Help on Herbie Plumbing

scubasteve3 · 10/12/2009, 06:12 PM

My 135g has a center overflow which is pretty large, dunno the rate though. There are 3 bulkheads on the bottom, 2x1/2" and 1x1" . I'm guessing the 1x1" bulkhead was meant for the flow to the sump while the 2x1/2" were meant for the returns. However, I wanted to use the Herbie method and so I was thinking of using the 1x1" bulkhead as the primary line to the sump and one of the 1/2" as an emergency line to the sump and keeping the other 1/2" as a return to the tank, maybe with a Tee so I can have return outlets. The problem is I have no room to drill another hole so the three predrilled holes are all I have. I really want to use the Herbie method...what are your thoughts?

uncleof6 · 10/12/2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scubasteve3

My 135g has a center overflow which is pretty large, dunno the rate though. There are 3 bulkheads on the bottom, 2x1/2" and 1x1" . I'm guessing the 1x1" bulkhead was meant for the flow to the sump while the 2x1/2" were meant for the returns. However, I wanted to use the Herbie method and so I was thinking of using the 1x1" bulkhead as the primary line to the sump and one of the 1/2" as an emergency line to the sump and keeping the other 1/2" as a return to the tank, maybe with a Tee so I can have return outlets. The problem is I have no room to drill another hole so the three predrilled holes are all I have. I really want to use the Herbie method...what are your thoughts?

Herbie huh? 1.25 full siphon on the 1" bulkhead will flow enough. But here is the thing. The 1/2 hole (1.25"?) would be useless for the emergency drain. You would need two 1" holes to do a herbie. Using 1- 1.25" full siphon, and the smaller hole for an emergency pipe, if the siphon plugs your tank will likely overflow as it will not handle the flow.

You could try this: And I wish the holes were for 3/4" bulkheads, but you can run a 1" full siphon on one of the 1/2" holes, and the dry emergency on the other one. And use the 1" bulkhead for the return. The siphon may pull above 660 gph (a guess) and the emergency would have the same capacity. (assuming 1" plumbing other than the bulkheads themselves. And 1" return line.

Regards,

Jim

NanoReefWanabe · 10/12/2009, 09:38 PM

is the bottom tempered? if not the holes can be enlarged, provided there is enough room between them and enough clearance in in the overflow box...

another option would be to remove the overflow box plug the bulkheads and drill the back of the tank for a coast to coast overflow, then you could do a Bean overflow system and have a true failsafe overflow..

unless what uncleof6 says will work for you...i dont think the 1/2" bulkheads are going to flow enough to get a good turnover rate though...and a full siphon in a half inch line wont take much of anything to impede flow enough to create a flood...

scubasteve3 · 10/13/2009, 12:51 AM

I am thinking of using the 1" drain as the primary one and using the two 1/2" for emergency drains. Then just loop the return over the tank...what do you guys think about that? Thanks for all the input! I clearly have a lot to learn (hopefully without too many mess ups!)

uncleof6 · 10/13/2009, 01:04 AM

The two 1/2" lines will not flow as much as the single 1". Overflow tank if a problem arises.

Jim

scubasteve3 · 10/13/2009, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NanoReefWanabe

is the bottom tempered? if not the holes can be enlarged, provided there is enough room between them and enough clearance in in the overflow box...

another option would be to remove the overflow box plug the bulkheads and drill the back of the tank for a coast to coast overflow, then you could do a Bean overflow system and have a true failsafe overflow..

unless what uncleof6 says will work for you...i dont think the 1/2" bulkheads are going to flow enough to get a good turnover rate though...and a full siphon in a half inch line wont take much of anything to impede flow enough to create a flood...

How can you tell if the bottom is tempered? I could also try drilling a hole in the backside of the tank where the overflow is and plumb a line that way...unless the back is tempered? The tank is acrylic if that helps...

fishoutawater · 10/13/2009, 07:45 AM

Why not just drill one more hole in the back of the tank for the back up, it will work just as well.

scubasteve3 · 10/13/2009, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishoutawater

Why not just drill one more hole in the back of the tank for the back up, it will work just as well.

Yeah I'll probably just do that...what would you suggest to use to drill through acrylic...

uncleof6 · 10/13/2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scubasteve3

Yeah I'll probably just do that...what would you suggest to use to drill through acrylic...

Here we go again, frankenstein time is here.

If you are going to put one out the back of the tank, put them all out the back of the tank, and get rid of the inside the tank junk. And then use a more functional overflow/drain system like was suggested above.

some through the bottom ain't gunna work the same as the one out the back. Make them all the same. That way they all perform equally. Doin some this way, and some that way, is not only bad science, but it does NOT work just as well.

Regards,

Jim

10/12/2009, 06:12 PM	#1
scubasteve3 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 54	Help on Herbie Plumbing My 135g has a center overflow which is pretty large, dunno the rate though. There are 3 bulkheads on the bottom, 2x1/2" and 1x1" . I'm guessing the 1x1" bulkhead was meant for the flow to the sump while the 2x1/2" were meant for the returns. However, I wanted to use the Herbie method and so I was thinking of using the 1x1" bulkhead as the primary line to the sump and one of the 1/2" as an emergency line to the sump and keeping the other 1/2" as a return to the tank, maybe with a Tee so I can have return outlets. The problem is I have no room to drill another hole so the three predrilled holes are all I have. I really want to use the Herbie method...what are your thoughts?

10/13/2009, 01:04 AM	#5
uncleof6 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: AWOL Posts: 12,013	The two 1/2" lines will not flow as much as the single 1". Overflow tank if a problem arises. Jim __________________ "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." (oft attributed to Einstein; most likely paraphrasing by Roger Sessions; compactly articulates the principle of Occam's Razor) Current Tank Info: 325 6' wide Reef

10/12/2009, 09:38 PM	#3
NanoReefWanabe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,639	is the bottom tempered? if not the holes can be enlarged, provided there is enough room between them and enough clearance in in the overflow box... another option would be to remove the overflow box plug the bulkheads and drill the back of the tank for a coast to coast overflow, then you could do a Bean overflow system and have a true failsafe overflow.. unless what uncleof6 says will work for you...i dont think the 1/2" bulkheads are going to flow enough to get a good turnover rate though...and a full siphon in a half inch line wont take much of anything to impede flow enough to create a flood...

10/13/2009, 12:51 AM	#4
scubasteve3 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 54	I am thinking of using the 1" drain as the primary one and using the two 1/2" for emergency drains. Then just loop the return over the tank...what do you guys think about that? Thanks for all the input! I clearly have a lot to learn (hopefully without too many mess ups!)

10/13/2009, 07:45 AM	#7
fishoutawater Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: salt lake city, ut Posts: 577	Why not just drill one more hole in the back of the tank for the back up, it will work just as well.