Quote Originally Posted by ansonluna
Really I appreciate all your input. I don't want another water world in my apartment.
NaCl:
1) the open pvc pipe is just temp. I have screens to put on the end.
An overflow box provides surface skimming. The "Gunk" on the water surface is drawn into the overflow box due to the surface tension of the water. With just screens on the pipe this gunk won't get pulled off the top of the water.

2) I don't understand this number (I'll look of the Calfo), how can I make the bulkheads lower or the drains lower? I'm not getting that.
What I meant was cap these bulkheads and drill others lower or in the botom of the tank - that's probably not realistic , right? I'm not sure how to solve this one? You really need Durso standpipes to eliminate the water drain noise. With just straight pipes, even if you add an overflow box in front of them, it will sound like a toilet flushing 24x7. You may be able to do an external durso type standpipe? I attached a really bad drawing! :oops:
3) I tried to get the 55 drilled, it was a no go. besides, there is no way to provide enough water to the dolphin with my setup, I realize that now. Thats why I was gonna try that closed loop scenario, otherwise the water would flow though the sump/fuge like rageing rapids.
Hum, I gotta think if you got two 1" drains working properly they would be enough for the Dolphin, but the flow through the sump would definately be "brisk"! How about you sell the Dolphin on MAAST and get a good submersible pump (Eheim) for your sump return? With your input to the Dolphin over the side, you run the risk of the pump not self priming after a power loss and buyrning out the pump - bummer!

4) I though with the drains I could have one to the sump fuge, and use the other bulkhead to atach to the dolphin and have it suck the water out of the tank from there.
The Dolphin is a HUGE overkill as a closed loop on a 125

5) the bulkheads are 1 inch, and by screwing ontop of the threading (instead of going inside the bulkhead) I have increased the ID to 1 1/2 inch.
Good, I couldn't ell the diameter from the pics. Are the PVC fittings inside the tank (other side of the bulkheads) 1" ID too?

6) tried the loop back to the sump with my original design and didn't work.
You would need two ball valves on either side of the Tee so you could adjust water flow to each.

7) don't have the room for a fuge.
Using a small portion of the 55g will be ok, just use a 1200 Maxijet or similar to pump water from sump to fuge and a **** betwen the fuge & sump so water can flow back to the sump area