Tank drilling

[midmichman80]

I am considering purchasing a 700 gph overflow system and 1 1/8" holesaw from glass-holes and was thinking of drilling the one hole for the overflow and then drilling two smaller holes to act as the return.

Here is the deal, I found some good deals online, bought some maxijet powerheads, API test kits, mag-float, t5 bulb, and a bunch of stuff that I needed. The offer was free shipping on orders over $150 and I was just a lil short and new I planned on getting my tank drilled, so I bought a couple 1/2" bulkheads to get me over the $150 for free shipping. The smallest overflow that glass-holes offers is 1.5" so my bulkheads wouldn't work.

I thought I might buy the overflow system and use the 700 gph overlfow box as feed to sump and put a return pump of 700gph to the two 1/2" bulkheads. Is this possible, feasable, doable, or just plain stupid? I am thinking it will give a lil more flow, not as far as gph is concerned, but different direction. Would splitting the feed from one pump to two returns burn the pump up?

Thanks for the read and responses.

 

[Whiskers]

myself without the experence of trying would think you might be ok. but i would wonder the water comming out of the returns may have more pressure going into tank than a larger return. i would think you would have to keep both return lines identical or one will get more flow than the other. water will take the easiest route and create more pressure upon entering the tank through one line than the other. but i'm just a back woods fella and someone with more experience may have better answer. i guess just something to think about. good luck midmich.

 

[midmichman80]

Thanks Whiskers. I put the order in tonight for the 700 gph overflow, with holesaw, elbow plumbing and bulkhead, I also bought a 1 1/8" holesaw to fit my .5" bulkheads. I figure if the water pressure from one return is too great I can always buy a second pump and run one pump to each inlet, I would just have to use two smaller pumps instead of one large pump, but will still give me some extra flow. I will be putting two maxijet 1200's in the tank as well,not sure if I will mod both or if I will purchase mod or diy it. Any suggestions for position of return bulkheads on tank. Back wall, near top, water level, as a fail-safe, if pump stops working and water siphons back to sump. Sound about right? I have watched several videos on drilling and figure patience is the key to all of this and is no different when drilling the tank. Too much pressure and hurrying to get it done is what breaks tanks. I saw the job a Farmington Hills area store did on a member's tank and feel I can at least compete with that, and if I scratch it that much, I will just paint the back. My update, any input from someone who has done this before is appreciated. Not that I don't like hearing your thoughts Whiskers, and I hope you are learning from my threads. It has been almost a month since I really decided to get a SW tank and am probably only a couple weeks away from purchasing some liverock. More updates to come.

 

[Whiskers]

hey midmich i don't know everything like my family thinks hahahaha. its always good to have options/ideas and the more the better. i would say your right about the returns being above water level in the tank so if pumps quit water wont flow back to sump. i'm excited for you midmich and learning all i can.

 

[midmichman80]

Ha ha, yeah my gf thinks I know all too, HA and double HA HA. Noone has an opinion about this other than you Whiskers. Maybe I should post this in the SW forum to get more traffic, perhaps a mod may move it there for me.

The question is where to drill the return holes and whether I should have two 1/2" returns or what works best one or two pumps. I should have glass-holes shipment by Wed.

Thanks for the excitement Whiskers, have you started looking for a tank or any equipment yet? check this site if you haven't already. Michigan Reefers - Michigan Reefers "Lets Talk Reefs"
They have a selling forum that you can find some really good deals on stuff. I have bought most everything for this tank there and spent about $400 to date, but saved even more than that on what I've purchased.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; Just a thought on drilling a tank. If it is tempered glass it CANNOT be drilled or cut. Tempered glass will shatter into hundreds of small pieces.