Return line to loc-line

[phish1627]

I am building my first reef tank (40 gallon breeder with sump). My tank has a canopy with a hole in the back left for the return line. I am working on the plumbing and have plans to run 3/4” pvc from the pump up the back of the tank to the hole in the canopy.

Should I use a pvc elbow to route the line through the hole in the canopy and then add loc-line?

Should I start with a 3/4” to 1/2” adapter and then tubing then nozzles?

Any tips on placement etc for a 40 gallon breeder with the return coming from on corner of the tank?

 

[Jamie814]

Is this a hole or a cutout in the canopy? If you run the line through a hole you will have to remove the plumbing every time you want to take the canopy off.

I"d just stick with 3/4" loc-line, why downsize and restrict the flow?

What kind of overflow do you plan on using? Sounds like the tank is not drilled.

 

[mfinn]

Is this a hole or a cutout in the canopy? If you run the line through a hole you will have to remove the plumbing every time you want to take the canopy off.

This is what I'm wondering.
Or is the hole in the back of the tank wall?
If it's actually the canopy, then I would cut a new spot and remove the wood so you can lift the canopy off, with out messing with the return line.
With my return it's a 2" piece of pvc with a 90 before it goes into the bulkhead fitting and on the inside I have a loc line Y that goes into two 1/2" fans.

 

[RocketEngineer]

I ran 1” up to the tank then used a 90 and a 45 elbow to get it to hook on the tank rim. A 1” socket to 3/4” threaded insert in the 45 elbow and the loc-line screwed into that.

 

[phish1627]

Is this a hole or a cutout in the canopy? If you run the line through a hole you will have to remove the plumbing every time you want to take the canopy off.

I"d just stick with 3/4" loc-line, why downsize and restrict the flow?

What kind of overflow do you plan on using? Sounds like the tank is not drilled.

It is a cutout, not a hole, so I would still be able to get the canopy off.

I had read a post about going from 3/4” to 1/2” on smaller size tanks but wondered the same thing about restricting flow etc but wasn’t sure if I was missing something

I did drill a hole through the tank, using a herbie overflow setup but the return is setup to go through a cutout in the canopy (bought the cabinet and canopy used and this is how it was setup previously)

 

[phish1627]

I ran 1” up to the tank then used a 90 and a 45 elbow to get it to hook on the tank rim. A 1” socket to 3/4” threaded insert in the 45 elbow and the loc-line screwed into that.

I was thinking of doing something similar to this. Would you mind sharing the type of threaded insert you used?

 

[Jamie814]

I did drill a hole through the tank, using a herbie overflow setup but the return is setup to go through a cutout in the canopy (bought the cabinet and canopy used and this is how it was setup previously)

Personally, since your already comfortable drilling the tank, I would drill the return line through the tank and use a kit like this,

Loc Line Return Kit, 3/4"

 

[RocketEngineer]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Charlotte-Pipe-3-4-IN-X-1-2-IN-SCH40-REDUCER-BUSHING/5012477593#no_universal_links

Something like this. They are WAY easier to find in person since you can check it’s the right kind much easier vs pictures online.

The idea is the outside gets glued into the socket of the 45 elbow and then the loc-line threads into the inside.