Question about overflow/return plumbing...

I have an 18 gallon ADA tank that I want to turn into a reef tank with a Lifereef Nano Overflow. If I buy the Lifereef Nano, it has a 3/4" output connection. I have two questions:

1. If I use tubing to connect the overflow to the sump, would I use 1" tubing (kind of a dumb question, but I want to make sure)?

2. I would like to use an ADA Lily Pipe outflow for the return. Is this possible? The biggest they have is 17mm, which is something like .66 inches or so. Not quite 3/4ths. Would this work to connect 1" tubing to it, or would it be too loose?

Thanks!

 

Why don't you just buy the 3/4" plumbing? It would be less than $10 to get the items you'd need to go from the bulk head to the sump.

If you want to go larger you need a 3/4" to 1" PVC adapter and install it in the bulk head.

Also this box is awesome and costs a lot less. You get a 5% discount from aquacave because they are a site sponsor.

Eshopps NANO Overflow Box, 30 gal tank - AquaCave

 

Here's the Eshopps in action on my old mantis 10g

 

Wow, that's you! I saw that video before when I was checking out overflow boxes.

The thing I don't like about the Eshopps is the black box in the tank. The Lifereef is clear. I just want to go with the clear overflow/return look as much as possible. I'm very, very close to buying a MAME. The Eshopps is nice, but a black box in the tank isn't my thing and I'm not planning on painting the back of the ADA black. Yours works since the back of your old 10g was black.

Anyhow, so that's it - I just need 3/4" plumbing? If that's the case will the lily outflow pipe work on that?

 

I think the black is to slow algae growth.

 

My old overflow had a clear box and it was always covered on algea on the inside and difficult to clean. I would recommend the black box if I were buying the overflow.

 

If you can adapt to the bulk head. Going larger is better so I'd adapt it to at least an inch or 1 1/4". The flow will still be restricted by the bulkhead but you'll have less chance of clogs.

The color of the box doesn't matter. Unless you plan on scraping coralline off of it every week it will be purple in a year anyhow.

 

I'll be scraping like a fiend, then. Must have clear, haha.

Thanks. I think I know what I have to do now.

 

It won't be clear for long. It will develop algae growth inside and out. The black is less of an eyesore as light will not penetrate it and allow algae growth inside. You will be able to clean the exterior components easily to avoid algae growth on the outside.