Help With Plumbing a Reef Tank

[mpcolson]

I am trying to rekindle my interest in salt water aquariums. I had one nearly 20 years ago and after 2 wives thought I'd go at it again. (Fish don't ask for alimony! ha ha)

As you can imagine things have really changed in the hobby and no longer do you use a under gravel filter and power heads. SO... I surfed around and bought a 55 gal "Reef Ready" pre-drilled tank with accompaning 15 gallon matching sump.

I'm a fairly handy guy with tools and mechanical things so I thought I could head to Barnes and Noble and get things going no trouble.

Seems I am now overly educated on tank chemistry and all the various compionents that attach to the sump from UV sanitizers to chillers.. BUT not a single book, CD nor DVD has explained the simple process of how to get the water from THE TANK to THE SUMP!

This tank has two pre drilled bulk heads, one is 2 3/4 and the other 2 1/2. I am assuming the feed is gravity fed. But I am not sure enough to risk 55 gallons of salt water and 120 pounds of live rock on a hunch.

Can anyone DRAW ME A PICTURE... So to speak so I can get this party started? I have an EV-120 Skimmer from AQUA-C and a 15 watt UV sanitizer I inherited from a friend that is probably too big but I think I can get it to work.

The 2 pumps I have are Danner Model 5 (500 GPH) for the skimmer and a Model 9.5 (950 GPH) for the Main unit I was going to use it with a Tee Off to run the UV filter with a gate valve to control the flow to the UV on a separte curcuit.

Total hieght of the cabinet to the tank is 30 inches so there is no that much rise.. a little over a yard.

Post if you need any other information to help me ... I would truly apppreciate the inpute.

Signed,
Stumped in Sooner State

[saxman]

You mention that the tank is drilled...does it have an overflow installed (corner, central, external), or do you simply have a tank with a couple of holes in it? Also, I'm thinking that the holes are hole ID's and not bulkhead (BH from now on) ID's, am i correct?

A pic of the tank and the sump would be super if you can swing it.

[mpcolson]

The pre-drilled holes are in a built in overflow compartment in the tank. It is tucked in the corner. I would send a pic but since I have no camera with flash and no tank light yet, nothing I have taken is worth posting. Sufice to say I DID order a REEF TANK configeration. I think the larger hole should be treated as a drain hole and drop a pipe to the sump.

The ID sizes of the bulkheads are 1- 1/2 and 1" they are grey PVC threaded inside and out. Rubber gasket on the tank side. I have dry fitted the large side with a drop line to the sump that is inside the sump tank 2 inches deeper than the top. I used teflon tape to secure leakage on the threaded fitting.

My Skimmer will be in the sump running off a Mag-5 pump per AQUA-C specs, the pump came with the unit. The main pump will be a Mag-9.5. it will run the UV and return for now and possibly a chiller down the road.. I plan to Tee off the UV to regulate the flow and return it directly to the sump.

MAINLY I just am concerned I am starting the sump with that "drain line" so I don't flood out the sump.

[CarmieJo]

Hi Matt and to TR! When you fill the tank don't turn the pump on and note the water level in the sump. As long as the return (where the water comes back into the tank) doesn't get submerged any deeper in the tank the water in your sump won't get any higher when the power is off. I use a Sharpie and mark the high (pump off) and low (pump on) water level in my sump.