buzzy Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 hi how would be the best way to put the piping for the sump into a hex tank?could i get the holes drilled in the bottom of the tank through the stand so as too not see the piping as i want it to be a centre piece in a room,it will be 900l. would this be possible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 That's a tricky one buzzy, if you run it out the bottom of the tank you would normally have some kind of overflow, not just straight out the bottom. Would it be possible to have some kind of internal overflow, and camoflage with rock? Also, it is preferable to have the return near the top of the tank, although this may also be able to be done internally. This needs to be designed bearing in mind what will happen in the event of a power cut. Perhaps a "tower" of rock in the middle of the tank, with the pipework concealed inside it, and entering via a drilled bottom. The other way would be to run it straight out the bottom, and have some kind of ball stop that would cut in if the sump went higher than some particular level, although this arrangement would have more ways to fail than an overflow type set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 yeah a central overflow, will work the same as a corner overflow, just a bit tricky to get it standing up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy Posted January 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 i was thinking that i might have to put an overflow in the middle of the rock to camoflage it. the idea of haveing a tower of rock is sort of what i was looking at doing so might be able hide the overflow and piping with the rock.might have to look around at other peoples hex tanks to get an idea,and have a think on how to do an internal return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_from_nz Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 use a smallish outlet piping (say 25-32mm) going straight up cap the end of it just above the surface and drill holes in the piping at the height you want the water level to sit (make sure you drill lots of holes so you get enough water flow) then sleve larger piping around this that has holes drilled in it and cable tie the rocks to it so they go to the top without falling down. the bulkhead should hold the outlet pipe semi stable and then the pipe with rocks cabel tied can be stabelised with your other rocks surrounding it. Good luck, Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy Posted January 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 does any one have any ideas on how to make the overflow work?if i have the return comming through the bottom of the tank and up inside the rock will the flow in the tank be affected? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_from_nz Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I doubt it would make that much of a difference (talking from no experience though), It would look nice though being concealed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 You mean something like this Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Just don't ask me how that overflow works! :lol: Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 "Pinnicles" are great!! They make fantstic dive sites they have an abundance of wildlife. But i think you might be thinking of a "slightly" smaller scale than i am I am sure it would make a great looking tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Very cool! Good research Layton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy Posted January 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 cheers Layton thats pretty much what im thinking of, but think i need to think about making it a bit less complex,can i get one like Pies put in his big tank and cover it in rock in a sort of pyrimid shape the tank will be a bit smaller than the one in the pic do you suggest putting in a closed loop for flow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 You could probably do something like a single topped off pipe with just small holes drilled around it every few inches all the way to the top. That'd give you a bit of current through the rock all the way to the bottom, in theory. Then just add a bunch of extra holes near the top like Dan's suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Do you know the dimensions of the tank you are going to have? If you notice in the pics I posted, the holes in the bottom need to be spaced out so that they don't weaken the base too much. You could do what pies did, having an overflow in the middle, a round acrylic pipe running top to bottom in the centre with laser cut grate at the top would look good. Then you need a return hole. A closed loop would be good, but you probably don't have enough room to do one, plus in a roundish tank, its easy to set up a constant swirl of water, you need to make it a but more random so this doesn't happen. Maybe feed the return out of the top of the tank and have it running a couple of seaswirls. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy Posted January 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 hi the tank will be a hex and each panel length will be 60cm and the height will be 80cm so i think i will be about 4ft across the tank.im gonna take my time and do a lot of research on this to get it right the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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