Return(s) over the top?

[Saltwaterwill]

How many of you have returns over the top and into your tanks? Is it safe?
I have a sca 75g rimless that I'm thinking of doing a bean animal overflow system. The overflow box is setup with three holes for 1" bulkheads. If I use all three holes for a bean animal , I will be left with None for a return and Im definitely not interested in drilling out the back panel of a rimless tank. Any thoughts,pics, insights would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Marc.The.Shark]

I always do over the top returns. I generally use CPVC & then convert it to regular pvc with an adapter. If you have them close enuf to the top of the tank & your sump can handle the extra water, then nothing else you need to do. If they're lower, then just drill a 1/8" or 1/16" hole an inch or so under the waterline to break the siphon. Just clean out the hole periodically to make sure it doesn't get plugged, but I normally only do that once a year because water is always flowing out of it.

 

[TheEngineer]

I have a 50g SCA cube and I run an over-the-top return too. Mine comes with two drilled holes and I converted it to a herbie overflow.

 

[mfinn]

I've done a lot of tanks that had the over the top return.
My 50 is a over the top return.

 

[Pepcrylic]

I have over the top returns. I run 2, 1'' seaswirls.

 

[FL_Reefer]

They are great cause you can break the syphon at any level you choose. It really just comes down to your choice on how you want to do things

 

[Saltwaterwill]

Thank you everyone so far, feel free to post any pics of your return over the top plumbing.

 

[fragit]

I just finished my plumbing. Tank is a 120 peninsula, drilled for synergy overflow. It's 24" wide so not wide enough to drill for the returns. I've got a 1" sea swirl through the wall and over the top.

 

[Saltwaterwill]

I just finished my plumbing. Tank is a 120 peninsula, drilled for synergy overflow. It's 24" wide so not wide enough to drill for the returns. I've got a 1" sea swirl through the wall and over the top.

Very nice, sea swirls sounds like a great idea...so many options...

 

[tcarter1936]

Here's my 180,

 

[ReeferBob]

 

[justingraham]

I did over the top with two 3/4 sea swirls although big they are pretty awesome also look at melevs reef he has over the top with penductors I beleive they are called. So to answer ur question yes it can be done

 

[Saltwaterwill]

Thanks everyone ,Keep them pics coming! I'm concerning over the support of the over how I may /may not support the pvc

 

[justingraham]

And I would post a pic but my tank is being destroyed by hair algea as its been forgotten about for the last week as I have been battling a sickness with my fish and been paying more attention to the qt tank but I really like the seaswirls and I think with the way they connect to the glass u would not have a problem with ur tank being rimless what is ur return pump?

 

[4rings]

we have a return on the top in our 60 gallon, all good. I actually prefer that over the tall whole column over flow

 

[Saltwaterwill]

And I would post a pic but my tank is being destroyed by hair algea as its been forgotten about for the last week as I have been battling a sickness with my fish and been paying more attention to the qt tank but I really like the seaswirls and I think with the way they connect to the glass u would not have a problem with ur tank being rimless what is ur return pump?

That's unfortunate about your algae, good luck with your fish. I just purchased a Waveline 10000 DC return pump, 2853 gph

 

[justingraham]

That's unfortunate about your algae, good luck with your fish. I just purchased a Waveline 10000 DC return pump, 2853 gph

Well I am running two 3/4 sea swirls on a closed loop using a M1 which is at 2000 gph. Before I did that I had one 3/4 sea swirl connected to a little giant 4mdq as a return and the sea swirl was pretty much at its max without blowing water out of the o rings. So if ur going to go the sea swirl route which I think are great I would step up to a 1 inch instead of a 3/4 with all that Gph. If not and u want a lot of flow go the punductor route and I would have to look into ur pump but if ur pump can do say 800 gph at 21 feet u can put two penductors on facing each other and that can work as well. That's my plan for the little giant return pump. He's a pic of my cabinet which shows both pumps that have powered the sea swirls and the only thing worth looking at now that my tank looks like this

My pumps

 

[Breadman03]

Over the top is absolutely fine. I went through the glass on my build only because I wanted to simplify building a tight-fitting canopy in case I decided to go that route at some point in the future.

 

[willthethrill]

120g dual over top returns. Bean animal as well

 

[willthethrill]

On a side note, do u guys know why every time I post a pic it comes out blurry? These are hd quality iPhone pics and I select "best quality" when adding picture but any time I post a pic on here it looks like crap. As you guys can see lol