View Full Version : using megaflow return as 2nd drain??
Polyptician
06/12/2007, 09:00 PM
I need some advice please.
I will be plumbing an oceanic megaflow reef-ready tank to my basement. Using it as the company intended there would be one drain and one return. And the overflow would be rated for approx 600 gph.
I would like to get more flow down to my sump in the basement. Can I use the 3/4 inch return as a 2nd drain? Has this been done before? How many gph will this add to the overflow?
Polyptician
06/12/2007, 09:09 PM
This is what i hope to have in basement.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j281/jbuzz33/basementwithprop.jpg
don't know what the flow would be but I have heard of peple using the return for a drain like you would like to.
ellisz
06/13/2007, 05:01 AM
I have a AGA 180 with dual megaflows. I use all 4 holes as drains. I had a Dart plumbed behind the tank and the overflows handled the pump wide open.
rsw686
06/13/2007, 08:17 AM
Part of the problem is the slots in the overflow can only handle soo much water atleast from what I read on this site. I am setting up my tank and wanted to get around 900 GPH through the overflow but I really don't want to cut it up yet as its brand new.
http://www.dursostandpipes.com/PopularModifications/MegaFlowOverflow/tabid/82/Default.aspx
ellisz
06/13/2007, 08:38 AM
That is what I did to my overlow teeth :)
Polyptician
06/13/2007, 09:13 AM
Thanks for the link to the mod.
I want to try to avoid doing the mod if possible.
So what would one overflow (both pipes as drains) handle without the mod?
Dolfan
06/13/2007, 02:23 PM
I have an AGA 90g and use both of the holes to my sump and use a QuietOne 4000 for return that is rated about 950gph or so. Given headloss it's probably working in the 700-750 ballpark I bet. I have valves on both drains into the sump/fuge and the fuge is only cracked to manage the flow.
Polyptician
06/13/2007, 04:28 PM
Dolfan,
You did not do that mod to your overflow right?
Dolfan
06/13/2007, 05:16 PM
No I haven't modified the teeth of the overflow area, this doesn't appear to be a bottleneck for me at this flow rate, maybe if I increased it it might.
Also think the bulkheads are different size as I remember 1" and 3/4" but I can't remember for sure.
Polyptician
06/13/2007, 06:51 PM
yeah they are.
Thanks dolfan.
Icefire
06/13/2007, 09:28 PM
1" bulkhead handle 600gph max
3/4" @ 330
mak4 with 10' head, 1" return is 838gph.
I would plumb a durso in both drain/return, than have a 1.5" drain under the tank to your sump.
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