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Bulk Head Size Advice

SoulFish

SoulFish

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Ok I've finally decided on a design I think. The tank will be a Peninsula design with 2 overflows & 2 returns. The inner tank dimensions will be
28T x 30W x 55L (there will be a false wall in one side thats 5"W. The top of that false side wall will be have the standard teeth on top and surface skim.) There will be no bulkheads drilled in the false wall. I'm thinking the two returns will come straight out of the top of the false wall area and run along the top and drop in on the opposite side of the tank. Directing flow towards the toothed false wall.

So then the tank will be 170 Gallons, not including the area behind the false wall, so what size should the overflow & returns bulkheads be?
 
OF should IMO be 1.5" or 2"... return depends on pump used, saying that, 3/4" most likely.
 
Right now I have a 1,200 GPH laguna pond pump. It's not the greatist, but it's what I got for the short term. But that being said I want the tank to be designed right and don't want to limit the tanks design around a $200 pump. So if thats the case should I go with a 2"OF & 3/4 Return?
 
I think 1.25" - 1.5" should be good for your the size pump your using. I was told a 1"- 1.25" drain can handle up to 1500 GPH? but in a full siphon as used in the bean method.

I'm still trying to figure out my plumbing scheme as well, just thought I'd pass along some info.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1541946&page=68

If posting links to other forums is not allowed mods please delete.
 
1" can't handle 1500g even doing a full siphon.

1.25" on siphon can't either IME. I much prefer 1.5" as 1.5" fittings are easier to find, as are the bulkheads, and is a much safer way of doing it. You can always step the bulkhead down if you don't want to use a full 1.5 or 2" but you can never step it up. If the 1-1.25 don't handle it, you'd have to re-drill the tank.

Bill's method (BEAN) needs to have a second (or third) bulkhead as a safety back-up as if the siphon gets over whelmed, your entire sump contents could be drained out via your overflow's back wall (to the floor).
 
Ok so looks like I should use a 2" hole on the OF. I would use one for the main OF, and the second would be backup (Bean Method)

And the returns would be dual 3/4's

Hows that sound to you guys. I would start off at 1,200 GPH, and one day maybe step it up to 1,500-1,700GPH.
 
If your going with the Bean method, step down the 2" with adapters to be a 1.5" as they work better for that method :). Then in the future if you don't like the Bean style you can pull out the adapter and have 2" plumbing :)
 
I have 2 return pumps on my tank Poseidon PS3 External Pump and a PS4.
I like having 2 in case one fails. Also, in the event of a power failure I run the PS3 with a battery back up and it will run for 8 hours.
They are rated at 800gph and 1200gph for a total of 2000 gph
I have 2 X 1" returns and they work fine without siphoning.
The head pressure from the sump to the tank (about 5')reduces the volume of the pumps.
My guess is they are actually only pumping around 1100gph together.
I get most of the flow in my tank with internal Vortec pumps.
If I were going to get a custom tank I would go with 2 X1.5" just for the flexibility.
2" is a big hole!
 
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