DBA 75RR Questions. Sorry for long post.

[strgazr27]

I just picked up a beautiful Deep Blue Aquatics 75 Reef Ready from a fellow MR member but have a few questions. The tank looks to be EXTREMELY well made with nicely polished edges and expertly applied black silicone. While going over the tank I noticed that not only does the bottom of the tank have a "Tempered Glass" sticker on it but it is also stamped on both side panels in very small lettering. A nice touch but I am now wondering if the back is also tempered. I plan on possibly adding a CLS at some point and worry if I cannot drill the back of the tank. I do not see any marking on the front or back.

The next question is in regards to plumbing the tank. The kit came with barbed fittings for both the drain and return. I was hoping to plumb this with rigid PVC as the sump will be located in a room directly behind the wall the tank is going on. The fittings look like these:

Can the bulkheads just be replaced? I'm assuming they can.

My next question is, the return nozzle seems like it has collapsed. Can I just heat this with hot water and open it up, holding it in position till it cools? Can I replace this with a dual, round nozzle style?

The overflow is pictured below. I am wondering if it would be a benefit to dremel a row of slots about 4-5" off the bottom in the face of the overflow wall to pull water from the lower levels of the water column?

Here is a shot of the complete overflow kit. Any thoughts on it?

I apologize for the long post and ton of questions but I want to do it once and do it right.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[noelskii]

The bulkheads can definitely be replaced. The nozzle is fine, I think some are made that way. I had a nozzle like that before and it basically just shoots in 2 directions. About the overflow drilling, hmm... not too sure about that.

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[Alex]

The nozzle is fine, but if it irks you then it also can be replaced. As for the overflow, with plenty of flow you shouldn't have need of the holes. Place a small powerhead towards the bottom to push flow upwards if this is a concern. BTW nice tank.

 

[Mattl22]

U should replace those bulkheads they suck I had the same ones and they where a nightmare ( leaked and hard to install the hose with hose clamp under the tank )


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[BobNY]

My Aqueon overflow kits came with barbed bulkheads. I was going to replace them, but in the end decided to use them. I figured not having my PVC glued into the bulkhead isn't such a bad thing should I ever want to make any changes to my plumbing. I used flex tubing for my return, so I needed the barb anyway.
Here is a pick of my overflow bulkhead.

 

[strgazr27]

That's no0t a bad Idea Bob. Never thought of that. So your Flex to Rigid PVC to the sump?

 

[JOHANNA]

Deep blue 75

I have the same tank. The bulkeads and the overflow kit that it came with are terrible. You are better off replacing both of them. Any good LFS will have the hardware you need.
Look very closely at the tank -- I think mine has that tempered glass stamp on all of the panes. Yours should too. I love the look of the tank but I have found that it scratches easy. Had a solana and it never scratched, even if a rock fell and hit the glass. If anything sharp touches this glass it scratches. Good Luck.

Matt

 

[JOHANNA]

Deep Blue 75

I dont know about drilling in the lower portion of the overflow. I believe there is glass behind that plastic and that will be a problem. BTW you want to be taking from the surface, not down low. In the last post I was talking about replacing the standard bulkheads and stand pipe. The flexible return and duckbill are not standard size. I replaced mine and make sure to drill an anti siphon hole so you dont drain your tank if the power goes out.

Good Luck

 

[JonnyJ]

I have the same tank. The bulkeads and the overflow kit that it came with are terrible. You are better off replacing both of them. Any good LFS will have the hardware you need.
Look very closely at the tank -- I think mine has that tempered glass stamp on all of the panes. Yours should too. I love the look of the tank but I have found that it scratches easy. Had a solana and it never scratched, even if a rock fell and hit the glass. If anything sharp touches this glass it scratches. Good Luck.

Matt

I could not agree more, we just set up a 75 at my friends house. those BULKHEADS ARE TERRIBLE and i would replace them. [the whole overflow kit is really poorly made]

it will run perfect without drilling additional slots in the overflow.

+1 be careful the front pain will scratch easy.