Newbie bulkhead question

Hey everyone,

So I am going to be putting together a 20 long with a built in outflow/inflow going to a 20 high sump. How do I know how big of a bulkhead to install? Is it easy to get the outflow and inflow at the same rate so one isn't greater than the other? How would I accomplish this?

Appreciate the help!

 

Typical sizes for smaller systems are 1 inch for the drain and 3/4 inch for the return.

The overflow skims from the surface and therefore dictates the DT water level, so regardless of what the return rate may be, the drain will always match it.

 

Mr Bill got the bulkhead part. What I did to match flow was to buy a bigger return pump than I needed. Then I put a ball valve on the return line and adjusted it to match the drain. You'll want the drain running at full boar and then dial back your return to match. Then if you ever need you can turn your return up/down to fine tune.
That's how I have it on my sump and it's money, once I got it tuned to match. I did almost have an overflow of the display tank when I wasn't watching!

 

I won't say your method won't work Zesty, but having an overflow that skims the surface of the DT is the safest and easiest. Water cannot jump up into the overflow, so only that which is being pumped in by the return can drain back to the sump, regardless of flow rate, size of pipe, etc., etc. You also have the benefit of surface biofilm being skimmed and drained to the sump for processing.

Also, for best efficiency from your filters, your flow through the sump should be around 5x the DT volume.

 

Thank you for your responses! Do you guys recommend a bulkhead brand or specific one for this type of project?

 

Oh yeah, I got you Bill. I kinda just went to what I have, which is a non drilled overflowed beast. I agree with you, nothing over the rim of the tank would be better, surface skimming included. I use my powerheads to make sure I don't get any surface scum.

 

You can still have a totally surface skimming tank, without it being drilled though.

 

This should help answer a lot of your questions:
http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/bulkhead-installation-tips-111422.html

The 1" overflow and 3/4" return is very common, its what I use on my 100G mixed reef with a Stockman standpipe in an internal overflow box for the overflow and a WaterBlaster HY-5000 for the return pump.