drilling for CLS versus over the top

[Cosine]

Well here is the deal
Where I am you can just go pick up a reef ready tank so I had to "special" order it

it a 120g AGA with dual megaflows.

When I get it should I drill the back for a CLS or just go over the top.
Basically what are the real advantages and disadvantages to both.

what effects will drilling have on structural integrity... this is my main concern


thanks for your thoughts
what to do what to do?

[wharyat]

Advantage to drilling, looks cleaner; disadvantage, loss of structural integrity (with too many holes). I'm not sure how many holes can be drilled, someone probably has experience.

[Cosine]

that's the thing if I can't drill all the holes I want is it worth drilling some and over the top for some?

just thought of something else... would I hole near the bottom cause more problems (structurally) than one near the top seems to me added water pressure would put more strain on it?

[Doug1]

The AGA is fairly thick glass so correctly drilled holes shouldnt be an issue, Personally i would 2 1.5" bulkheads for the pump intake hooked together then run the return over the top, better control of flow options going back in, and eliminates a few more costly holes

[Cosine]

I'll have to see what local glass shops can offer. See if they will garantee their work.

Anyways Doug what I was thinking was that I'd like flow near the bottom to keep detrius suspended. But I don't want pvc running down the back of the tank so I'd like to drill for the bottom returns
they could probably be about 1/3rd the way up the tank. That way they should also be hidden completely by LR

Make sense?

[germy]

you may want to run the pvc version to get everything down, tried and true. When you find the flow, then drill. I say this not from experiencewith tanks, just in general. I always do the test run before the permanent. Plus I couldn't imagine a better way to spend an evening, Pvc, cement and a motor.Mmmmmmmm.

[tims]

hey buddy!
one of the things i am looking at since we have the same tank. the return line for the over flows. it does not have to go to the top. i am looking( have not decided) if it is possible to drill a hole though that mega over flow material and have the returns down low. then just have the CLS as the upper ones.

[Doug1]

Not sure i am following you Tim

[tims]

doug,


this is what a corner one looks like, the 120 has two sorta over center


.if you cut the return line and have it go into the tank and the bottom .it could in theory, be your flow to the LR area instead of runing a over the top CLS all the way to the bottom

[skeety]

I think that's a really neat idea!!

only one question...what are you siphon issues in the result of a power loss?

[Cosine]

Originally Posted by skeety

I think that's a really neat idea!!

only one question...what are you siphon issues in the result of a power loss?

Hey Tim could be a good plan but what is your thoughts on Skeety's question?

good call on trial first germy
I'm gonna try to be as sure as possible before I drill!

[tims]

if you losse power witha CLS there is no syphon issues. it is a closed system

[Doug1]

OK I think I unnerstand, you want to use one overflow as the closed loop? If you have the OF hooked directly to the pump and the return arched over and a spray bar on it, then yes that would have no siphoning issues. Will having two pumps effect the other traditional overflows operation ?

[Cosine]

I gotchya now
I was confused for a minute. Are you just going to run the return from the sump over the back of the tank?