Bulkheads in tank bottom?

[Slickdonkey]

My wife is looking at a used glass tank that has a hole in the bottom for plumbing. The guy is currently hooking this to a canister filter, but we'd like to use a sump. Obviously the problem with this is when the power goes out, so does all the water in your tank.

Does anyone have experience with a setup like this? Personally my thought is to plug the hole with a bulkhead and threaded cap and just use a hang-on overflow box.

 

[DonW]

My wife is looking at a used glass tank that has a hole in the bottom for plumbing. The guy is currently hooking this to a canister filter, but we'd like to use a sump. Obviously the problem with this is when the power goes out, so does all the water in your tank.

Does anyone have experience with a setup like this? Personally my thought is to plug the hole with a bulkhead and threaded cap and just use a hang-on overflow box.

You could put a stand pipe on it. You dont need a overflow box.

Don

 

[mmkeeper]

If it is to the back or in a corner I would thing that you could build an overflow around it.

 

[bc_slc]

I agree, having a drilled tank is nice, no worries about the U-tube clogging or losing suction. I would put a standpipe on it also.

 

[loohunter]

You could put a stand pipe on it. You dont need a overflow box.

Don

don is exactly right a stand pipe is an overflow. the pump goes off and the water drains to the top of the standpipe

 

[Slickdonkey]

Ok I'll consider that when we go look at the tank. I think it might look tacky depending on where the hole is located. We'll see!

Thanks guys.

 

[Elmo18]

Yes, place a standpipe, put some type of netting at the top in case snails go through, and you're done.

Best,
Ilham

 

[DonW]

Ok I'll consider that when we go look at the tank. I think it might look tacky depending on where the hole is located. We'll see!

Thanks guys.

If I ever do it again I wont have overflow boxes. I will drill rocks and slide them down over the pipe. My kids 20 was like this and it was cool. Something to think about.


Don

 

[Scooterman]

Ahh Don is getting really fancy man!

 

[DaBrowns]

Rocks around he pipes sounds like a fantasic idea...beats my ugly mega-flow boxes anyday.

 

[burning2nd]

eazy as cake...

stand pipe is fool proof

 

[danno14]

If you do the standpipe, which I wholeheartedly agree with, make certain the pipe is completely sealed to the bulkhead. This way, if power does go out for an extended period, there won't still be a trickle draining your tank to the sump. Rgds, D

 

[burning2nd]

super crucial

total seal,

 

[snobanker]

But first fill the tank with no standpipe and no sump underneith...lol..jk...I like Don's idea about the rocks around the stand pipe too.

 

[big t]

You know dang's old tank was often reguarded as one of the nicest tanks in washington, and he had 2 standpipes right in the middle of the tank, they were just hidden by corraline and rocks.

 

[Slickdonkey]

Thanks everyone. We didn't end up buying the tank but useful to know in the future.