220 Oceanic Filtration help

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lilredwuck

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The tank is a 220 Oceanic "Reef Ready" tank with 2 corner overflows. Tank is 7' x 2' x 2'. The overflows measure 11"L x 8"W x Height of tank. It is drilled through the bottom with a 3/4" return and 1" drain in each overflow. I added a dorso standpipe on each 1" drain using 1 1/4" piping.[*]What would the flow through these be? (realistically)
Each drain runs 18" straight down into a 40 gallon breeder. I am using 2
tanks for the sump. When I bought these tanks (used), one was drilled on the side at the top for a 1.5" bulkhead. The other was drilled on the side, towards the bottom, for a 1" bulkhead. I drilled holes on both of them so they would match. So each tank now has a 1" and 1.5" bulkhead on the side. I am planning on connecting both of these together using just one bulkhead. Following me still??? Ok keep that in mind.
OK, so far we have a 220 gallon tank. Dual 1" drains. (700 GPH total, in a perfect world, no strainers, etc.) Two 40 gallon tanks for sumps (80 gallons). So roughly 300 gallons total. Recommended is 3-5X total water volume through sump right? Or is it 5-10x sump and 3-5x refuge? So we are looking at the 900-3000 gph range?
Connecting the two sumps using a 1" and 1.5" bulkhead. This isn't going to be enough is it? I plan on using one tank as the refuge, while the other for the skimmer and return. Return pump is a Mag Drive 18. After all is said and done, around 1250 GPH.
I also plan on drilling the BACK of the tank for two 1.5" bulkheads. I was thinking of drilling where the 2 overflows are already at, bringing up my draining capacity.
One other idea I had was ripping out the 2 overflows. The holes exposed I would use for a closed loop with return manifold. I have two mag 18 pumps, I just need an impellar for the other. I would then install a horizontal coast to coast overflow. I would probably go with three or four 1.5" bulkheads. The return could either be drilled through the back glass, then through the overflow itself. Using a bulkhead in each. I would install the piping to the bulkhead in the overflow first, but not attatching the nut yet, place both nuts on the same pipe, then installing the pipe to the back glass bulkhead to a nice fit, then tightening down the bulkhead nuts. So one threaded bulkhead and the other slip. Catch my drift? Or just save the hassle and up and over the back over the overflow as well? Simpler is sometimes better, I tend to make things too complicated some times.
Some of my questions are this.
  • Will my "factory" overflows handle the increase of more drains?
  • Is this sufficient enough surface skimming?
  • If added to factory overflows would 1.5" drains suffice?
    Do I need more/bigger holes for the sump connections?
    Would the closed loop idea work?
    Any thoughts, Ideas, changes, critacism would be helpful. Or anything I left out.
 
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