How to I build an overflow in a tank?
 

Okay I have read a bit of info before starting my tank. It looks like I will be buying used equipment with a sump. From what I have been reading it looks like a hang on cpr overflow is not a reliable as a built in one. And I am totally scared of having a flood if the siphon breaks. So the questions is do I just buy some arcylic to build my own overhang and silicone it in the used display tank I bought??? Then get someone to drill the holes in the used display tank to connect it to the sump. Can some one provide me a DIY link to help me out.

Thanks

well, I dont have a DIY link for the corner overflow, but it should be pretty simple. Just two pieces of acrylic that are the same height as your tank. I'd make one piece about 5-6 inches wide and one piece about 3-4 inches wides.

Silicone it to the tank, dremel out some strainer holes and get it drilled...

Maybe someone else has better info for you tho.

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?

I was just reading the previous post, and thinking the exact same?

Wait a minute I did that with my 90. Just covered the corners in black acrylic.

Beacause they find it unattractive. :razz:

Well Yes it's un attractive but it's simple :biggrin:

I have this type of set up in my 75 g refugium and my 50g frag tank.
If I had to do this in a display tank I would just use black abs for the standpipe and soon one would not even be able so see the pipe.

Wouldn't a box do a better job of skimming the surface, than a stand pipe by itself, or is this not a big enough improvement to make it worth it?

Not going to make a huge diffrence as it's doing the same thing.

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.

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

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