Non reef ready tank, what are my options?

[heuerfan]

Hey guys, i have a 72 bowfront that is non reef ready. Besides using an overflow box, what other way is there. I know i can drill the tank, but then what? Was toying with the idea of getting my tank drilled but don't know how to proceed from there.

thanks for your advice,
Steven

 

[dreko]

Funny! I'm asking the same sort of questions on my 30G cube.
If you drill holes, you'll want a good healthy sized sump. I'd then put all my tank junk hidden away inside.
I'm not sure what your 'options' are... what kind of tank? mixed reef?
how automated/simple do you want things?
Form follows function???
Dre

 

[inkblue]

caLLing dean... :help:

 

[House of Laughter]

Dre,

Nice Wright - eous reference -

Steve, I say drill it on each side close to the top for returns and one dead center for the drain and use a modified Durso (smaller one) with an eggcrate cover to save your fish etc.

JMHO

House

 

[heuerfan]

Sorry, what i meant is after you drill the hole how do you hook it up so the water goes down to the sump. Is there a way to add an external durso pipe?

 

[heuerfan]

Jim, any pics of what you are talking about? Is this easy to do?

 

[SlamaJama]

r we talking bulkhead?
http://savko.com/portal/bulkhead.asp

 

[joseney21]

steve you can always make a box for your overflow out of two (if you drill on the corners) or three (if you drill in the center) pieces of glass. i would recommend to go ahead and put a durso in the overflows to silence the drains.

jim, i like the idea about drilling on the corners for the returns (tubing wont mess with my hood). i think i'll be drilling two extra holes in my 90g tomorrow.

 

[heuerfan]

yes, jim mentioned this, how big would the box be to fit the durso?

 

[heuerfan]

do they make small dursos?

 

[joseney21]

i think u can make them quite small if you wanted to, i don't know if they sell small ones. i'm sure if you gave the durso guys a call they could do it for you.
i make mine myself, too easy.

 

[heuerfan]

Joseney21- ahhhhhh, i understand now! Can we get a pic of how it looks like in the front? Any chance i can use black acrylic so i don't see the dursos?

 

[bad coffee]

You can do it externally, and just use a strainer on the inside of the tank.

pic coppied from http://www.dursostandpipes.com/

you just drill your tank, and add a bulkhead. Then plumb the durso like the one in the above pic. No box needed.

If you need a way to adjust the water level, you can put a 90 on the inside and swivel it up to change the level in the tank.

B

 

[joseney21]

but that design would limit the amount of water in the tank...and i think it makes the toilet noise if you turn the elbow up....i made mine too big which i regret, but it can go in a corner (most convenient place imo) and not take up too much space.also if you do it externally you just need that much more room in the back, if you do it externally on the sides it seems it would be risky because of how much it would stick out....better option for smaller tanks or tanks with fish rooms behind them though.

 

[joseney21]

acrylic doesn't stick well to glass, i used glass for mine

 

[joseney21]

you could also just wait until it covers up with coraline

 

[bad coffee]

Someone here (or on Reefs.org) made a small overflow box just big enough to cover the bulkhead, then put the durso on the outside of the tank. If i remember it worked really well and was really low profile.

or you could just put an external overflow on the tank

www.bad-coffee.com/reef/tank

B