[Samper]

I am supposed to pick up my 75 this weekend but had a set back. It is a 75 AGA and I am having dual corner overflows installed. I had the intention of having the 1" bulkheads in the bottom of the tank and not out the back. The problem is a 75 AGA has tempered glass on the bottom so now I have to go a different route. Where on the back glass would be my best bet for the bulkheads to be placed? I'm thinking as close to the bottom as I can get them with the pvc's running down to the sump through the back of the stand is my best bet. Any thoughts?

[Samper]

Anyone, the store is calling me with more options.....they can install two mega overflows for me but they won't be in the corner. It will be two boxes in the middle of the tank. I'm not big on the idea of having two bulky boxes showing in the display. The corners seem a little more clean looking and easy to hide with rock scape. I still am looking for suggestions on the bulkhead placement please.

[Reefland]

Only the bottom of the tank is tempered? If that's the case, I would think a corner overflow with the bulkhead drilled as close to the bottom as possible would be fine. The standpipe should work the same, just with an elbow going into the bulkhead instead of straight down.

[Samper]

Alright........would I be better off with dual max flows or just the regular corners?

[Reefland]

I find that with the standard AGA sigle corner overflow, we can move a maximum of ~900gph through it. Personally, I see no need to move more water than that through your sump so, considering the size of the tank, I would go with just 1 with a 1-1.5" bulkhead. Ours in a 1" drain but the drain isn't the bottleneck, the overflow itself it.

[Samper]

It'll be about $50 bucks cheaper for me to just go with one.......

[Reefland]

Despite the dollars, I don't think you'll want or need to flow more water through your sump. You'll need to look at additional means of getting flow in the display.

[Samper]

While they are at it....I'd like to keep the display as free and clear from mechanical clutter as possible. What sort of circulation systems should I look at that can be plumbed through the back glass?

[Poseidon]

A closed loop comes to mind... Should be pretty easy to do if you have enough room behind the tank. Also you could look at Surge tanks.. They sit above your main display and water is pumped up to them, when the water reaches a certain point it all comes flowing down... Kinda like a toilet flush! Draw back is they are LOUD and make lots and lots of BUBBLES!

[Samper]

I definately don't want a surge tank......but I would be willing to look into a closed loop. Any makers come to your mind?

[Reefland]

The only thing a closed loop requires is a pump and the plumbing. Basically you have a bulkhead placed into the back of the aquarium at a mid-lower height, with plumbing connected to the inflow for the pump. The pump's outflow is then connected to other bulkheads drilled at various levels in the back of the tank, or simply plumbed over the top of the tank. Since your going with a 75 gallon, and already having 1 hole drilled for the overflow, I would suggest plumbing the outflow from the closed loop over the top of the tank. I would be very weary of anything more than 1 holes drilled in the back.

For pumps, you just need a good external pump to accomplish this. Iwaki, Dolphinm both come to mind.

[Poseidon]

Most closed loops are DIY... A good Mag 7 and some PVC with a couple holes in the back of your tank and WHALLA!!! All done!

[Samper]

hmmm I'll look into it but I don't like the idea of having pvc hanging all down the inside of the back glass.

[Reefland]

The concern there is drilling all the holes and weakening the tank. I would rather have a couple of extra small pieces of PVC elbows in the tank than a bunch of pwerheads or pumps.

[Samper]

If the returns were placed low in the tank there would be quite a bit of pvc depending on how many I decided to go with right?

[Reefland]

Well sure, if you placed the returns low in the tank. You would probably get away from using Locline and getting all the directional flow you need with them being near the surface though.

[Samper]

The back glass will be painted black anyway I can just paint the pvc to match and it won't be as noticable. I figure I'll put 5 returns and have them at different depths and angles.

[Poseidon]

Ya and in a few months your back glass and PVC will all be PINK anyway, covered in Coralline algae!