Tank plumbing help (asking for a friend)

[thesassyindian]

While I am on hiatus caring for my own frag, a friend of mine got a new (to him) tank.
Can someone please help-me-help-him understand how to plumb this?
The tank has 8 pre-drilled holes on the bottom.

A rough sketch on paper would be best, since I don't know the first thing about sumps, or large tanks.

Thanks everyone!
Hope to be active on BAR again in a few weeks (or years?).
Yash

 

[Srt4eric]

Congrats on the little frag @thesassyindian

 

[PeetaJai]

Congratulations on being a dad, how’s your sleep

 

[Turkeysammich]

Congratulations. That’s a old school style from the early 2000. It’s a close loop design. Over flows were 1 down and 1 up or 2 down and return on the sides. Holes on the aquarium itself is in and out closed loop.

 

[Coral2Coral]

Congrats on the new family addition!!!

 

[rygh]

My suggestion:
1) Plug the 4 holes in the main section of the DT.
That old closed loop thing is risky and generally no longer used.
Ideally with silicone and glass, so it is very permanent.

2) I would put a "Durso" overflow in each overflow.
Google it. Lots of drawings on the net.
Usually there are 3 tubes, and you only have two in each overflow.
Skip the "emergency" drain. It is not all that needed, and since you have two overflows, definitely not needed.

 

[NanoCrazed]

I'd still use an emergency somewhere... may use one of the holes in the return as your emergency. When it comes to tanks for me... the unexpected always happens when you think it won't.

Another idea is to use the center holes for returns and hide the plumping with rock work... would look super slick. But definitely plug up the others on the sides

 

[Qwiv]

The holes In the bottom, plug them or use a closed loop. Owners call.

For the pair of overflows, do you need them to handle a lot of flow through the sump? Besides leaving as designed with a drain in each which you will have a hard time tuning due to them being at the same level causing noise (is that a concern?). If not, as designed would work.

Modifications:
Use one overflow with a siphon drain + a backup drain then use the other overflow box for returns only. That box will just fill up with undrained water but you could add water to it with a siphon break on a return line and back flush it some. Easiest if your flow needs are lower and could be quiet. I think this would be my choice.