Looking for People with experience with older Elos 120 tank

[ABruce]

I am setting up a used Elos 120 xl tank. Its about 10 years old and the overflow is different than the new ones I see on the web. My question is it has a 1and 1/4 drain pipe and a 1/2 inch return. The 1 and 1/4 drain has a broken fitting in the top which I am assuming was a valve to let air in to keep the drain quiet.
Does the single 1/2 inch return handle enough flow ?
Also how much water runs out of the overflow and into the sump? It looks to me like a fair volume will run back in the case of a pump stopping.
Anyone who could explain how they worked when they were new would be greatly appreciated.
thanks

 

[shookONES]

Personally, I’d convert both lines to drains and have your return come behind the back.

 

[chefjpaul]

Here is how I had mine. A few years ago.
I ran both return holes as return nozzles.

Yes, the 1/2 inch is fine.
Drain is adequate, look into a DIY for it, can get noisy, elos drain silencer.

Just need to play around with it until you get it dialed in.

 

[Big D]

Here is how I had mine. A few years ago.
I ran both return holes as return nozzles.

Yes, the 1/2 inch is fine.
Drain is adequate, look into a DIY for it, can get noisy, elos drain silencer.

Just need to play around with it until you get it dialed in.

Chef, can you elaborate on this a little more? The angled pipe pictured above, does it go on the bulkhead for the drain? And if so, how did you manage to fit it into the space behind the slotted plastic cover?

This older Elos drain setup is a lot different than anything I've dealt with before. The pvc box that the drain pipe connects to has a hole in the top with a fitting like @ABruce mentioned. Not sure what the purpose of the fitting is as it has a hole in it too. Mine makes a whirling sound from the air being pulled in and has a gurgle every now and then.

Any help would be appreciated... there's very little info to be found on them.


D

 

[jporter17]

I’m interested in this drain mod as well. JP

 

[chefjpaul]

It slips into the drain. DIY.just need to make it narrow enough for the grate.

Once in, adjust until you get no more gurgling sound

 

[jporter17]

Maybe I’m slow, but I still don’t get it. Do you remove the drain tube assembly and put that in the bottom? Any chance you can provide a picture of how and where it’s inserted? thanks.

 

[chefjpaul]

It goes in the top drain hole. No need to remove anything. Behind the grate.

Don't have any pics, took that tank down a couple years ago.

It removed the air intake into the drain reducing the noise.

 

[blazerino]

I have the elos 100 with the old drain system. The drain system sucks to put it bluntly. You have to run pretty slow turnover through the sump to keep the noise down. I am running a reef octopus varios 4 pump at speed 2 to keep the noise down.

My noise doesn't actually come from the drain at the top through, it's all down in the sump from all the air that gets pulled through the drain line. I am using a trigger saphirre 26 sump so I didn't have room to do a reverse durso or anything like that in the sump. If you are using the stock sump you probably have room for a reverse durso.

 

[Big D]

I have the elos 100 with the old drain system. The drain system sucks to put it bluntly. You have to run pretty slow turnover through the sump to keep the noise down. I am running a reef octopus varios 4 pump at speed 2 to keep the noise down.

My noise doesn't actually come from the drain at the top through, it's all down in the sump from all the air that gets pulled through the drain line. I am using a trigger saphirre 26 sump so I didn't have room to do a reverse durso or anything like that in the sump. If you are using the stock sump you probably have room for a reverse durso.

I found this on another forum when I was searching for solutions. I’m pretty sure he had the same issue as you.

 

[Big D]

I’ve managed to quiet mine down a lot. I put a piece of soft silicone tubing into the fitting on top of the overflow box and tucked it behind the box so the cover will fit back on. The tube is about 5” long. I’m running a Vertex I-Supra sump, the return pump doesn’t push a crazy amount of water which I’m sure helps too. I’d like to go with a dc pump, but swapping over and maintaining some of the features built into the sump will be pretty difficult.

D

 

[ABruce]

Thanks everyone for the feed back, I have been a bit distracted but apparently I have more time to work on the tank due to Covid 19. . I think I will go with both lines as drains and add an over the back return at the other end, Tank got water today, and moved 100 lbs of live rock out of the other tank so it should cycle relatively quick

 

[DxSOR25]

the bottom of the tank overflow is open correct? basically the bulkheads are at the top of the tank where the return is and water does not get into the overflow box, rather down the overflow pvc drain and back up the tubing, but the box is dry. At least the old style. Theres no bulkheads at the bottom. Just confirming.

 

[Big D]

the bottom of the tank overflow is open correct? basically the bulkheads are at the top of the tank where the return is and water does not get into the overflow box, rather down the overflow pvc drain and back up the tubing, but the box is dry. At least the old style. Theres no bulkheads at the bottom. Just confirming.

Correct. The overflow area, for the most part, is a dry chamber that the drain and return lines are housed in. Definitely a unique design.

 

[DxSOR25]

yes I just picked up a 70 and noticed it. The newer ones changed that? looks like theres baffles all along the overflow in circle shapes. I wont be setting up the 70 anytime soon but def good to know some of the stuff said here.

 

[DxSOR25]

Okay so I have a question for the elos pros. The guy I picked up the 70 from is overing me a good deal on the midi which is the tank I originally wanted. It has a slight issue and I will have to figure a way out to get it to work properly. I could drill a return line in the glass but would like to try to figure out the best way with maybe drilling into the plastic or acrylic. Below will be a quote from him when he originally cracked the return pipe.

"
Here's the story: A few weeks ago I noticed a small leak in my return plumbing. So, I removed the threaded fitting, added some plumbers tape, and re-tightened the fitting using a wrench. YES, I'M A ***** and tightened the fitting too much. The piece cracked and got stuck inside the female side. I had to use a number of tools to get the piece out, along with frustration and cursing... but in the end, I got the piece out. However, I really messed up the female threads.

Now, let's throw a curve ball here.. the female side is not like a normal pipe that I can just simply move and replace. No. That would be easy. The female end is part of a large piece of custom PVC that is the main overflow. In order to take that out, I would need to drain the tank, remove the entire overflow, mess with the tank seals, etc, and put a replacement piece. Since this replacement is custom Elos, I'm sure it would be $$$$$$$$ ($200-300 at least).

I tried sealing off the return lines (in the tank) so that I could use an external pipe and just use the normal drain. It's not pretty but works. However, the fittings in the tank are quirky, and leak (plus they're not exactly high up in the tank). Anyway, there is still a small leak.

What should I do here? I have a few ideas but I'd like to hear from the group first.""

Attached is a picture he send me of the female threading.

Thanks.

 

[Big D]

Not familiar with that piece, it’s definitely different than what I have on my 120XL. On mine, the drain is a separate plastic “box” from the return fitting. It appears to be pvc though. Not sure if the hole size could be stepped up (drilled larger) and then rethreaded to fit a pipe you can find locally.

 

[DxSOR25]

Not familiar with that piece, it’s definitely different than what I have on my 120XL. On mine, the drain is a separate plastic “box” from the return fitting. It appears to be pvc though. Not sure if the hole size could be stepped up (drilled larger) and then rethreaded to fit a pipe you can find locally.

Thats what I was trying to figure. Ill have it tomorrow and can get a better look. I dont think it needs a bulkhead there just a pipe to go through it maybe. I believe this overflow box is a dry box as well.

 

[DxSOR25]

A few pictures of the top and the bottom of the overflow. Drain should be fine. The female threads are a lil chewed in a spot. My uncle seems to believe if we can match the size of the female thread that pvc cement should be able to make it not leak. Is the midi size the same return size as all elos tanks? And what size is it? All else fails maybe drill it bigger and retap or keep it close with silicone like previous owner had it and drill a return in the glass

 

[Big D]

You can guarantee it’ll be metric, so finding something to fit it is going to be challenging. That’s another pro to stepping it up and rethreading, you can change it to something available local. Since you're considering cementing a fitting in, another option would be to step the hole up and leave it smooth to match the outside diameter of the next size pvc pipe or threaded nipple.. something like this with one end cut off, then cemented i