16" cube ideas

Beermaster · #1 03-15-2005, 08:46 PM

Okay here is the goal

I picked up a 16" cube to make a nano tank with

I want to have a sump/fuse ( going to use a 5-10gal tank) with a auto topoff

what i am having a little issue with is plumbing and building the overflow for it

i have a couple ideas, but having never done this before, could use a little guidance

I will post some pictures tonight or tommorow of some of my ideas

I am able to get the tanked drilled at my local glass shop (a couple good freinds own it)

thx in advance

Mark

P.S. I would love to somthing like Fish's tank or Newguy's

mr_alberta · #2 03-15-2005, 08:53 PM

If you want to do a hidden overflow (like Fish's old tank) then you will have to knotch a piece of the back glass out. Then silicone pieces of glass onto the back of the tank to make your overflow box.

It the tank a perfect cube? Or is it cube-ish?

Beermaster · #3 03-16-2005, 10:27 PM

its cube-ish

and i hear through the grapevine that your the man to talk to about auto topoff systems lol

mr_alberta · #4 03-16-2005, 10:29 PM

If you need one, I can make one!

Post some of your ideas for your cube and I'll see if I can help you out on plumbing the thing.

Beermaster · #5 03-17-2005, 08:09 PM

Ok so building an external overflow, I would have to notch the back of that and attach the overflow to the outsde back glass correct?

what advantage does this give over building a overflow inside the tank. the issue i have is i wan this to be very clean looking with no real hardware visible

kinda like this but on a bigger scale

man so many options to think about lol

mr_alberta · #6 03-17-2005, 08:33 PM

How many sides vieawable will the tank be?

I like the idea of a center overflow right in the middle of the tank (say 3"x3" and use the smaller Stockman style standpipes) and have your returns coming up through the bottom of the tank. The only problem with something like that is it is harder to aquascape and hide the overflow.

With an external overflow (with the glass notched out) you don't tank up any room within your tank. Therefore you have the full inside dimensions of the tank to work with for aquascaping. IMO it is a much cleaner look having only a little notched area in the back glass vs a partition in one of the corners.

Beermaster · #7 03-17-2005, 08:47 PM

Quote:

With an external overflow (with the glass notched out) you don't tank up any room within your tank. Therefore you have the full inside dimensions of the tank to work with for aquascaping. IMO it is a much cleaner look having only a little notched area in the back glass vs a partition in one of the corners.

Okay i can argee with that! ok so if i go with the external overflow, i dont have to get my tank drilled? just notched right?
cutting the notch in, it this a difficult thing that i should take to the glass shop to get done, or can i do this with a glass cutter?

Building an overflow, this is somthing that i keep trying to research, but can find any real good plans out there, i have seen tonnes of examples but nothing really explaining on how to do it

this tank will be viewable from 3 angles most likly

sry for all the questons , i just wanna try to do this right

mr_alberta · #8 03-17-2005, 09:07 PM

Here's a picture I found that might be of some help:

This is not my tank, it's from someone on Reef Central. Anyway, you see how the back glass is notched and the external overflow box is made and attached to the tank. On extra precaution I would do is to the tank above would be to add Euro Bracing around the top of the tank just for a little more strength.

Also keep in mind that if you would like your return lines come in from the bottom of the tank (like in the picture you posted) you will need to run these lines from a closed loop or else your tank will completely drain in a power outage.

Beermaster · #9 03-17-2005, 09:37 PM

ok that looks like its ok to do

i dont have to put 3 holes in the overflow do i?

so then basicly an overfolw is just a glass/acrlyc box with a hole drilled in the bottom attached to the back of the tank
you attach this with silicone/glue or does it hang on the back?

now, is it better to have the holes in the bottom or on the back?

mr_alberta · #10 03-17-2005, 09:46 PM

Quote:

i dont have to put 3 holes in the overflow do i?

While you don't need 3, you need at least 1 hole for a drain. It all depends on what you want to do and the size of your pumps.

[quote]
so then basicly an overfolw is just a glass/acrlyc box with a hole drilled in the bottom attached to the back of the tank
you attach this with silicone/glue or does it hang on the back?
[quote]

If you tank is made of glass, then I would use glass for your overflow box. If it is acrylic, then use acrylic. The reason is silicone does not stick to acrylic. The overflow box is just a glass box siliconed onto the back pane of glass. You will only need 4 pieces of glass to make the overflow box.

Quote:

now, is it better to have the holes in the bottom or on the back?

Again, this is personal preference. Some like returns coming from the back, others from the bottom. I personally like returns on the bottom because they are easier to hide. The drawback is you should only use bottom returns on closed loops so you don't drain your tank and flood your house in case of a power outtage. You also have to be more careful about weight distribution along the bottom of you tank and creating pressure points on the glass.