Time to drill for CL, help out please

pjhaddock · 08/23/2006, 09:09 PM

OK, its time to drill for the CL on my 120, 4x2x2. First off, sorry for the crappy display pic, could not think of any other way to do it..

The 2 green spots would be 1 1/2" merging into a 2" line going to the Dart. The 3 blue spots and blue T would be 1" that merge into a 1 1/2" line coming from the Dart. The T would come over the back, across on the brace and T off to each side. The 2 yellow spots are maybe's, I don't know??? The 2 orange spots are the 3/4" and 1" that were in the megaflow that I removed, what to do with these??? Critique the ideas here and give new. I am hoping to hear from those who have "been there/done that" and either like what they did or wish they had done something a little different. Here is a pic to give and idea of how I will probably be setting up my rockwork again, either that or start high on the right and slope down to the left. Not a big fan of the "wall" look. Thanks in advance!!!

pjhaddock · 08/24/2006, 07:44 AM

anyone?

HotHotHot · 08/24/2006, 09:44 AM

If you want to, you could drill 1 2" drain for the CL and put the tee on the inside of the tank. It would be 1 less huge hole to drill.

I did this on my 225. Click my little red house for some pics. The drain is low in the tank and centered. The back and pipes are black so it might be a little hard to see.

You could use your orange dots for a CL return in the rockwork to keep detritus from settling.

Edit: I found a decent pic...

HTH
Ed

silverwolf72 · 08/24/2006, 10:44 AM

If you have a canopy you might want to consider an over the top return, that way if you don't like something you can always change it perty easy. I'm doing the 2 1 1/2 drains on mine also the same as you described.

pjhaddock · 08/24/2006, 12:30 PM

Yeah, that is why I am unsure about how many to drill into the back, I dont want them all over the top. I know I am taking atleast one of the returns over the top to the front center that is T'd to either side. If I have too many returns I will not have any velocity, not enough returns and I am just losing flow to restriction.....

pjhaddock · 08/24/2006, 06:20 PM

OK, well I have decided to stick with 3 holes in the back across the top for part of the CL. Next thing to decide, use both the 1" & 3/4" in the overflow for drain, and drill a 3/4" in the overflow at the top for the main pump return, or use the 1" for drain and the 3/4" for return? I dont "PLAN" to run more than 300gph or so through the overflow. I feed my skimmer directly from the overflow and am concerned that i would not be able to balance two overflow drains and keep them consistant enough...???

frank2926 · 08/24/2006, 07:10 PM

My only advice is to put the drain for the CL as close to the top as you can but low enough that it wont go dry when you do a water change. I found that I really needed to clean the intake screens alot when i first set up my tank > Rock curing and things like that really gather on that screen> I was very glad that my intake was only about 8 inches from the top of the tank.

exoticaquatix · 08/24/2006, 07:33 PM

can you order a 120 with either 1 or 2 overflows? the one ill be ordering has 2 but i might go with the one if i can. id like to be able to have a lopsided aquascape and just have to hide one of those bulky plastic things.
i was also considering a CL but might just go over the top to simplify moving the tank in a couple years. you can always drill later, its alot harder to plug those holes up with out bulk heads every where.

-nick

pjhaddock · 08/24/2006, 09:34 PM

Mine came with two overflows but I took one out for a few reasons, extra space, only have to look at 1 overflow, and I'm not going to run a ton of flow through it. I drilled tonight, (3) 1", (2) 1 1/2", and (1) 3/4", took about 45 minutes total. I'm going to start a new thread/journal for it all soon.

Quote:

Originally posted by exoticaquatix
can you order a 120 with either 1 or 2 overflows? the one ill be ordering has 2 but i might go with the one if i can. id like to be able to have a lopsided aquascape and just have to hide one of those bulky plastic things.
i was also considering a CL but might just go over the top to simplify moving the tank in a couple years. you can always drill later, its alot harder to plug those holes up with out bulk heads every where.

-nick

pjhaddock · 08/24/2006, 09:37 PM

Too late lol, I put the drains/intakes 1/3 of the way up. On my 75g I have now, I only have (1) 1 1/2" intake and I have to clean snails off of it once a month or so, that was part of my reasoning for two intakes, less suction on each one, also less restriction.

Quote:

Originally posted by frank2926
My only advice is to put the drain for the CL as close to the top as you can but low enough that it wont go dry when you do a water change. I found that I really needed to clean the intake screens alot when i first set up my tank > Rock curing and things like that really gather on that screen> I was very glad that my intake was only about 8 inches from the top of the tank.

08/23/2006, 09:09 PM	#1
pjhaddock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 466	Time to drill for CL, help out please OK, its time to drill for the CL on my 120, 4x2x2. First off, sorry for the crappy display pic, could not think of any other way to do it.. The 2 green spots would be 1 1/2" merging into a 2" line going to the Dart. The 3 blue spots and blue T would be 1" that merge into a 1 1/2" line coming from the Dart. The T would come over the back, across on the brace and T off to each side. The 2 yellow spots are maybe's, I don't know??? The 2 orange spots are the 3/4" and 1" that were in the megaflow that I removed, what to do with these??? Critique the ideas here and give new. I am hoping to hear from those who have "been there/done that" and either like what they did or wish they had done something a little different. Here is a pic to give and idea of how I will probably be setting up my rockwork again, either that or start high on the right and slope down to the left. Not a big fan of the "wall" look. Thanks in advance!!! __________________ Philip Jacksonville, FL 120G with 40G Sump Current Tank Info: 120G AGA RR

08/24/2006, 07:44 AM	#2
pjhaddock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 466	anyone? __________________ Philip Jacksonville, FL 120G with 40G Sump Current Tank Info: 120G AGA RR

08/24/2006, 09:44 AM	#3
HotHotHot Obligate Coral Killer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 643	If you want to, you could drill 1 2" drain for the CL and put the tee on the inside of the tank. It would be 1 less huge hole to drill. I did this on my 225. Click my little red house for some pics. The drain is low in the tank and centered. The back and pipes are black so it might be a little hard to see. You could use your orange dots for a CL return in the rockwork to keep detritus from settling. Edit: I found a decent pic... HTH Ed __________________ It is NOT a dry heat! Click the little red house to read my 225 thread. Current Tank Info: 200gal NWV, 34ppt, 6" DSB, 750W MH, XM 20K, 220W VHO, CL, MP40W X2, chiller, GAC, Starting NeoZeo 7/18/09

08/24/2006, 12:30 PM	#5
pjhaddock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 466	Yeah, that is why I am unsure about how many to drill into the back, I dont want them all over the top. I know I am taking atleast one of the returns over the top to the front center that is T'd to either side. If I have too many returns I will not have any velocity, not enough returns and I am just losing flow to restriction..... __________________ Philip Jacksonville, FL 120G with 40G Sump Current Tank Info: 120G AGA RR

08/24/2006, 06:20 PM	#6
pjhaddock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 466	OK, well I have decided to stick with 3 holes in the back across the top for part of the CL. Next thing to decide, use both the 1" & 3/4" in the overflow for drain, and drill a 3/4" in the overflow at the top for the main pump return, or use the 1" for drain and the 3/4" for return? I dont "PLAN" to run more than 300gph or so through the overflow. I feed my skimmer directly from the overflow and am concerned that i would not be able to balance two overflow drains and keep them consistant enough...??? __________________ Philip Jacksonville, FL 120G with 40G Sump Current Tank Info: 120G AGA RR

08/24/2006, 10:44 AM	#4
silverwolf72 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lake Forrest CA Posts: 1,732	If you have a canopy you might want to consider an over the top return, that way if you don't like something you can always change it perty easy. I'm doing the 2 1 1/2 drains on mine also the same as you described.

08/24/2006, 07:10 PM	#7
frank2926 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: phila Posts: 1,645	My only advice is to put the drain for the CL as close to the top as you can but low enough that it wont go dry when you do a water change. I found that I really needed to clean the intake screens alot when i first set up my tank > Rock curing and things like that really gather on that screen> I was very glad that my intake was only about 8 inches from the top of the tank.

08/24/2006, 07:33 PM	#8
exoticaquatix Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: baltimore, MD Posts: 536	can you order a 120 with either 1 or 2 overflows? the one ill be ordering has 2 but i might go with the one if i can. id like to be able to have a lopsided aquascape and just have to hide one of those bulky plastic things. i was also considering a CL but might just go over the top to simplify moving the tank in a couple years. you can always drill later, its alot harder to plug those holes up with out bulk heads every where. -nick __________________ This dude either has two glass eyes or he's wearing his patch on the wrong sa-sa-sa-side. -Aesop Current Tank Info: 120gal 500w MH 10K XMs 30g sump, MSX-200 skimmer, vortech MP40w and Tunze nanostreams; 9 gal, 29gal FW planted tanks