To drill or not to drill bottom for closed loop

[Ugla]

I have an acrylic 125 I am adding an 4 way Oceans Motion on a dart for a CL. Two outlets will be in upper outer corners. Want to put two outlets in bottom front corners. Looked at running 1" pvc on bottom of tank, but it is too thick. Ideally want to drill the bottom, but have some concerns about bulkheads on the bottom leaking. Have the good quality bulkheads. Is there much to worry about if the bulkheads are installed correctly?

 

[Bosco83]

I don't think you would have to worry about them leaking reef ready tanks are drilled through the bottom.

 

[dieden]

My answer to this question... Drill baby drill!!!

 

[Krish]

Do you want to drill new holes?? The reason I ask because I think on reef ready tanks, although the bottoms are pre-drilled, I think they drill them first and then temper the bottoms meaning you wouldn't be able to drill it anymore after it has left the factory. I would confirm that, but I'm pretty sure that is the way it is.

 

[Ugla]

It is acrylic so drilling is not an issue with tempering

 

[Krish]

Oh! Lol! I totally missed the word acrylic in your first line and I thought this was a glass tank. My bad


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[trido]

Ive been up close and personal with two large acrylic tanks with drilled bottoms for CL's. If your using schedule 80 bulkheads you shouldnt have any worries.

If one leaks years down the road you'll simply have an oportunity to do the reaquascaping or redesigning you wished you would have done the first time around. You might as well look at the positive side if it ever does happen.

 

[TheKraken]

I have drilled glass and acrylic tanks and have some opinions. For the most part bottom drilled looks better and is easier to hide but can be a serious pain in the setup and operation should something happen. About 2 years ago I saw my first OEM back drilled overflow which was surprising. It made no sense at the time but back drilled makes it SO MUCH easier to build a stand and particularly move the tank on/off and transport. It is also easier to check on the bulkheads to see if they are leaking (salt trail) and you and actually can use a wrench if you are forced to tighten something.

If you back drill for a closed loop you should be able to use loc-line to snake under the rock and get to the front corner.

 

[peddy10181]

If you do go with the closed loop, use ball unions on every thing makes life a little EZer go 1/2 bigger then the pipe size to.

 

[returnofsid]

Ugla, good to see you on here!!

Drill!!! Since it's a closed loop, there's no concern for flooding, in a power outage, or any other concerns. Use quality bulkheads, installed correctly, and you're good to go!

 

[DonW]

I would just drill the bottom. Acrylic tanks bow causing stress on all the closed loop rigid plumbing the bottom does not bow. If it were to leak it will probably drip in the sump. Bottom bulkheads can be changed without draining the tank back bulheads cannot. The method is for another discussion but is easy. If you use unions or true union ball valves I really cant see any real benefit to drillig the back vs bottom. Make sure the inside of the bulkhead is threaded in case one of the valves leaks or freezes up with CA precip. You would screw in a tall threaded pipe into the bulkead above the water line to repair the bad valve without draining the tank.

Don

 

[TheKraken]

The method is for another discussion but is easy.

I needed that info about a year ago. I was moving a planted tank with ~5" of substrate off a stand and the bottom bulkhead made it much worse. Sure draining down to the bulkhead is easy but in the end I still ended up dribbling water over everything and lifting at awkward angles.

 

[TJL]

Hey Jim, I'll be drilling the bottom for a OM 4-way on my 125 acrylic as well. Two in front corners and two along back behind rock work. I am really looking forward to not having powerheads in the DT this time. I'll be pushing 4300gph with a Dolphin Ampmaster so along with a Iwaki pushing about 950gph through sump and returned via Seaswirl should have plentiful flow.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Ugla]

Well thanks for all the encouragement. Let the drilling begin! There were already two bulkheads on the back near the bottom I was considering using, but will now just plug them.
Drilling the bottom is definitely the best way to go for ease of maintaing the tank. The tank had an 8 way OM before, so I have a few extra holes. I think a 4 way should be sufficient.
Luckily, this an extra tank in the garage. After it is all done, I will replace the 100 gallon I am now using upstairs. Hopefully it will be a quick switch over.

 

[Krish]

Good luck with it and I hope all goes well! Make sure to post some pictures!!

 

[Ugla]

I have the top returns in and made a bracket to hold the OM. The fun has begun.

 

[pyton]

If you run the pipe down under the sand you never see them. If you do see them over time they will look just like rocks from the build up on them. I was one like this and I thought want a cool idea, it looked great.

 

[alki]

I drilled mine on the back with a 1.5" intake and 4ea 1in outputs. I used a nifty black spa screen and you cant even see it. I would hate to have pipes coming into my stand right in the way.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Ugla, good to see you on here!!

Drill!!! Since it's a closed loop, there's no concern for flooding, in a power outage, or any other concerns. Use quality bulkheads, installed correctly, and you're good to go!

Glad the plumbing is going well, looking forwasrd to seeing the finioshed product. On a side note, I dislike using the word "no" along with chance of flooding. There's always a chance: clamp failure, poor cement job, broken pipe, pump blow-out, etc. Properly done, closed loops reduce the chance of a flood.

 

[epic1]

I run my OM 8 way, 4 top , 4 back. All piping is in the back of the tank or in the canopy.