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Planned Return / Overflow / Pump Placement for my 270g Display Tank...

Crosis

Crosis

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So here is a basic paint drawing of what I planned for my display tank...

PlannedPiping.jpg



It's not to exact scale or anything, but the basic idea is gotten across...

The Overflow is a glassholes 1500 gph, the return pump is a Mag24 (about 5' head + the 5 openings puts it around a 1100 gph return... It might be a little more, either way I can dial either side back with ball valves)

Let me know what you guys think...
 
I like to have all my returns high. The way you have it drawn, when the power goes out the tank will drain down to the lowest return. You would have lots of water on your floor.
 
I agree with Ian, also the Mag 24 is going to be very loud, not to mention it is going to act as a heater that is on constantly, you may want to think about two smaller Eheims, or a single large one.
 
Also kind of a small overflow considering the size of the tank.

Even if you're content with the size of it, just be very careful about how you plumb it, it looks like you're planning on coming out of the back of the tank with an overflow. Note that a side draining pipe has MUCH slower flow rate than a vertical pipe (through the bottom), now you can often get away with just having a really fat pipe but often that is something that is overlooked, and going by the pump you mentioned you would be pushing quite a bit of water
 
Ok...

I've been away from my computer most of the day, and I had typed a response on my phone, but I got a call and when I came back to the page the response was gone... Yay Me!!

So here comes the responses...

iani - I planned on having a Check Valve right below the lowest return... As long as it doesn't fail, I shouldn't have any issues with water hitting the floor in that scenario...

tuberider - Thats actually a very good point about it being a heater, which I had anticipated... I already have the Mag 24 lying around, hence why I had decided to use it... I will look into another pump(s), but that's more money to spend...

sfsphysics - The overflow is a 1500 GPH from glass holes, it is a small box with 2x 1.5" pipes headed into the sump, I was going to split one of the pipes and have it dump part of its load into the fuge... The bottom is tempered, I will not be drilling it... I already drilled the corner for the overflow...

The mag 24 with a 5' head, the check valve, the T fittings, the 2x 45 degree angles, they 5 openings, and anything else I throw onto it... Will end up only being around 1100 - 1500 gph for the return, if it is more than that I can easily dial it back...
 
A check valve will eventually fail. I would not build a system with a check valve, you are just asking for trouble.
 
+1 on check valve failing. Really not something you want to have to hope it'll only fail when you're near by watching it. Murphy will make sure that the check valve will fail, and you'll have a power outage, and he'll make sure you're not home when it happens.
 
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