HELP!!!! 36 Gallon Bowfront Plumbing (Bensonhurst, Brooklyn)

[Atsoi88]

I recently ordered a Proflex Model 1 sump for my 36 gallon bowfront aquarium. I brought a used Eshopp overflow box and an Ehiem return pump as well as an Eshopp protein Skimmer.

Anyone have any advice on what the best method to hard plumb this system?

Also does anyone have an emergency overflow system on these sort of tanks?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Coral Theory]

Based on the info you provide, I'm assuming that the tank is not RR (Reef Ready). Hard plumbing the overflow box and return pump is pretty straight forward. For the overflow box, run a pipe from the bottom of the box (the bulkhead or similar device) to the sump. Skimmer will go into the section with the higher baffle as well as the overflow pipe that you ran from the overflow box. As for the return, just run a pipe from the pump to the tank. You would have to plumb the piping over the top of the tank into the water. As a precaution to the back siphoning of the return pump when its turned off, you should drill two holes in the piping (inside of tank portion slightly below operating water line) so to help break the siphon. One will work, but two is better. Not absolutely necessary, but putting a value or true union in the return piping would help you regulate the water flow.

As for am emergency overflow system, its a bit hard with an overflow box. You can added an aqualifter, but there is no guarantee with those. You can also add additional U-piping to the overflow box.

Hope this helps you. Good luck with the plumbing.

Coral Theory Team

 

[Atsoi88]

Thanks for the advice. I'm thinking about installing a gate valve on the pipe running from my overflow box to the sump, so that i can controlled the flow and essential limit the amount of air bubbles in the U tube.

Do you think I will need a ball valve for the return line, or the 2 holes near the return outlet sufficent?

BTW, do you know what is the best way to silence the overflow box, maybe a simple DIY?

 

[Coral Theory]

You can add a valve to the overflow piping, but we would not recommend using that to control the flow. This idea would be good to help silence the gurgling from the overflow piping, but it is also dangerous. If a small fish or snail ever made its way to the value, it would overflow your tank.

A ball valve on the return line is not necessary but would save you a lot of headaches if the pump you are using is stronger than what the overflow can handle. The strongest eheim universal pump available now is about 900gph, so its probably unlikely that the overflow will not handle the flow (not sure which model overflow you have).

With overflow boxes, you are basically limited to the sponge that is provided. You can try to diy a stockman overflow design to help with the noise. There is plenty of info on the web about those.

Coral Theory Team

 

[james1990]

I agree with Coral Theory, dont use a valve on the drain side

 

[Atsoi88]

I Have the Eshopp Overflow box rated for 75 gallons and a Eheim 1260. Maybe ill have the gate valve in and keep it at full flow and in case of an emergency i can manually adjust.

For the return, I'll install a ball valve and then some sort of control valve to control the flow, since the return is overrate for the overflow box

 

[Coral Theory]

If you have a ball valve on your return you dont need another "control valve". You can control the flow rate with the ball valve.

Coral Theory Team

 

[Atsoi88]

I was probably thinking of a check valve to prevent back siphon, and then have a ball valve to control the flow.

 

[Coral Theory]

You can put a check valve if you like, but do keep an eye on it, sometimes they fail after a period of time. Just keep that in mind.

 

[Atsoi88]

So it's better off to keep it simple with use the drilled holes near the return outlet to prevent the back siphon. Thanks ally for the input!