125 rr over flow pipes

whitebird

Member
were thinking about buying a new 125 rr but the cost of the over flow kits seem a bit high at $50 for each end and was wondering if you can make your own with pvc pipe and bulkheads with out payng the extra $100 for the factory ones
 
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blackaero1

Guest
Sure, I've seen some DIY all PVC overflows that even go over the back if you don't want to drill the tank and use bulkheads. Keep in mind if you want to drill the tank, the bottom is most likely tempered so you can't drill it. You'd have to drill the back glass for a bulkhead in that case. If your considering drilling and making your own out of PVC maybe think about making a calfo overflow (coast to coast, side to side, whatever you what to call it). They seem to provide the best surface skimming I have seen. You can use glass or acrylic to make an overflow, the acrylic won't actually bond to the glass or silicon but you'l get a good enough seal if done right and the advantages of acrylic in this case are ease of working with it as far as cutting, etc.. and you can get it black to prevent too much algae growth in it. Before anyone else says you can get black glass, yes you can, but everywhere I've checked I could just get the acryclic overflow made for about the same price and with acrylic your able to have the teeth for the overflow, not as easy to do that with glass.
 

wattsupdoc

Active Member
Definetly
you can build the standpipes etc. yourself. For a lot less than 100 bucks. Probably somwhere around 30-40 for both. Get the bulkheads and lock line online, then you can get everything else from Lowes H. D. etc. Simple to do if you have a simple drill and some drill bits, plus someway to cut the pipe.
 

whitebird

Member
blackaero1 thanks but it will be a predrilled tank
ok Doc yup i got more tools than you can shake a fish at

ok this will be a AGA tank with the corner overflows now for the big one this one would be taking the space the 75 gal is at now and what we want to do is either use 75 0r a older 52 gal as a sump but may come later on after we get the 125 set up if we can do the pluming a few weeks later on the overflow part is there a way to put in the 4 return and drain pipes and plug them in the over flow box and then uncap when we get ready for the sump.
btw what part of the Ozarks you in Doc?
 

wattsupdoc

Active Member
Yessir, just build your standpipes and the returns, don't glue anything, they don't need it in the OF boxes. Then just cap them off, without the extra pieces that complete the standpipe/return pipe. Make sense?
I'm in the southwest Mo area of Ozarks.

BTW the 75 or a 52 would make a good sump/ fuge combo. It wont take much cash to put either together, biggest cost would be the return pump.
 

whitebird

Member
hey Doc i got lots of cousins around them parts mom and dad was from there
i want to thank you for the help for now but i will be back to get help in a few weeks when we get ready to do the sump/ fuge combo , hope you don't mind
 

whitebird

Member
hey Doc i got lots of cousins around them parts mom and dad was from there
i want to thank you for the help for now but i will be back to get help in a few weeks when we get ready to do the sump/ fuge combo , hope you don't mind
oh why and what do i drill on the bulkheads?
 

wattsupdoc

Active Member
Hey no prob.

You don't have to drill anything on the fuge unless you want an external pump for the return. If you use a submersible pump, just drop it into the return compartment. You'll need to figure your backwash for the sump as well as contents of it before you build it. Then get some glass cut and silicone the baffles in. Give me a shout when your ready and I'll give you a hand.
Tablerock lake area? I'm south of Springfield just a pinch.
 

whitebird

Member
hey Doc
a little more west mom was from slegman dad from benton co. Ark
ok my tank will be here next week and knowing nothing about where the drain holes will be i'm going wait till i get it to start on the stand the 25 gal i want to use as a sump/fuge is 48"x 12w x 19 tall and i'm thinking about making my stand 34" tall and the sump shelf would be about 4" off the floor so i should have a bout 12"+ to have room to work on the sump next ? the baffles how would i set them up in this 52 i know i seen some drawings and mesurments on this some where but can't find them and never seeing one i have no idea what i'm doing
and the pages on this site takes for ever to load for me
 

cpg

Member
I have recently purchased a 72 rr, and bought the kit they recommended at the lfs for $50...no sooner do I get home, and get on the site...there were several threads on how to do it yourself...wish i would have researched it further BEFORE my purchase...
 

wattsupdoc

Active Member
Originally Posted by Whitebird
http:///forum/post/2515745
hey Doc
a little more west mom was from slegman dad from benton co. Ark
ok my tank will be here next week and knowing nothing about where the drain holes will be i'm going wait till i get it to start on the stand the 25 gal i want to use as a sump/fuge is 48"x 12w x 19 tall and i'm thinking about making my stand 34" tall and the sump shelf would be about 4" off the floor so i should have a bout 12"+ to have room to work on the sump next ? the baffles how would i set them up in this 52 i know i seen some drawings and mesurments on this some where but can't find them and never seeing one i have no idea what i'm doing
and the pages on this site takes for ever to load for me

Hey, my numbers say thats more like 47 gal, as upposed to 25?
 

whitebird

Member
ok Doc i got the 125g and got the bulkheads orderd and got the parts for the overflow/return pipes so going try and get every thing i need to get this set up in the next few weeks. ?'s now do i use 1" pipe for the drain to the sump and 3/4? or 1" for the return? i will be useing pvc. for backwash from the pump will a check valve work to stop that? and is a mag 12 a good pump? or what one would you sugest?. now for the sump the tank is the 52g what i bought it as anyway i know like you sad more like a 47 but what i will use 48 x 12 x 19 tall i want it to be a sump/fuge and i don't know what skimmer will go in it so i will need ample room for one so what baffel setup would be good and what the mesuments in placement would be, anything else i'm missing? i like the one you drew up for tonys55sump?
 

wattsupdoc

Active Member
OK, which 55 sump are you talking about? Show me. Then I'll give you some numbers. You'll want to upsize the drains to 1 1/4. Have them dump into the sump as quickly as you can. Shorter distances and less bends are best. Dont put any 90 fittings on the drains if you can avoid it. Use 45's if needed, but heat and bend when ever you can. The return would probably be a combination of 1" and 3/4". You could do the checkvalve, but thats something that has to be maintaned and checked from time to time. You can do without it very easily. Mag 12 would be spot on!
 

wattsupdoc

Active Member
That design is the flow through design. He opted for that design. IMO, its a good design. But there is also the flow to center design. Which is a good design. The choice is yours to make. I can help you with either. Heres my take.
Flow through design.
This design allows for larger compartments with fewer baffles involved. Flow is greater as it all flows in one direction through the compartments. Cheato likes to tumble so flow is not an issue. Debrtious fall out is ppossibly not as great over sandbed, as the flow is faster. However by providing a LRR chamber prior to the fuge debritous collects there to be processed. Also, I have found the flow to be fine with the large fuge chamber and depth the fuge first design this style provides. Because the fuge is before the skimmer, there is the likelenss that pods will be skimmed out as they pass through the skimmer compartment. However this can easily be compensated for by providing another additional LRR pile after the skimmer. Blowby will be increased in both compartments as thr flow is greater. However I dont think its really an issue as nutrients will be returned at some point to be processed.
Flow to Center
This design allows for slower flow as well as greater control of the flow through the fuge compartment. Though the compartments, in order to get good bubble elimination, are smaller. With more baffles involved. While some of the baffles can be eliminated as I would design one. I believe that they are of great benefit. Blowby is less of a factor as the flow is slower allowing more time for macros to process nutirients. However if cheato is your preferance, then additional flow may be necessary in order for it to tumble.
Thats the basics of my take on both designs there are adaptations that can be made to either design. If you know what it is you want to include we can design around it. Things like heaters, an auto top off, mechanic filtration etc can and should be provided for during the design. Have you thought of how your going to handle these things? Consider using a couple if not even 3 phosban reactors. You can plumb for these while doing your return pipe plumbing. As well as a place to put a sponge between baffles for mechanical filtration. I think the fluval large sponges fit well in a 55. Measure your sump and go searching for something that will fit depth wise. We'll pick a baffle set to place it in between. Also if your going to use a UV, it can be plumbed into the return also.
BTW, heres a basic flow through design plumbing.
 

whitebird

Member
ok
lets go with the Flow to Center one
and yes i want to beable to keep heaters in it and the auto top off i was thinking of a float switch type one or something like it what ever i could get to work with a topff jug or tank as a RO DI unit can't be hooked to it. phosban reactors yes i want to plumb for them to be in later on and sponge between the baffles yes the fluval spunges will work i have some used ones there about 1" thick and 3" wide about a UV if i can plumb for it now and maybe hook up for one later would be great, just remember i have never seen a sump setup other than pictures but am pretty good as DIY guy and glad i found this place to beable to get help and want to thank you for your time,oh the lights that will be going on this will be off the 75 gal and thers 2 175 MH and i know i need one more for this new tank but i think it will be a 250 mh will this be to much of a offset puting it between the 2 175s? or just stay with 3 175s i know there not enough for the 125 gal right?
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whitebird

Member
oh about the skimmer box i am running a seaclone now on the 75 but i will be getting a larger one later for the sump but have no idea what kind yet or how large of a place to make for it ya i know every one hates a seaclone but i have had good luck with this one as long as i keep the tank full makes lots of dry foam and very few bubbles
 

wattsupdoc

Active Member
OK, does this look like somethin you can do?
It's really not as complicated as it looks.
Purple things are heaters, orange a float valve(you can get these for about 8 bucks plus some shipping).you get the idea on the rest. I eliminated the baffles before the skimmer to make room for the LRR compartment. Also, this isn't to scale of any kind but just a general layout. I'll give some measurements later.
 
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