50G design

[Parisiot]

I currently have a 35 gallon tank set up with a return pump coming out a bulkhead on the top left and an overflow box on the top right.
I am upgrading to a 50gallon as it will fit the current stand width with some minor adjustments to the back.

Do you guys suggest drilling the bottom of the 50G for the overflow or doing the back again?
Also, does it matter if I have the return coming out the same side as the overflow or should I do opposite sides?

Thanks in advance.

[xmai77]

I'm personally a fan of the coast-to-coast style overflows along the back of the tank. I'm working on a 40 gallon breeder set up right now and my plan is to do a 3 hole "Beananimal" style overflow with a coast-to-coast weir. The return doesn't matter as long as you have enough flow in your tank to rotate the water so that the return water isn't going straight back into your sump.

If you do decide to drill the bottom, make sure it's not tempered glass.

[Parisiot]

Its a Hagen aquarium and they don't use tempered glass so I'm okay to drill anywhere. I think I'm going to drill the back and put the return on one side and the overflow on the other.
Coast to coast seems like a good idea in theory but for me, just takes up too much room. Also the reason I'm drilling the back instead of the bottom. I'd rather take up my living space over theirs