help with tank setup and ideas

[scuglass]

http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/6972/tanksetup22a9jx.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/5302/tanksetupjuly225ax.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
i am contimplating wheater or not to get an acrylic or a glass tank at this moment. the dementions i am think is either 48 long x 24 wide x 19 high
or 48 long x 19 wide x 19 high.

what thisckness of glass will i need with these dimentions, will glass be ok to drill 6 holes into ?

my closed loops will lead to an internal manifold in order to reduce the amount of holes which need to be drilled. i plan on having 2 pumps running on timers rather than buying a motorized ball valve because it will be cheaper and if one pump fails one will still be working.

what type of pump should i be using on the closed loop?
how many outputs on each manifold?
should i just build a manifold using pvc and different heads of pvc and loclines?
what size piping should i use?
what size bulkheads?.

will this external over flow box fill up with water to the same level as in the coast to coast shown in the picture?

any help u can give or your own experiances, pics ect will be appreaceated thanks in advance.

[snaggle]

You might want to have the returns from you sump up higher on the tank, that way if the power goes out half you tank wont drain out.


Brad

[Invigor]

I've always wanted a coast to coast overflow because I like extreme flow. and with a coast to coast, you would have a very quiet overflow because of the high surface area of the overflow. makes for low velocity high flow :D

[scuglass]

also takes all the crap off the top of the water quite effectively is there any type of one way seal type dealy to stop the back flow if the sump pump fails? is so i could prolly get it a ufa of western pluming im assuming

[muck]

also takes all the crap off the top of the water quite effectively is there any type of one way seal type dealy to stop the back flow if the sump pump fails? is so i could prolly get it a ufa of western pluming im assuming
IMO check valves are a flood waiting to happen... :eek:

[reeferaddict]

I gotta agree with Muck .. ya you just gotta get those returns up higher, it's the simplest way to avoid disaster... For your durso, follow the directions on his site and go 1 1/4" down to 1" and you'll be good for up to 600 GPH. The closed loops don't need a check valve, just make sure you use a decent quality hose, or if you feel adventurous then PVC rigid or flexible is the way to go. On my loops I have 2 SQWDs - one hooked up to a Little Giant 3MDQ @ 650 GPH and a Hydor L40 runs the other one at about 500 GPH The only two powerheads I have in my tank are a pair of Seio 1100's for another 2200GPH in the tank. From the two SQWD's I have a total of 6 outlets teed into the tank at different angles and locations... because the capacity of the pumps are different and the effluents are pointed at one another, the currents are always changing in a really random fashion. Add to this running one Seio when the actinics come on, and another when the MH's come on and I'm always amazed at how differently things can flow... I know my animals like it.. and though 3700 GPH of total movement may sound like a lot in a 135, the way it's delivered makes for a very natural current with some high flow areas and some recesses in the rock that get less. The best part is not having to jerk out powerheads all the time to clean them... The Seios are kinda big & ugly.. but necessary IMO less clumsy looking than the 15 maxijets I would have to have to get what I have now...I like the rest of what you have going on get on it and get some pics!

[mr_alberta]

Why do you have an overflow box draining into another overflow box? Anyway, if you want the water level to be the same on both sides, you'll have to raise up your durso. The water level is usually at the top of the elbow on a Durso. The way you have it drawn now, you're internal overflow box will be loud and suck in a lot of air which will get sucked into the durso in the external box and cause a lot of gurgling and splashing.