Your opinion-Few different things

[Reggae Fish]

#1 I thinking about doing a 120 from glass cages with a overflow the entire length. He said they would only do ONE drain since it would handle 1500 GPH. However, I'm a little worried because I have the "megaflow" kit and since I'm not a DIY person, how in the world would I make one of the standpipes? Or does stockman sell ones that would fit that large of a bulkhead. 1 1/2 drain and 1" supply. That way I just put them in like the MegaFlows and go...

#2 I was also thinking to save room in my sump going to an external pump and drilling the end of sump and putting the bulkhead and pump there. Question though. Any other pumps I should look at besides the Mag-drives? Do I also need a ball valve from the bulkhead to the pump and another on the return hose?

#3 What are the pros/cons of an external pump

 

[MperRluvR]

Re: Your opinion-Few different things

#2 I was also thinking to save room in my sump going to an external pump and drilling the end of sump and putting the bulkhead and pump there. Question though. Any other pumps I should look at besides the Mag-drives?

yes, iwakis, dolphis, etc are all good

Do I also need a ball valve from the bulkhead to the pump and another on the return hose?

absolutely, otherwise it'll be a PITA if the pump fails

What are the pros/cons of an external pump

pros:less heat transfered to water. usually more powerful. less chance of electricty running through water. save in-sump space.

cons:umm the opposite of the pros. plus is a in-sump pump leaks, it leaks into the sump...

 

[Letmegrow]

#1. Get two drains drilled. You will be SOL if one ever clogs.
#2. Go Iwaki, GenX, Reeflo
#3. For your type of set up it is essential so the question is moot.

 

[latazyo]

biggest cons are leaking and/or vibrations cracking the glass

you will want a union ball valve between the sump and the pump, that way you can close the valve, then remove the pump for maintenance

just a union or just a ball valve wont really help you much

 

[Im Lon 2]

Yes get more than one hole like Steve said. I would do at least 2 - 1.5" in case you ever want to upgrade to a bigger pump.

Cons on an External pump. Not much room for a sump/refuge on a 4' tank with an external pump. So go with a 6' tank and your all good.

 

[Reggae Fish]

First of all. Thanks everyone. As always, super helpful!

So, everyone would agree to go to a 2 drain system. Does anyone know the size of the ones on the all-glass megaflows. I know they had a 3/4 bulkhead for the return and a 1" for the drain on my 72 Bow. Do they make larger kits? It would be great if they had larger kits. Can I just do 2 of the 1" ones so I can buy those kits and make it easier on myself. Should the holes be next to each other or at opposite ends?

How many GPH should I look to do on the pump? I was going to do a Mag-12 Could I go with the Gen-X (mak4 1190 GPH) Couldn't I manuver it so I could screw the pump to the back of the stand or to where it would rest on the SIDE of the sump and not at the end where the bulkhead is since I have more room in width than I do in length?

I'm thinking I'm going with a glass 120 standard with a overflow the length of the tank. I don't know if I should do black acrylic with teeth for that or glass with a cover because I want a black background. Any thoughts? Does anyone know how wide I should make the overflow since it will be the length of the tank?

The sump I'm having made is only going to be
36 Long x16 Wide x 18 Tall. Then I'm going to have basically a cubed acrylic box for my top off and the stand I THINK I'm going to have made is going to have a trap door on one of the ends under the top off resivior (so should there be a leak, I can remove the top off water container and open that trap door and run a fan underneath so it's not just sitting there ruining my floor.) I'm also plan on putting doors put on the sides for easy access


Any input would be great!

 

[Reggae Fish]

Also, should I have a 1" bulkhead for the return? Is this enough? If so, do I just buy a peice of PVC for that and stick it in the bulkhead or is there more to it?

 

[capncapo]

The bulkheads that come with the MegaFlow are 1" for the drains and 3/4" for the returns.

The 1" drains are good for 600gph each so, provided that you use two of them, you could use any pump that does 1200gpd without having to throttle it back.

Your overflow should be wide enough for you to be able to install your bulkheads. Glass cages tanks are Eurobraced and have about a 3" brace or so. Lonnie can fill you in better on that but you'll still need to get your hands in your overflows to secure your bulkheads.

What are you planning to do with your returns if the overflow will span the back of your tank? If you make the overflow out of glass you won't be able to do much except make your returns go over the top of your overflow. If you make it out of something else you can place your returns wherever you like..

 

[Reggae Fish]

If I did it the length of the tank I was going to have a half-circle cut in the glass and have the lockline rest on that similar to the megaflows peice in which you break off.

I'm thinking about going ahead with the AGA since it will have 2 overflows and I can get the kits, etc...

If I did it through glasscages, I'd have to learn how to do standpipes. I couldn't do notched acrylic because they won't do that. I just spoke with him and he feels strongly about not gluing acrylic to glass, so I'm thinking I might just end up with dual overflows. Even if I did a 48" piece of glass going the length of the tank, how would I get the teeth. Or would I use the black covers for that? Do they come shaped? Or could I have one of those run the length of the tank as well. Although, I really hate coraline and it is so hard to get it off those covers so I don't think I'd want that. I'm just confused on what to do. I've even though about maybe doing a single center overflow but going longer. Any suggestions?

Hey roy. Your center overflow on your old acrylic was blue. How did they get that to do that? Wouldn't the the backing be just sitting in water?

 

[Reggae Fish]

Also, a lot of the pumps have a 1" fitting. So, if I did the AGA, it is only 3/4" return. What would I do in this situation?

 

[capncapo]

There are 2 - 3/4" returns so you should be good. At least my 180 has two.

 

[Im Lon 2]

4 foot tanks only have one overflow.

Are you doing a 120 + the overflow on the back? or will the over flow be inside the 120 cutting your depth back. (the overflow needs to be 6" out from the back wall)

If it were me I would do a normal single corner overflow on a 120 or have them make the 120 6" deeper so you don't take up that room out of the tank. If you have them make a 120 then put the over flow in there it will be like having a 90 gallon tank. (I'm not saying anything is wrong with a 90 gal because I have on here right now that looks awesome!!) Just wanted to give you and idea of what you are looking at if you do it that way.

What makes you want to go with a full back over flow?

 

[Reggae Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8506449#post8506449 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Im Lon 2
4 foot tanks only have one overflow.

Are you doing a 120 + the overflow on the back? or will the over flow be inside the 120 cutting your depth back. (the overflow needs to be 6" out from the back wall)

If it were me I would do a normal single corner overflow on a 120 or have them make the 120 6" deeper so you don't take up that room out of the tank. If you have them make a 120 then put the over flow in there it will be like having a 90 gallon tank. (I'm not saying anything is wrong with a 90 gal because I have on here right now that looks awesome!!) Just wanted to give you and idea of what you are looking at if you do it that way.

What makes you want to go with a full back over flow?

I'd just like to have a smooth back but there is no way I'd do an external overflow...Through AGA or Oceanic, all tanks 110 or larger have 2 overflows.

I'm thinking about doing this instead of messing with glasscages because of the size and what I'm looking for and the extras I'd have to get, they start running pretty close to each other in price.

Trust me, I'd love to do a 6' tank but #1 I don't have the room, #2 I don't want to have to buy new lights, etc...

 

[Im Lon 2]

The one thing I never could understand is why AGA and Oceanic switch from corner overflows to this new overflow.

You are right the 120 has two overflows.

Do you know how much a 120 Reef ready cost by AGA or Oceanic? I have never priced them.

 

[Reggae Fish]

The 120's from them run ALOT IMO
I could probably get one for about $600 but that IMO is still high. Glasscages start at $275 plus $60 to pick it up when they are here and then $75 per hole plus overflow covers, etc... It is just adding up about the same with the glasscages requiring me more work to do in the end.

 

[kpc01]

standpipes are extremely easy to make. I found a webpage that runs you through it and had mine done in ~10 minutes. If you are really needing something you can't find in megaflow, I wouldn't mind putting whatever diameter and heigth you need and getting it to you some time. Or I can find that website again for you. Mine are still working great!

 

[Im Lon 2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8507979#post8507979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reggae Fish
The 120's from them run ALOT IMO
I could probably get one for about $600 but that IMO is still high. Glasscages start at $275 plus $60 to pick it up when they are here and then $75 per hole plus overflow covers, etc... It is just adding up about the same with the glasscages requiring me more work to do in the end.

$20 per hole. and I would only have them drill the drains for you.. Take the return up and over the tank. That way you can put the return any where you want. IMO that is much better. Lot a people are even doing that with the AGA using both holes as drains and bring the return up the back on the other side.

I would not say more work the only extra thing you will have to do is build a stockman pipe. Which is probably better than the stander overflow by AGA. But that I'm not sure of because I have never had a stander one.