New tank design graphic ... Tell me what you think...

[Megalodon]

Originally Posted by mark

It should work if I'm understanding your last drawing plus making an assumption. Plus a Herbies as not drawing air are silent.

All three of you bulkheads are drilled to the same height, and within the tank you have a 90° pointing up (assumption). The heights in the tank of B and the one on the right (connected to E) are the same, with 1 being higher than the other two. On 1 and Z you have no valve and is the backup.

That is correct. The backup overflow is higher than the other two. The backup drain line also doesn't have a gate valve and it's completely unrestricted.

Originally Posted by mark

Something that might take some playing. I was doing some experimenting with a Herbie in a 33g running with no overflow box, just a standpipe coming up in the corner from a 1" bulkhead in bottom of the tank. Was just using a little pump so flow was 230gph. I adjusted the valve so the water stayed at a steady height and ended up I had 2 7/8" of water above the top of the standpipe. Where the playing comes in is adjusting the standpipe so the final water level is where you want it.

Yeah, it will definitely take some playing with the pipe heights. I will not glue anything in place until I achieve the perfect height. And since the tank will be acting as the overflow I'm assuming that if the power goes out I'll need a larger sump to take up the additional water.

Increasing the size of my refuge and sump are in the works now. I saw some unusual tanks at Big Al's that might work. The sump will then be 25 gallons and the refuge 20. If my CorelDraw trail doesn't expire I'll try and post an updated diagram.