is one overflow enuough

[cobraden]

I am about to start a build on a 150 gallon tank (60"x24"x24") that I picked up. It has one overflow box with a 1" drain. Should I add another overflow?

The plan is for this to be a SPS tank with a few softies and fish. I plan on running a pretty good flow through the system.

[ErikH]

You would be fine just as long as you watch your snails. Slow flow through your fuge/sump seems to work well as long as you have ample flow in your display from powerheads.

[cobraden]

Thanks ErikH,

If I decide to run a fuge, it will be a seperate system from the sump with it's own flow control.

As for powerheads, I'm still working on the how to manage the interal flow of the tank. I would like as much as reasonably possible to come from the return. I know I will have to use some powerheads but I want to keep that to a minimum since I really don't like seeing them in my display tanks. Those that I use will need to be hidden as best I can. I thought about closed loop but the more I looked at it the more I decided it was not for me.

[aquasport24]

What is the size of the return? with a 1" drain ,you want your return to be 1/2" and no bigger. You don't want to push out more water than the drain can handle.

[Bill S]

Since you are in the planning stages... Drains should be redundant - you should be able to easily drain 200% of your return AND you should have at least 2. Also, un-taxed drains are MUCH quieter.

[Big_Pun]

unless you are going closed loop, it will be difficult to get the proper flow you want for a sps tank without the use of power heads. one option might be a couple vortech mp40's or even one mp60 depending on your budget. did this tank come reef ready from manufacturer or was it drilled by previous owner, usually aquarium manufacturers use 1 1/2" drains.

[StevenSeas]

Since you are in the planning stages... Drains should be redundant - you should be able to easily drain 200% of your return AND you should have at least 2. Also, un-taxed drains are MUCH quieter.

I agree with this. If able this is a great way to go and plan for. Redundancy can save you in the event one drain clogs or something else happens. Also a 1" drain can do about 300 gph WITHOUT creating suction making it much quieter than if you tried to run it at 600 gph.

Also if you are wanting the return pump to do as much flow as possible why not think about either a closed loop or closed loop with a manifold?
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pbh2oret.htm
I did this with my girlfriends 75 I set up. However I did it just for the return line and not a closed loop. I was able to Hide the PVC behind the trim so you cant see it at all without looking up through the tank (she has a canopy.) With that hooked up on a mag 9.5 even it is giving good distribution of flow.... but not enough because its not hooked up to a closed loop with a heavy duty pump on it. I even thought about putting a SCWD on it and capping the flow on each half so that the flow would switch back and forth from each side.
http://www.3iqventures.com/
http://www.melevsreef.com/closedloop.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=133tgjyPIyQ&feature=related

[StevenSeas]

OOO and you gotta love the 80s feel of the youtube video lol

[Scream311]

The SCWD is Awesome. Thought about getting one myself awhile back

[cobraden]

The tank was drilled by the previous owner. The holes are 1-3/4" and he was using a 1" drain. I don't know how big the hole in the tank would need to be to use a bulkhead for a 1.5 drain. I guess I will look into that.

I do think I will go ahead and drill the tank for another drain and return. Aggiereefer12, that manifold idea is just what I was thinking of doing but had not figured out how I was going to pull it off. Thanks for the link.

[StevenSeas]

No problem. If you have any questions about it or what I would have done differently dont hesitate to ask.