Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board - How to I build an overflow in a tank?

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- - How to I build an overflow in a tank? (http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=7414)

Also -- no rule saying you can't put a box on a standing pipe..

I was thinking of doing something like this as referenced from the RC site.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...s/image005.jpg

But my tank is glass. If I used arylic sheets, from what I have read, I don't think silcone will bond the sheets together and then there is the acrylic to glass bond too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bartman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canadian Man

Or you could just put a bulkhead in the bottom of the tank and run a pipe up the the desired water level and BOOM you got a drain to your sump with no overflow box needed. :biggrin:

Other than some people finding this unattractive, why don't more people do this?

because it is to easy to suck fish and critters down the tube as the water will be 1/2 a inch above the tube in most deicent flow set ups. Also with a small cecumfrence the suction around that pipe will be huge which can actuly suck fish in and if tyou have a screen on it it can trap them against the screen.

the idea behind the overflow box is to spread the flow out over a larger area to reduce the velocity of the water falling over the lip thus reducing the chance of sucking something against it. also the fingers go above the water acting as a screen.

Myself I used a toothless overflow as it provides a more laminer water flow which is quieter. also it makes my water level more stable when the power goes out as I only have a 1/8th " of water over my overflow so if the power oges out my main tank only falls 1/8th of a inch and hardly puts anything in the sump. to do this I had to build a screen to keep snails and such out of the overflow its self.

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by IluvHockey

But my tank is glass. If I used arylic sheets, from what I have read, I don't think silcone will bond the sheets together and then there is the acrylic to glass bond too.

Dont worry. Use weld-on 40 or 16 to glue the overflow together and silicon will work against the glass, IME.

I also use the teeth-less overflow that Steve's talking about. I highly reccomend it.

Silicone will bond acrylic to glass pretty good, what I do is put a line of it along the edge of the overflow that goes against the glass, put it in place and suport it over night. then the next day i run a bead along each edge to form a joint like you are sealing a tub to the wall and smooth it over with my finger.

I don't like to use weldon 40 or 16 as to me they are just bandaids for slopy cuts. get good edges and glue with weldon 4 and you can move it in about 1 min instead of having to wait 1/2 a hour for 16 or 40 to set up.

Steve