frag tank plumbing advice needed

[kirtdog]

I'm planning on setting up my frag tank again (pics attached). It appears to be an advanced acrylics tank. It has a hole for a 1" bulkhead in the bottom and a hole for a 1/2" bulkhead on the back in the overflow box. Any suggestions on a good way to plumb this one. Last time I had it set up, I ran a durso and used loc-line to run the return over the top of the overflow. I had some thoughts of plugging the 1/2" hole and drilling a new hole on the other side to us a 3/4" bulkhead. Maybe there is something I am missing here. I'm not sure if It was drilled wrong by the previous owner or how he had it setup.
All input is welcome and appreciated.Thanks in advance.

 

[tbrown]

Usually there is a hole on one side of the overflow for running the return I'm back to the tank but that's a fairly small amount of weirs and he probably didn't want to restrict the flow from the tank by blocking it with a bulkhead.

Running locline over the weir would be how I would run it. That would also help make it easier to use an RFG and the siphon break it offers

 

[kirtdog]

Usually there is a hole on one side of the overflow for running the return I'm back to the tank but that's a fairly small amount of weirs and he probably didn't want to restrict the flow from the tank by blocking it with a bulkhead.

Running locline over the weir would be how I would run it. That would also help make it easier to use an RFG and the siphon break it offers

thanks for the reply. do you think I should try to upsize the return to 3/4? The space is limited in there.

 

[tbrown]

thanks for the reply. do you think I should try to upsize the return to 3/4? The space is limited in there.

Depends on the size return pump you're planning on using. If you decide to use an RFG like the ones VCA makes you want to make sure you don't decrease the velocity too much.

https://vividcreativeaquatics.com/frequently-asked-questions/
Down in the FAQs there's the flow requirements for them to operate properly.

With the proper sized return pump you could upsize the return line to a 3/4" and then split it into (2) 1/2" RFGs.

 

[Bartanto]

I just did a 30x12x12*ish frag. Wish I would have drilled for a 3/4” return instead of 1/2”. If you go 3/4” will you put it opposite from overflow? That’s ideal for me. I don’t know what I’d do with that 1/2” hole, emergency drain?

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I second putting a 3/4 on the opposite side and using the 1/2 as an emergency drain. You could even open up the 1/2" to a 1" dependence on space.

 

[kirtdog]

I just did a 30x12x12*ish frag. Wish I would have drilled for a 3/4” return instead of 1/2”. If you go 3/4” will you put it opposite from overflow? That’s ideal for me. I don’t know what I’d do with that 1/2” hole, emergency drain?

that is exactly what I was thinking if I were to drill another hole for 3/4 return. I was thinking that instead of using a durso, I would do a Herbie style. I would use an elbow for the emergency drain or just leave the open bulkhead. I wasn't sure how well that would work. I think I may have a gate valve laying around that I could use to make it work.