage to account for in the sump in power outage/pump failure
* lastly, you can come over the top & to the front so you can have flow back towards the rock structure..be it your "pile of rocks" or foam rock wall...that should force flow thru the back & help keep detrius from building up at the back
as shiveley mentioned....i don't think i'd EVER consider going over the top on the overflow
JTL
New member
Shiv, you lost me on that. The overflow/weir is the Bean machine. The return would be independent of that unless I missed something. My problem is that if I try to consolidate all of the stuff on the non
visible side of the tank and drill, the return will be 6"+ below the water line (under the OF box). If I put it anywhere else it obstructs a view. No easy solution I guess.
visible side of the tank and drill, the return will be 6"+ below the water line (under the OF box). If I put it anywhere else it obstructs a view. No easy solution I guess.
JTL
New member
Thanks for all information. I think if I could figure out how to safely create an anti-siphon I would put the return under the weir. Probably a 3/4" bulkhead a Y and some loc line. The opposing side (44" away) could have an MP40 pushing back to the weir. That combo should create some good flow. What do you think?
Last edited:
james3370
Premium Member
have you considered making the overflow box big enough for your returns to be bulkheaded into it & then doing loc-line out of there over the top & into the tank?? might take more loc-line, but the reason i'd think to do it that way is for anti-siphon holes.....
you could do them in the loc-line inside the overflow box but above it's water-level. they will leak some there out the anti-sipon hole, but it'd just drain back to the sump, but you would have almost ZERO siphon drain out of them that way. then you just have to account for the weir level drainage in power outage/pump failure
you could do them in the loc-line inside the overflow box but above it's water-level. they will leak some there out the anti-sipon hole, but it'd just drain back to the sump, but you would have almost ZERO siphon drain out of them that way. then you just have to account for the weir level drainage in power outage/pump failure
addicted2reefin
New member
install a check valve in ur return line....
JTL
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15512601#post15512601 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by james3370
have you considered making the overflow box big enough for your returns to be bulkheaded into it & then doing loc-line out of there over the top & into the tank?? might take more loc-line, but the reason i'd think to do it that way is for anti-siphon holes.....
you could do them in the loc-line inside the overflow box but above it's water-level. they will leak some there out the anti-sipon hole, but it'd just drain back to the sump, but you would have almost ZERO siphon drain out of them that way. then you just have to account for the weir level drainage in power outage/pump failure
I could do that. Need to think about that in the AM.
uncleof6
Active member
Ok, maybe there needs to be a refresher course here. Number one, if the system is designed right, there is no need to use check valves. It is not a question of if a check valve will fail, it is a matter of when it will fail. The issue at this time, is not power out drain down-- that will be the next issue....
This is the issue: Limited space:
This may or may not be the exact design that JTL uses, but this is generally what he is trying to do: External coast to coast overflow, with the bean machine overflow (F&FOS), and so far 1 vortech propeller pump:
Since this is a rimless tank, the aesthetics of it are a mjor concern, due to the position of the tank, and the viewable sides. Now if I was out there, this would already be done, but I doubt that is in the budget.
OK, you may continue now.
Regards,
Jim
This is the issue: Limited space:
This may or may not be the exact design that JTL uses, but this is generally what he is trying to do: External coast to coast overflow, with the bean machine overflow (F&FOS), and so far 1 vortech propeller pump:
Since this is a rimless tank, the aesthetics of it are a mjor concern, due to the position of the tank, and the viewable sides. Now if I was out there, this would already be done, but I doubt that is in the budget.
OK, you may continue now.
Regards,
Jim
JTL
New member
Jim, things have changed in the past couple of weeks. The posts are no longer an issue. I cut them off high enough to clear the tank, plus a few inches.
The overflow box will be exterior as you suggested it should be and I am cutting the glass 1 1/2" shorter on that side for the weir. It would be nice to keep the return on the same side as the weir, perhaps a 3/4" bulkhead that I could split with a Y. I am thinking I only need a 3/4" because that is the largest loc line. If I consolidate the plumbing on one end I can hide it and the box with a black acrylic cover. The opposite side would only have the MP40. I think the water will move around pretty good with that configuration.
I need to work on how to safely do the return and move forward.
John
The overflow box will be exterior as you suggested it should be and I am cutting the glass 1 1/2" shorter on that side for the weir. It would be nice to keep the return on the same side as the weir, perhaps a 3/4" bulkhead that I could split with a Y. I am thinking I only need a 3/4" because that is the largest loc line. If I consolidate the plumbing on one end I can hide it and the box with a black acrylic cover. The opposite side would only have the MP40. I think the water will move around pretty good with that configuration.
I need to work on how to safely do the return and move forward.
John
james3370
Premium Member
i would think you would have enough room on the back wall of the overflow box to do a 3/4" bulkhead centered between the overflow coming up thru the bottom of the box & the edge of the box....1 one on each end & like i described above for the anti-siphon
**edit** above description would be where the red circles are. other option would be to move the 2 outside overflow pipes exiting the bottom of the box towards the edges a bit more & put the above return bulkheads where the blue circles are. either way i think would work
**edit** above description would be where the red circles are. other option would be to move the 2 outside overflow pipes exiting the bottom of the box towards the edges a bit more & put the above return bulkheads where the blue circles are. either way i think would work
Last edited:
james3370
Premium Member
yeah, that's why i'd probably do the blue circles one....& maybe make the box taller?
i think w/ proper advance planning & tweaking it could be made to all fit pretty easily
could also come over the top of the overflow box. have a threaded t-fitting for the loc-line nipple at the edge of the box & run the loc-line across the top of the overflow box. just drill an anti-siphon hole in the loc-line there & let it squirt a little into the overflow box to drain bak in the sump....that would be the easiest thing since you wouldn't need a bulkhead at all that way & could place it whereever it would fit
