Bulkhead size for drain

crazywesc · 01/04/2009, 01:07 PM

I am going to attempt to drill my 45 so I can use a sump and purchase a good skimmer (I hate my coralife).
I want to have two drains, one for continuous drain and the other for a emergency drain. My return pump will be a oceanrunner 2500, 650 gph. Will a single 1" drain be big enough
for this?

billdogg · 01/04/2009, 02:26 PM

I would use a 11/2" if i were you. Plenty on here will tell you that a single 1" is plenty. IMO, 300-350gph is more realistic from 1"

crazywesc · 01/04/2009, 04:25 PM

I am thinking about drilling for the return also. The outlet of th OR pump is 3/4". So should I drill for a 3/4" bulkhead for it or do I need to get a 1'' to 3/4 reducer and use a 1" return?

pugbreath13 · 01/04/2009, 06:42 PM

That will be alot of flow going through the sump. I have drilled 40g with an Eheim 1250 on it...works great. 1"drain line. Also, if you drill for a return and your power goes out the water in your tank will drain down to where you drilled. Unless you alot of room in your sump this might not be the best idea.

crazywesc · 01/05/2009, 04:45 PM

I'm building a stand and making a sump out of a 40 br. and buying a msx 200 skimmer so when I am ready to upgrade to a 120 gallon I'll be ready. As far as the return pump I will have about 4' of head loss and I plan on teeing off the return to feed the refugium. So do you think the oceanrunner 2500 will be to much pump for the sump?

AZDesertRat · 01/05/2009, 06:15 PM

My overflow and return bulkheads are both 1" and the pump is an OR 3500. Works great.

01/04/2009, 01:07 PM	#1
crazywesc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 210	Bulkhead size for drain I am going to attempt to drill my 45 so I can use a sump and purchase a good skimmer (I hate my coralife). I want to have two drains, one for continuous drain and the other for a emergency drain. My return pump will be a oceanrunner 2500, 650 gph. Will a single 1" drain be big enough for this?

01/04/2009, 02:26 PM	#2
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I would use a 11/2" if i were you. Plenty on here will tell you that a single 1" is plenty. IMO, 300-350gph is more realistic from 1" __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

01/04/2009, 04:25 PM	#3
crazywesc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 210	I am thinking about drilling for the return also. The outlet of th OR pump is 3/4". So should I drill for a 3/4" bulkhead for it or do I need to get a 1'' to 3/4 reducer and use a 1" return?

01/04/2009, 06:42 PM	#4
pugbreath13 Moved On Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The former United States Posts: 466	That will be alot of flow going through the sump. I have drilled 40g with an Eheim 1250 on it...works great. 1"drain line. Also, if you drill for a return and your power goes out the water in your tank will drain down to where you drilled. Unless you alot of room in your sump this might not be the best idea.

01/05/2009, 04:45 PM	#5
crazywesc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 210	I'm building a stand and making a sump out of a 40 br. and buying a msx 200 skimmer so when I am ready to upgrade to a 120 gallon I'll be ready. As far as the return pump I will have about 4' of head loss and I plan on teeing off the return to feed the refugium. So do you think the oceanrunner 2500 will be to much pump for the sump?

01/05/2009, 06:15 PM	#6
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	My overflow and return bulkheads are both 1" and the pump is an OR 3500. Works great.