Saltwater Aquarium Project, 65 gallon - Overflow and Sump Design (part 1)
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- Опубликовано: 7 янв 2012
- Part 1 of my 65gal reef aquarium project.
This video shows my overflow and return plumbing and the design of my 30gal sump with refugium. 
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So many useful tidbits here. Love the white interior sump space. Man that makes sense!
Hi Joe!
I've seen a lot of tanks designs on youtube about seawater tanks. But what you do here makes me happy. Simple, very.. verrryy neat and easy to understand. I plan to set up the salt water tank next week and i will use your aquarium design. Thanks a lot dude! Excellent!
Thanks and good luck with your build!
Joe, I like the design of your skimmer and plan on doing one for my 55 soon. Thanks for the great video!
Great setup, I love how neat all the piping is.
This video is simple to the point superbly informative I appreciate it.
I love the design. I replicated it on my tank. In addition to keeping my holes away from the edge of the glass, using the double elbow set up allowed me to fine tune how level my bar was in relation to the water's surface. I just wish there was a way to avoid hearing the water moving down the pipes. I will be trying to modify it to gain 100% silence before trying another method due to hole placement on the back of my tank. Thank you for the great video, lots of info to use.
Great setup- thanks for sharing. I love the stand with the white interior- the whole thing just looks sharp.
Thanks!
Joe, your project is very inspirational! Looking forward to starting my Reef Project soon! I'll watch all your videos a copuple more times and I'll have some questions for you. THANKS! :)
Hey thanks for the response. Glad to hear it's been working well for you. I can understand the feeling of drilling holes in your tank, I'm interested to see how it goes with mine. I'll keep in mind your ideas when putting mine together. My tank will be a room divider in my basement remodel which will hopefully be completed this summer. Designing and building the sump as well. Thanks again. Looking forward to seeing your completed project as well.
Love the design, very inspiring.
Great Work!! I applied this overflow technique to my 46g bow front, and it works great! Thanks!! The only thing I did differently is I only used 2--90d street elbows directly into the bulkheads because I do not plan on moving the waterline.
this design is so amazing
DOPE!!! 1st time I have seen a skimmer bar and excited to see final product. -Murica
Just finished mine a few days ago. Did my inside pipes black . Love it a lot works great
Never did tank plumbing.Tried this method and it works flawlessly.Simple and effective.Thank You.Subbed
Glad it helped!
Nice job! So many people don't plan their tanks and end up disappointed. Good example. Never seen a skimmer overflow like that before. Have to keep that in mind.
Thanks Gene. It's been working great, I'd say even better than expected. It's fairly quiet which was my main concern. The only thing I'd consider doing different next time would be drilling the drain holes closer to the top of the tank so that you only need 2 elbows, not 4. This would make the overflow bar even less visible, but this requires you to be very accurate with your glass drilling because the holes will then set the height of the water level. Continues...
Excellent setup, Very impressive.
Excellent design. If return was higher, drill a hole to break siphon is case of return pump failure and you won't lose any pump power.
Thanks. This is a good question - come to think of it, I'm surprised this hasn't been asked yet. A circular saw blade is nearly the perfect width at 1/8", but it's tricky and a bit dangerous for cutting a round pipe...a mitre saw would help hold the pipe. A router could also be used (with 1/8" bit) but you also need a router table. I used a tool similar to Dremel's Multi-Max. I drew my slot on the pipe then put it in a vise and slowly cut out the slot, it took about 30min and worked great.
Very informative. I have that same skimmer, but the next size up. I love it. It's a beast.
Love the design its clean.
thank you for posting this video. it was very helpful
Beautiful setup! Very Inspiring!
Appreciate the reply. My focus is to insure that the holes are dilled as parallel to each other as possible to insure that the surface skimmer bar be absolutely level for optimum drainage. This was what I should have explained better in my 1st post, sorry. I have a laser level and will use it but without the normal center drill bit as found on wood hole saws, I worry about keeping my drilled holes accurate.
Thanks again. Exceptionally clear video, btw. Nice, sharp and well lit. Thank you again!
Thanks. I'd love to see a video when you're done. You may want to consider using an ATO for daily water changes, i.e. replace 2 gal per day. If I were building a setup >100gal I would definitely go this route. Good luck!
Like the design of the pvc skimmer bar, neat idea. My only qualm with this setup is the dimensions of the tank. But hey if you like it, thats all that matters.
Thanks for the comment Deepcover - your concern is certainly valid. I will include a skimmer bar inspection in my daily/weekly maintenance routine. Given the 20+ inches of drain I will have plenty of warning if algae starts to fill in the slit. I know a guy that's been using this type of overflow for several years without issue. Notwithstanding, your comment has given me the idea to run a test to determine how much of the slit can be covered while still fully draining the return pump flow. Thx!
Thanks so much, this was the most helpful video
Great Vid, lots of outstanding info. I am going to use some of you ideas. Thanks
Thanks. I bought the check valve from "PVC Store" in Ottawa. It's a fairly small store and I'm not sure if they do mail orders but the owner/operator is pretty nice so you can probably work something out. Ball-style check valves are also pretty readily available through a number of online plumbing retailers. Good Luck.
I'm about to start a 65 gal with my own build so amazing ideas
Glad to hear it!
LOVE THIS CONCEPT . THE DESIGNING IS DIFFERENT AND I LIKE IT . WILL BE USING THE SAME DESIGNING FOR MY REEF TANK ... THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEOS....
Simple and effective. I like it
Nice setup
Very good design
can't wait to see more videos
Hello again. Gave this a try - cut the skimmer slit with two thin cut dremel blades - didn't surface skim - but didn't overflow the display tank either. Cut it wider with the 1/8" routing bit and the pipes fill up on me - but it skims near the drain outlets. Going to try again with 1 1/2 " pipe, fittings and a 1/4" slit.
Thanks. I bought the check valve from "PVC Store" in Ottawa, Ontario. It's a fairly small store and I'm not sure if they do mail orders but the owner/operator is pretty nice so you can probably work something out. Although ball-style check valves are not overly common if you keep searching online you'll eventually find them (I've seen them but I can't recall where). Good Luck.
very nice work......need ppl like you on my new forum
brilliant!
Hi Liam. The skimmer bar has been working even better than I had expected...I have absolutely no debris floating anywhere on the surface, and I've found that the bar only requires a quick pass with my cleaning brush every 4 weeks due to very little build-up, but it helps that I have my light closer to the front of the tank so that there's no direct light over the bar. Thanks for watching - I hope to have an update posted soon.
Very nice design...different, too. One thing I'm seeing in almost all these online videos...Much detail in what parts are used, glues, silicones and bulkheads. However, you've chosen to accept the fact that most folks already have this down and want to know more, "how-to". I'm seting up a 72 bowfront and have decided to drill the back and follow your lead. The Eshopps 1000 overflow goes on eBAY, lol.
I'd like you to explain more on how you arrived at your drill placements for the surface drain.
I might use this idea thanks man!
I made a template out of 1/4" plywood. Drill through it with your diamond bit then position it where you want your holes and cut the wood flush with both edges of the glass (side edge and top edge). Cramp it in place while you start your hole so the bit doesn't skate. Flip is over when you're doing the opposite side and the holes will be perfectly symmetrical.
Thanks. Drill the holes as close to the glass edges as your constitution will allow - you could even try to drill close enough that you don't need the vertical 90 deg elbows (just the two horizontal elbows) so that the skimmer bar is higher and less visible...but remember that the closer you get the greater the risk of cracking the glass. Good luck!
Like because it just looks like a clean design/ build. I'm about to be setting up a 60Gal FW.
Continuation...
In my case, the extra elbows allow you to adjust the water level. Also, it takes nerves of steel to drill thru tank walls that close to the top (the risk of cracking the glass goes up the closer you get to the edge). Good luck with your 125g. Be sure to post your video link so I can check it out, and keep an eye out for my second video coming in a couple weeks.
Thanks. The water flow noise will reduce after the system has been running for a few months (the inside walls of the piping develop a coating). To reduce the air intake noise (gurgling) try sticking a piece of small tubing (8in long) in to one (or both) ends of the skimmer bar such that it extends well into the 90 degree elbows. Leave about an inch sticking up above the water level and the air will enter the plumbing through this little tube rather than through the skimmer bar with the water.
I'm not a proponent of UV sterilizers in reef tanks, but I believe those who use them typically install it before the skimmer so that the skimmer has an opportunity to remove the decay before it enters the display tank. Good luck!
I made one of these overflows for my 75 I did it a little different then yours I cut my slots on a 45deg angle and have roughly 12 foot of skimming from a 4foot tank. Also I set my drains up like a bean animal.I really like your setup and if you want to see mine go to my channel under test run, Thumbs up!!
MrRvbrown
Very Neat!
Hi oxbrit. The centre of each hole is 6.0" from the very top of the tank, and 4.25" from the edge. I made a template out of 1/4" plywood and gently clamped it flush with the top rim and edge of the glass. This makes it MUCH easier to start the glass hole and also ensures that your holes are perfectly symmetrical. Go slow, use very little pressure (just the weight of your drill), and lots of water. Good luck!
Very clean..I will follow subscribed
Cutting the slot is tricky. I used an oscillating cutter like the Dremel Multi-Max. I drew on the slot and slowly cut it out. I figure a compound (sliding) miter saw would also work if you braced the PVC well. I suggest making the whole skimmer assembly (bar + four 90-degree elbows) before you do any drilling. Duct tape the assembly exactly where you want it then mark the hole locations. Make sure the edge of the holes is at least 2" from any glass edge to reduce the risk of breaking. Good luck!
I like it good shit man
Thanks. Check out my part 2 & 3 and update video to see how the skimmer overflow bar has been working, but long-story-short I'm very pleased with the skimmer bar even after 15 months of use. No problems at all. Good luck with your tank build. p.s. my 65gal build was an upgrade from a 46gal bowfront too!
What size loc line did you use for the return ? Thanks
@@twinreefs7025 It was either 1/2" or 3/4", either would work depending on your desired velocity of the exiting water. Suggest buying both with a threaded fitting so you can swap and see which you prefer.
The external dimensions are 43"l x 22.5"w x 35"h, the top platform overhangs by about 1.5". The interior is the external dimensions minus the thickness of a 2"x4" and the 1/2" outer paneling. It's all 2x4" and MDF. They're very easy to build, all you really need is a circular saw. One tip though - leave as much room as you can between the top of the sump and the underside of the top platform....or better yet, put your sump behind the wall rather than under your display tank! Good luck!
repost from reef central:
Calc from your second video .6875 sq inches(5.5" x 1/8") per 280 gph.
then 1500 gph would require a slit with 3.68 sq inches.
That would be a 1/8" slit with a total length of 30 inches.
in a 4 foot tank - that leaves 34" of available skimmer bar slit divided by two pipes (with 4.25 sq inches of skimmer bar slit). That should support and fully surface skim 2000 GPH.
Just in the top.
Wonderful setup! Besides the bulkhead and nylon for the return, what other pieces are you using right after the bulkhead? Please respond! Thanks (:
Nice setup. My 90 gallon was already drilled and had a DIY sump that came with it. I have vids of it on my channel.
Do yourself a favor and go with the glass. I fit my plexi to tight on my first sump and it flexed, swelled, and cracked the glass. Water was everywhere. Great looking set up really like the skimmer bar.
If anyone uses acrylic for baffles, be sure to make the acrylic more narrow than the width of the tank before sealing.. acrylic will eventually expand in water, and will bust your glass sump
How well did this plumbing work put for you? I think this seems to be the best option overflow for the cost. I want to just use 2 pvc tubes with elbows cause it wont skim the water efficiently.
Yes, the skimmer bar is gravity fed. It is not a full siphon, but rather a drain. 1" dia PVC pipe can drain approx. 500gph. Use this area/gph conversion to calculate how much slot needs to be cut then double it so you have a decent amount of flood protection. I installed 3/4" loc-line tubing to direct the return flow as desired. Check out the part 2 video and you'll find more detailed answers to these questions. Good luck.
(tank is doing great - update coming soon!)
Your design is awesome, thanks for sharing! Definitely going to be using it for my next tank. Where did you purchase your check valve from? Can't seem to find one similar to yours. Thanks again Joe K...
its been a while since you posted, but maybe you can answer some newbies question> I am thinking of a similar design on a 29gal tank (30inch long). You think 2 overflows would be overkill on a design like that? Is the skimmer bar obtrusive to look at? (would maybe put overflow holes in the middle, and then return on the end) Why drain unskimmed water in to the refugium?
You can make them whatever size you want, just note that the water level will always be above the lower baffle, and below the top baffle. Best to decide on the ideal water level in your sump then size the baffles accordingly. I suggest that you keep the water level in the sump at least 2 inches from the top of the tank (I keep mine at 5 inches). Also beware that you can always raise the skimmer in the sump, but you can't lower it. Good luck!
Hello from over the pond Joe,I'm looking into starting a saltwater tank really like your set up,I noticed your video is a few years old now,just wondering do you still run this system or have you made any changes? thanks for sharing.
I ran this system for about 3 years without any issues, then I moved and was forced to sell. The only substantial difference I would make is to mount the sump behind a wall (if possible) rather than in the cabinet, just for ease of access. Good luck!
The low water level makes it easier to work in the sump. The sump's water level could certainly be a couple inches higher but then I'd have to be more careful when I'm pulling the skimmer and sock in/out for cleaning. Good question.
Hi LittleReef. I'll post my estimated drain flow rate soon (per my Deepcover response). As far as evaporation goes, when you're running a sump the water level concern is in the sump; the return pump will always keep the display tank at the level of your overflow. I lose about 500ml a day in this setup (there are a number of factors that play into this number). I may introduce an auto-top-up but for now I can live with manually topping-up until the tank matures. Good luck with your drilling.
great set up, i like how clean you were able to set up your plumbing, i hate how some people set up their tank and it looks beautiful in side the tank, but when you look around it, they have a massive culster f@#$ of pipes, hoses, and wires. but overall you did a great job. i was also wondering where you picked up your check valve
Hey man, really like this setup... Just bought a 4' slim style 65 gal. Tank. Looking to plumb mine the same way as you did with a 30 gal sump. I have a mag 18 pump... Which will pump 1800ghp (minus head loss and sump will be in room behind wall from main tank) maybe +/- a foot of horizontal length pipe to account for wall. I know this pump is over kill. I plan on splitting the return line into 2 areas because I know it's going to be a lot of movement, however do you think it will work with this much of a powerful pump? Should I use same size pvc & slot? Or should I look at getting another pump? I got a really good deal on this pump and dont want to get rid of it unless I really need to. Plus I figured maybe I won't need 2 power heads inside the main tank.. What you think? Thanks!
Just bought my new 80 gallon doing the same overflow idea :) just different return and sump
I love that over flow surface skimming idea.. how did that work out for you over the years.. just in the process of expanding mine to a sumped up version
It's still up and running and working great. No floods, but the closest call I've had was due to a dirty check valve. Make sure you clean out your check valve every few months!
Thanks. The skimmer bar has been working flawlessly for over a year now. Check out my other videos for more details (part 2, part 3, and the 12 month update).
I like the stand design! i would like to build one myself. if you don't mind what are the dimensions and what did you use to build it? I have a 55 gal tank and i don't have a hole lot of room so i would like to put a sump underneath in the cabinet. I would really appreciate it!!
The design of your hole set up is by far the best i have seen i watched all 4 of your videos would like to see updates
when I dumped directly from tank into ref i noticed alot of detritus on the sand bed ..are you seeing this too?
Great plan and design. Just wondering how this has been working for you? Planning on doing this same thing with a 125 gallon Marine aquarium, so your video was great to see. Mine will be visible from both sides so the drain holes will be drilled on the ends with the return dropped down in the center. Thanks.
mdf is probably the most water absorbing material ever. Great for speaker box, bad for aquarium stand.
Agreed, but you can't beat the price and a couple coats of paint go a long way to provide water resistance. But I wouldn't go making a canoe out of the stuff..
You're correct that some unskimmed water is pumped back into the display tank thus reducing the overall inefficiency of my sump, but the benefit is that the unskimmed water in the refugium improves macroalgae growth. It's a bit of a paradox - the concept is that the increase in macroalgae growth offsets the reduction in efficiency. It is a very small % of the display tank water that is routed directed to the refugium, maybe 2-3%. The ball valve allows me to control it, or shut if off completely.
Excellent video. Going to be drilling my 150 gallon next week all being well. Have been juggling the idea to go through the base or through the back, your video has swayed me now ;)
Two questions, what sort of flow are you getting from the skimmer bar? the slit doesnt appear very big and its hard to see how much water would be pulled through it.
Do you plan on using an auto top up as the skimmer bar appears close to the surface and wouldnt allow for much in the way of evaporation?
Issue with your design is the placement of your return line. if you lose power, your tank will drain to the level of the return hole. (below your skimmer bar) If your sump will not hold that much additional water from your tank, it will be all over your floor. An idea would be have your return line drilled to the same level as your skimmer bar to reduce the amount of back flow into the sump if/when power is lost. Also, setting up a couple gate valves on your skimmer bar lines near the sump will allow you to set up a siphon "herbie" system which is silent. No gurgling or splashing.
Thanks for the comments. There's a check valve in the return line that prevents water from siphoning down to the sump in the event of power loss. I also had my return pump connected to a UPS power backup. No floods in the 3 years that this system was up and running. You could drill the return a bit higher but that would mean more ball-socket tubing (not shown until my later videos) to force the return water to the lower half of the display tank so you're not just skimming the return water.
thanks for the help a uv sterilizer to my sump. where would you take the water from.and where would you add it back?
Thanks for the reply. Last question - how much of this did you glue versus just fitting together? I imagine you didn't glue the pipes that make up your skimmer bar, yes?
Good video man! What's the reason for the I skimmed line coming into the refugium?
+Mike Lemming The idea is that you feed the refugium some unskimmed water to aid in macro algae growth, particularly if you have an effective skimmer. I had at most 5% of the skimmed water going directly to the refugium leaving the other 95% for the skimmer.
You can either do the math on the drain capacity, or use trial+ error (make a skimmer bar and test it). I cover the drain capacity in detail in my part 2 video.
What size bulkheads did you use for the two intakes and what size for the return?
nice set up sir . I'm assuming your effluent with have a directional head to aim downward for better circulation . I'm looking to set my freshwater up almost the same way . do you think this would work ok for fresh ? any suggestions ? thanks
I have used overflow boxes and wet dry filters on my African Cichlid tanks for over 18 years. No reason this won't work on freshwater. Your sump/wet dry filter may be a little different. Bulkreefsupply.com is the go to place for Schedule 80 PVC (the grey pipe) although you can pain't white Sch40 with black spray paint. I use the cheapest I can find at the dollar store. Let it sit out for a week or so and it's fine for freshwater use.
Just wondering how loud is the noise from your overflow? I really like your plumbing setup but I was also looking into Herbie silent method, so just wondering your thoughts on that. Great series!
Thanks. You can hear the water running down the pipes but I wouldn't say it's loud or irritating. The Herbie, or similar Bean Animal, overflows create a full-siphon and can be 'tuned' to be perfectly silent. Keep in mind though that if your sump is under your display tank then you're going to have noise coming from the skimmer and return pumps, and maybe your circulation pumps depending on what you're using. If your sump is in a different room then the silent overflow would make sense.
What if you didn’t lut the skimmer bar and just used the elbows? Would it work? Would it make more noise? Nice setup by the way
Thanks. It would still work but it would be noisy (gurgling) and you'd lose the surface skimming.
What size is the input line and why is it smaller, were you looking for more pressure and why?
Awesome design. I am thinking about applying the same design to a 120 gal system. Question - what and/or how did you use to cut the pipe slits for your skimmer bar?
Thanks Joe. where you got that check valve? i have a comon one and im more then sure im losing more then %40 of the streng of my pump ):
I bought my check valve at a small plumbing shop in town. Google "PVC ball check valve" and you'll find some online options.
Two one inch drain pipe that merge into a single one inch connection is the equivalent of having a single one inch drain. That in it self can restrict the total flow possible for that setup.
They don't connect
So I have been battling with this in my head and thought I would ask you. How do you make sure that your skimmer bar sucks enough water down so that your return pump does not over flow the tank.
do you have any thoughts on the suggestion below made by MrRvbrown. And that suggestion is to cut slits at 45deg angle along the horizontal overflow tube, instead of the one 1/8"straight slot that you have on. your design? I like your setup as long as the sound coming from the dual overflows is barely noticeable - as it appears very muffled in you video. thanks.
45deg slots would work, a pattern of holes would work too, just make sure that the area of your cutouts is equal to or greater than the area of your drain lines (so you're not restricting the flow). Also be careful not to use too small of holes/slots as they will clog quicker.
Where did you get that check valve? Awesome setup! I’m trying to make my own tank kind of like this.
Thanks. I bought the check valve locally and the store is no longer around. They're fairly common so you should be able to find it online. Good luck.