Need some suggestions on plumbing

I've been out of the game for a few years due to an out of state move. I picked up a 250 gallon tank today that was sold to me as being drilled. I go to pick it up and there is one hole sort of in the corner and two smack in the middle of the tank.



Any suggestions on how to go about setting this up or am I better off installing bulkheads to block the holes off and using a traditional overflow box.

 

Looks like the corner was the drain, and the other two holes were returns.

Are you planning on adding an overflow box in the corner, or running bare pipes?

 

I've never quite seen a setup like this. How would I go about installing an overflow box on the corner drain? I am only familiar with the hang on back overflows that had the "U" pipe that held the siphon. As far as plumbing the returns I guess I would just bring them up to near the water level and spread them from there? Use my rock structure to hide the pipes?

 

I would Put in a corner overflow then block off the two other holes and just run the return no the back of the tank and over the edge like a traditional setup. That way you don't have two random pipes in the middle if your tank that you have to try and hide.

 

The only issue I see with this is that these holes are drilled for 1" bulkheads. In order to get the amount of draining I would need I would have to use all of them if my math is correct. That's why I was leaning more towards a HoB overflow.

I could run a 90 elbow and pipe the center ones to the back and then use another 90 and run it to the surface to a box. Having the two 90s in there would reduce the flow rate a good bit though I imagine.

ETA or am I greatly underrating the amount of water that can flow through a 1" bulkhead?

 

This looks like a closed loop system. You have a drain pipe running straigt up the back right hole, and you use a system like a reflo dart or something that runs up the two holes in the middle. the pipes would run straight up and you would have loc line sending the water back. You just would need to be creative on rock placement around the return lines.

 

Not knowing a lot about closed loops I am guessing this to be the case. It came with some type of filter and pump setup I had never seen before.



So on this type of setup there would be two drains there in the middle and the back corner would be the return? That just doesn't make sense to me why you would put drains right in the middle of the tank. :-/

I have either a mag 9.5 or a mag 12 at the house. This being a 36" tall tank there would be a good bit of head. If I plug the center two drains and just use the corner "return" as the sump drain I should be good? I can use PVC and run my returns up the back into the tank.

With the tank being 36 inches tall I would have to run the drains extremely high. I just don't think I could safely aqua-scape that to hide the drains effectively. They would stick out like a sore thumb.

ETA looking though the mass of "stuff" the previous owner gave me it is all coming together now... He had a bio-ball sump setup he was using off of the corner drain and that contraption in the above picture on the center two. That would explain the holes in the bottom. I guess the question still remains where to go from here.

 

I think there would be one drain and the middle two would be returns.

 

The tank had water in it when I got there and it was drained while I waited. Upon inspecting the tank seams I have found a few spots that look like this.



Is this cause for alarm. Do I need to redo the interior seams?

 

What ever you decide, lets be realistic here, and think in the 2010's.

First of all, if you use a sump type system- which I hope you do, If you use those bottom drains- you'll have to have the system built/designed so that you don't empty the DT in a power out!- It can be done- but do NOT just rely on an 'anti-backflow' system.
You cold use them for a 'closed loop' system for flow. Personally- never liked them knowing they too would drain my DT if a fitting failed.

Your system should basically keep all the water in you system in a power out.
LOts of ways to do this- check out my Coast to coast overflow I built in my 180 thread link in my signature.

Ditch the bioballs, and the cannister filter too!

Research a bunch (I realize that's why you're asking here) before you put any water in.

Good luck