2.5gallon tank with built in overflow

[swull]

Here is my new 2.5 gallon tank with built in overflow.

Here is a better picture of the overflow

 

[calvin415]

Pretty sweet, do you get enough current to keep the surface cleared? Does the flow from the HOB keep some of the surface scum from reaching the overflow?

 

[swull]

There is plenty of current, i wouldn't want any more. The surface stays crystal clear. It even sweeps crap off the bottom, over the overflow and into the filter. It has worked out really good.

 

[russ49merc]

that is an awesome idea very smart

 

[russ49merc]

just an idea maybe move the whisper over to the left to not have the clean water running right back into the overflow. maybe using some tubing or pvc ? just an idea

 

[swull]

thnx for the comments, got the idea from a guy who used a 2" pvc pipe as the overflow chamber in his mini bowl. The acrylic insert worked better for what I wanted to accomplish.

The water from the whisper goes straight down and circulates the whole area. The stream from the whisper is sharper than the stream over the overflow (wider). So it cuts right thru the overflow stream.

 

[Brad-DA]

This is a great idea and i have just done this mod to my 5.5
Works like a champ
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=711377

 

[91lxracer]

Looks great. What is the purple item on the acrylic in picture 1?

 

[swull]

Its a frag of green star polyp glued to the acrylic. It lost all its green about 6 months ago. We will see if the color comes back. Just upgraded the lights to a coralife 2 x 18 watt 50/50. I also added a red headed goby and a small scarlet red hermit. I will post a pic later.

Nice job Brad-DA. The overflow does a nice job with cleaning the surface and hides the heater.

 

[Brad-DA]

Thanx for the great idea swull works great!

 

[swull]

Here is a pic with new light (Coralife 2x18 watt 50/50)

 

[AIMFish]

Did you guys, swull and Brad-DA, just cut those pieces of acrylic yourselves? If so you guys did a really good job, if not where did you get them?!!!

 

[swull]

Its really simple. I bought a small peice of cheap acrylic from Home Depot. Then cut it myself with a table saw.

The one problem with my overflow is i siliconed all the way up both sides of the acrlyic. which allows hermit crabs to climb all the way up and fall into the overflow side. I would try to leave about an inch from the top of the acrlic down with out silicone. This way you don't have to keep pulling them out of the overflow.

 

[Jordan55]

So I had a 2.5 gallon sitting in my room for a month or so now with a lil bit of water and some rocks... sitting there... decaying and I saw this thread and said.... "oooo lets do that."

So I cleaned it all out and went down to start cutting my acrylic.... and stopped and said.... "what the heck does this overflow do anyways?"

I have been in the hobby for almost 3 years now and I have had tanks from a 55 to a 2.5 gallon and I don't know what a overflow does.


Someone.... please fill me in.

Thanks

 

[swull]

It gets rid of surface scum by sucking the top layer of water into the filter. I tried it without a overflow at first. But the surface scum developed very fast. I personally like the crystal clear water you get when using the overflow. Try it without and you will see what i am talking about.

 

[Brad-DA]

shoot swull i never thought of that!! You could also silicone the last inch inside overflow! Then you will still have a good seal.

 

[swull]

shoot swull i never thought of that!! You could also silicone the last inch inside overflow! Then you will still have a good seal.

Good idea!

 

[Gundo5000]

keep updating post with pics

 

[swull]

Here is an update of the tank. I added red zoos and a hammer coral bud.
My green star polyps are finally getting their color back.

 

[The Lance]

Terrific idea and execution! My only suggestion is to do it with black acrylic, so the heater is not seen. Love those zoo's. Did you buy them online or locally?