External Overflow Question(s)

[saltwaterdud3]

Hi There,
My first thread and my first post! I got a 110g show tank that I am trying to set up and I am kind of baffled at the external overflow set up. It's a standard external overflow box with two U shaped siphon tubes. The sump pump that I am working with is a Mag Drive 9.5 at about six foot of head. Do ya'll think I need to use both siphon tubes and see if it's enough flow to keep it going or should I start off with one siphon tube and see if it needs the other? Either way, I have always had a problem balancing out external overflows. Will someone offer some help/advice?
I am going to try to get the system up and running tomorrow. I'll have to get it going and put salt in it by tomorrow as well. Thanks everyone!

 

[acrylic51]

Welcome!!!!!!!

Dang it....using Flower's trademark......No seriously welcome.
I would start with utilizing both Utubes.....If the flow from the pump isn't enough then it will shut 1 of them down or you'll start to see an air bubble/pocket form in 1 of the tubes. If you only want to run 1 then you have to make sure the Mag 9.5 isn't going to over power the 1 tube, whereas if you want to run both tubes it's possible to balance them by having to go to a larger pump, but not really sure. I don't think you'll have an issue with the Mag 9.5 and running both tubes. I do remember the days of priming those dang tubes though....I don't miss that at all, but once their primed I never had any issues at all with them......
Any issues just fire away.....Someones always here, and I'll be prepping acrylic all day, so my phone will buzz when there's an update!!!!!!
Show us some pics as well!!!!!!!

 

[saltwaterdud3]

Well, I'm going to work on the tank this morning and thankfully, I didn't forget the camera! So, I'll be updating this thread later today to show some progress. Thanks for helping me once again, Acrylic.

 

[acrylic51]

I think you'll be fine!!!!!! We need pics!!!!!!

 

[saltwaterdud3]

Hey there,
Well, I got the whole system up and running - minus getting the halides on a timer. The timer I bought doesn't seem to have enough power to run the two 150w HQI metal halides. I'll have to figure out a different way to rig everything up. Other then that, it's all good. I'll let the salt mix up for the next 48 hours. I wish that I had something better to mix the salt with than a Maxijet 1200 in a 110g show tank, but my main salt mixer (the rio 1100) broke. Dunno what happened to it.
By the way, It's not my tank. I'm just setting it up. I don't do many external overflows, so it's interesting when I have to get one done. And, for all you pic whores out there:
I don't know why some of the system was cut off on this picture - stupid camera.

Me adding salt! yay!

 

[acrylic51]

Which timers are you attempting to use? The digital ones they sell at Lowes should handle the MH's.....