NEED OPINIONS - Custom 50g Acrylic Tank Plumbing

[Schwartzy]

Hello all, I have once again come to seek your advice and knowledge. I recently acquired a custom 50 gallon acrylic tank with a back wall overflow. (pictures are included below). This will be plumbed into a Trigger Systems Ruby 30 sump. I am looking at having this tank set up towards the end of this month when I move but I want to get the plumbing done now so that I can transfer my established 20L setup to the new system at that time.

So I am wondering, what do you think the best way for me to drill and plumb the overflow will be? I have thought about drilling the bottom of the overflow, or purhaps lower on the back wall of the tank. How would you guys do it?

I am also wondering what the best way to drill and plumb the returns would be. As you can see, the tank has two returns drilled through the overflow baffle. I thought about doing a straight drill through the back wall of the tank with a 90 degree on each side that would eventually meet up to the return side of the sump. My concern with this is that there could be less pressure to the output on the far side of the tank but maybe I'm wrong on my physics. I also considered doing a Y-fitting within the overflow and then going through a single hole through the bottom portion of the overflow and going directly through the stand into the return side. My ownly concern with this is that it would be a PAIN to try and plumb that in the minimal amount of space in the overflow section.

Sooo, what do you guys think?

 

[Schwartzy]

Bump

 

[Yamaha1634]

Are you planing on taking the pipe work through the bottom of the tank and through the top of the cabinet? Or the back wall of the tank and in the rear of the cabinet?

If you’re keeping the black weir that’s in there now then I would go for two holes through the base under each return, simple 90 in the weir section, then two 90s in the cabinet printing them together to a T in the centre for your pump. Would add a little head pressure but should give you both outlets with the same pressure.

Then for the drain, 2 or 3 holes in the centre of the weir base….

I’d like to keep it all out of sight and inside the tank/cabinet if it was me not that I’d ever fancy drilling a tank!

 

[Yamaha1634]

Wow… just seen how old this is! What did you do in the end?

 

[Schwartzy]

Wow… just seen how old this is! What did you do in the end?

Yeah I don't even have the tank any more lol

Ended up drilling through the back and used a couple of bulk heads to go straight to the returns. For the overflow and just did two holes straight down on the left side to go straight to the bulkheads on the sump