New Built in Tank

[ReefStar]

I am building a new home and will be getting a 180 All Glass Tank. The tank is going to extend from a main wall, whereas 3 sides of the tank are going to be visible, one short side and the two long sides. I am thinking about getting the tank without overflows as the overflows will be visible on one side of the tank, unless I only display a smaller section of that side of the tank. So..are these tanks capable of being drilled on the side, or should I just hang a double overflow at the closed end of the tank? I will have the sump in the basement, so the double over flow would have two 1.5" PVC pipes going down the side end of the tank through the floor into the basement. Has anyone done this or have opinions?

Thanks!
Joe

 

[c_k_kuehne]

Even if the bottom is tempered the sides should not be. I would partition off the wall side of tank (making one large overflow) and then you could drill the sides for one or two 1 1/2" bulkheads.

Did this make any sense?

 

[M.E.Milz]

At my LFS, I have seen Oceanic 180 & 200 gallon tanks with single large overflows at one end of the tnak only. These tanks were special ordered and built by Oceanic.

 

[K77]

I am building a new home and will be getting a 180 closed end of the tank? I will have the sump in the basement, so the double over flow would have two 1.5" PVC pipes going down the side end of the tank through the floor into the basement. Has anyone done this or have opinions?

Thanks!
Joe

I have experience with a similar setup. Doing one large/or two overflows at the non-open end would allow you to keep the overflow at least half hidden. If you don't do overflows then you're stuck with a standpipe which looks worse, may suck down important things, etc, or a hang-on overflow which may loose suction and spill water everywhere. Hiding an overflow is definitely preferable. You probably need to get at least three returns build into the overflow though, and a couple of them need to be long, flexible piping (one ft. to 2 ft.). You're going to have problems hiding anything that you use for circulation on the open end.

HTH. :wink:

 

[ReefStar]

Ok. I was able to cancel the order for the 180 with the dual overflows. I am now for sure going to go with a 180 with no overflows builtin. Instead, I want to drill the side of the tank near the top and use two 1" or 1.5" bulkheads with screens as the overflow. Or buy a traditional dual overflow. Is it best just to drill the side and install the bulkheads with screens and be done with it? Or is there a problem I am not thinking about?

The intent btw is that three sides of the tank are now going to be visible. I will build the rock wall in the middle of the tank.

Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Joe

 

[Entacmaea]

SOunds like it will be a great tank! I would go for at least 2 1.5 inch overflows, as you said, or 3 would be better. I have a similar set-up on my 37gallon. In order to maximize space in the tank, and have it viewable from three sides, and built a acrylic overflow box the same dimensions as the tank, but only 7 inches wide, and using the bulheads and gaskets attached it to the short end of the tank. I also had two holes drilled at the same short end of the tank, at the bottom, and ran pvc under the sand to the other end of the tank (the other viewable short side). So I have circulation at the other end of the tank with only two littel loc-line nozzles visible at the bottom of the tank. This set-up has worked flawlessly, but requires secure plumbing. You could build a acrylic overflow box say 24x24x8, and attach it to the end of the tank, so all you would see from the display side would be the three bulkheads at the top...

HTH

 

[SPC]

Posted by Joe Stein:
Is it best just to drill the side and install the bulkheads with screens and be done with it? Or is there a problem I am not thinking about?

Joe, the problem with not using overflow boxes of some type is that you will not get good surface skimming.
Steve

 

[Entacmaea]

You can attach a pvc 90 degree elbow then a threaded screen to the bulkhead to skim from the surface. With two or three of these, it would allow pretty good surface skimming, approaching a "toothed" overflow...

 

[K77]

Posted by Joe Stein:
Is it best just to drill the side and install the bulkheads with screens and be done with it? Or is there a problem I am not thinking about?

Joe, the problem with not using overflow boxes of some type is that you will not get good surface skimming.
Steve

A benefit of an overflow is that it dampens the noise of the drain. I can't imagine what my 2" drains would be like if I didn't use overflows with the durso standpipes. If you go without the overflow, I would find a way to keep the pipe mostly closed, like a U-joint facing down or something.

Also, overflows give you a lot of flexibility. And they hide your returns also. I would think the exposed piping without the overflow would look worse anyway, but I guess that is a matter of opinion. Having overflows now, I would never decide *not* to use overflows again. But everybody feels differently about them. If I were doing an application like this I would use 2- 1.5" drains behind 1 overflow at one end, and 3 returns.

 

[SPC]

Posted by Entacmaea:
You can attach a pvc 90 degree elbow then a threaded screen to the bulkhead to skim from the surface.

-Makes a slurping sound.
Steve

 

[Gimpy]

I drilled my 75g near the top and did the PVC elbow thing but it didn't look "right". I ended up using silicone to build boxes on both sides of the glass. The inside box was the overflow and the outside box had a standpipe and drain to the sump. I could send you pics if you are interested. I think it looks much nicer this way.

Was it Sanjay's tank that had a slot sand blasted out with a mini tank siliconed on the back, with powerheads inside the mini tank, that sounds coool!

 

[ReefStar]

Gimpy

Can you send me pictures? Also, anyone else that has posted suggestions, if you have pictures, that would really be helpful.

Thanks!

 

[ReefStar]

The overflows that normally come with a reef ready 180gl tank also have the return lines in each corner. If I drill one end of the tank for the overflows, is it okay to have the return lines at the same end? In other words, the water drains from one side and returns to the tank from the same side, shooting accross the tank?

Joe