A Few Questions - RO/DI - Bulkheads

[indymatt]

1. I am going to be drilling my tank, a 55g, and wonder what size of bulkhead that will work the best.
2. Also, I used an overflow box on my last Aquarium and I know how to drill the hole to break the suction in case of a power outage is there anything that you can do to reduce the chance of the sump overflowing with a drilled tank?
3. RO/DI - I think I found the unit I want the Dual Home/Reef System from Air Water Ice. This will allow me to have drinking water via the goose neck and then have a line to the basement to fill a trashcan with the water as well right? I don't plan on keeping the water in the trash can for very long maybe one week at the most. Does any of this make sense or pose a problem.
Thanks,
Matt

 

[indymatt]

^^^
Anyone?

 

[moneyman]

Originally Posted by IndyMatt
1. I am going to be drilling my tank, a 55g, and wonder what size of bulkhead that will work the best.
2. Also, I used an overflow box on my last Aquarium and I know how to drill the hole to break the suction in case of a power outage is there anything that you can do to reduce the chance of the sump overflowing with a drilled tank?
3. RO/DI - I think I found the unit I want the Dual Home/Reef System from Air Water Ice. This will allow me to have drinking water via the goose neck and then have a line to the basement to fill a trashcan with the water as well right? I don't plan on keeping the water in the trash can for very long maybe one week at the most. Does any of this make sense or pose a problem.
Thanks,
Matt
1) I have a 90 gallon and 1" drain and 3/4" return.
2) Huh? Overflow box shouldn't need any holes.. Anyways, drill a tiny hole on the return (maybe drain too) right under the water line in your main tank. Aim the hole downwards so it wont splatter.
3) Sounds good to me.

 

[indymatt]

Clarifying Question 2 - I was talking about the sump overflowing due to power outage when you use a bulkhead. My guess is that, the bulkhead uses gravity not suction so you need space in the sump to absorb the extra water volume draining from the main tank and not being pumped back up.

 

[indymatt]

Why is a 3/4" return used instead of another 1"? Does the smaller diameter help the pump with head pressure?

 

[moneyman]

Originally Posted by IndyMatt
Clarifying Question 2 - I was talking about the sump overflowing due to power outage when you use a bulkhead. My guess is that, the bulkhead uses gravity not suction so you need space in the sump to absorb the extra water volume draining from the main tank and not being pumped back up.
You drill the hole on the side of the tank. Then, use PVC to bring the input of the water somewhere near the water line.
A more rubust version calls for a DIY box to stop the flow of water. The box will have 4 sides (left, right, front, bottom) and siliconed to the tank. The back of the box is siliconed to the glass of the tank where your holes are. This is a similar design to the inner box of the overflow. This way, during the power outage, only the water in the small overflow box is drained to the sump.

 

[moneyman]

Originally Posted by IndyMatt
Why is a 3/4" return used instead of another 1"? Does the smaller diameter help the pump with head pressure?
I dont really know. I suppose it doesn't make a real difference between 3/4" and 1". You reduce the weight of the water with smaller dia but increase the drag......
That's just the way the manufacture (All Glass) did my overflow.