Drilled vs. overflox box

pchromis

pchromis

Member
I've been reading just about every post here regarding drilled tanks and plumbing and overflows, etc. So many opinions so i'll post what I want to do here and hopefully get some more advice.
I want to upgrade to a 95g 36x25x24. I am debating very strongly on drilling the tank. There will be a sump beneath this tank with refugium and protein skimmer. I plan on FOWLR.
First, about the drilling. If I do decide to drill, should I worry about drilling the bottom with an internal overflow box. I am worried about the bulkhead fittings leaking and what should happen with a power outage with regards to flooding the floor.
Are there any advantages to bottom drilling over side drilled tanks?
If i do decide to drill, then what size holes for this setup? what size pump?
Second, If I decide against drilling, are there any negatives in using a overflow box?
Thanks in advance for any input.
 
wattsupdoc

wattsupdoc

Active Member
Unless you can contact the manufacturer to see if the bottom is tempered, don't drill the bottom. Why not just by a reef ready ?
 
pchromis

pchromis

Member
Oh, I'm sorry...I am going to buy the tank either reef ready or not...My concern is possible leakage of a bottom bulkhead fitting.
 
wangotango

wangotango

Active Member
Originally Posted by pchromis
http:///forum/post/2863386
Oh, I'm sorry...I am going to buy the tank either reef ready or not...My concern is possible leakage of a bottom bulkhead fitting.
Does it happen, yes. Is it common, no. As long as you don't bump or mess with the pipe that is attached to the bulkhead you shouldn't have a problem with leaks.
-Justin
 
wattsupdoc

wattsupdoc

Active Member
Originally Posted by pchromis
http:///forum/post/2863386
Oh, I'm sorry...I am going to buy the tank either reef ready or not...My concern is possible leakage of a bottom bulkhead fitting.

A good bulkhead, properly installed is not an issue.
 
bmkj02

bmkj02

Member
I rather have a drilled tank then an overflow. I drilled my tank on the back near the top and attched a overflow box to it. To me thats the safer way. 1st you dont have that tube going over the tank that can fill up with air and stop it and you dont have the chance of empting your whole tank if something happens with a bottom drilled tank. Just make sure its not a tempered glass. The thicker the glass the safer to drill. Good luck. Check out my thread where it shows how I did mine.
 
pchromis

pchromis

Member
Thanks BMK, i'll do that. But since I will be upgrading, I will be buying a new tank. Most reef ready come bottom drilled. I had thought about the tank being drilled in the back with an over flow box as well.
 
pumper

pumper

Member
Drill the tank a few inches from the top on the back and install an overflow... This way if it does leak you can pump the water level an inch or so below the bulkhead and repair with everything still in the tank. If you drill the bottom and it leaks, you will have to take all the water and inhabitants out. imo, drilling the back is safer and nearly fail proof. Since you are doing a new build, I would go ahead and drill for a closed loop system as well. I hate ugly powerheads; my next tank will be a closed loop for sure.
 
veni vidi vici

veni vidi vici

Active Member
Originally Posted by Pumper
http:///forum/post/2867018
Drill the tank a few inches from the top on the back and install an overflow... This way if it does leak you can pump the water level an inch or so below the bulkhead and repair with everything still in the tank. If you drill the bottom and it leaks, you will have to take all the water and inhabitants out. imo, drilling the back is safer and nearly fail proof. Since you are doing a new build, I would go ahead and drill for a closed loop system as well. I hate ugly powerheads; my next tank will be a closed loop for sure.
+1 This is what i did and am very ,very happy with it.
 
wattsupdoc

wattsupdoc

Active Member
Originally Posted by Pumper
http:///forum/post/2867018
Drill the tank a few inches from the top on the back and install an overflow... This way if it does leak you can pump the water level an inch or so below the bulkhead and repair with everything still in the tank. If you drill the bottom and it leaks, you will have to take all the water and inhabitants out. imo, drilling the back is safer and nearly fail proof. Since you are doing a new build, I would go ahead and drill for a closed loop system as well. I hate ugly powerheads; my next tank will be a closed loop for sure.

A reef ready tank will have overflows built in, no need to fully drain.
Additionally, a back drilled tank requires more room behind it. It limits the resale also, as some people would not want a tank that couldn't be placed closely to a wall.
 
pchromis

pchromis

Member
I appreciate the advice. I can see there are different opinions on the drilling subject. So with a bottom drilled tank, gravity takes for the over flow. I assume the return line is of smaller diameter? My main concern was the integrity of the bottom bulkhead fittings. Not so concern with power outage causing a flood as that can be addressed with the sump capacity. Just about every LFS I visit use bottom drains, obviously for their mass setups.
Now, with drilling the back for a closed loop system to eliminate unsightly power heads, can I assume the return pump can supply enough flow to the tank if it is split? I am not totally understanding whether or not drilling the back for returns can be sufficient flow. But I do like the idea of back drilling for the returns.
 
pchromis

pchromis

Member
Could someone provide a diagram of a complete setup using sump with PS and Fuge in a closed loop system. Or if you could direct me to a link.
Thanks
 
pchromis

pchromis

Member
Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
http:///forum/post/2867362
A reef ready tank will have overflows built in, no need to fully drain.
Additionally, a back drilled tank requires more room behind it. It limits the resale also, as some people would not want a tank that couldn't be placed closely to a wall.
You're right. The built in overflow box is like a separate chamber. So water would only have to be lowered a little bit below the top of the box in the event any repairs needed to be made to the bulkhead fittings.
 
pumper

pumper

Member
The closed loop system is a seperate system from the sump/return pump. To have a closed loop and an overflow with sump there will need to be 2 pumps. I'll brb with diagram
 
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