# What size holes for a drip tray?



## viboy (Nov 3, 2012)

My 45 gallon sump is all siliconed up. While I wait for it to dry I want to build the drip tray. Does anyone have an idea of how big and how far apart the holes need to be? The pump running it is a Mag 1800. Biomedia is 12"x 12" by 15" deep.


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## kacairns (Apr 10, 2012)

how big is your incoming from the tank? You need to make the drip tray have at least the same diameter in in total between all the holes then your intake line, I would actually suggest going bigger then that though. As for size of hole, it all depends on what size of drill bit you use when I created mine I used 1/8th bit and I've got a constant 3/16th of water in my tray


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## viboy (Nov 3, 2012)

I have 2 drains in the tank. Both are 1" diameter. I must not be understanding your math. Same diameter as my intake would mean 2" total or 16 1/8" holes? I must need more than that.


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## kacairns (Apr 10, 2012)

You must use the area of the intake and drill same area amount of holes for what you need in the drip try. With that said you can drill less holes and it will work fine because it is doubtful your 1" intakes are pushing the maximum through them, but why take the risk. I mis-thought when I typed in 1/8 drill hole for my own, its late and I'm tired!

So the area of your 1" intake is .78" x 2 = 1.56 and if you used a 1/8" drill bit it comes out having a area of 0.012"

1.56/0.012 = 130 1/8" holes
1.56/0.0275 = 56 3/16" holes
1.56/0.049 = 32 1/4" holes
1.56/0.076 = 21 5/16" holes


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## jkcichlid (Apr 21, 2010)

I have 2- 1" overflows with 132 - 1/8" holes in my drip tray and it works great


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## viboy (Nov 3, 2012)

Thanks for all the feedback. I still have to do the drip tray. I got sidelined building the framework for my stand. I should hopefully have everything up and on a test run today.


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