Calfo Style Overflow boxes
- Thread starter Jeremy Blaze
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brackishdude
Member
a few more pics of mine from the inside (not everyone's a reefer! 
)
)
just out of curiosity, how did you prevent that wood from leeching all the tannins into the water? When I used to have a tank like yours, i could never get my water clear. It inevitably always became stained from the wood. I ended up tossing the wood because it drove me crazy.
brackishdude
Member
It hass become less of a problem over time.
I kind of like it actually, the tannins add a "swampy" feel to the tank. When I do a big water change, though, I am reminded of how pretty my fish are with clearer water.
I'm told that carbon will keep it clear, but I've never tried.
I wuoldn't give up the driftwood!
I kind of like it actually, the tannins add a "swampy" feel to the tank. When I do a big water change, though, I am reminded of how pretty my fish are with clearer water.
I'm told that carbon will keep it clear, but I've never tried.
I wuoldn't give up the driftwood!
kentrob11
Premium Member
Another option (and one that I plan on using) for overflow material is ABS. 1/4" ABS is inexpensive and is as easily workable as acrylic but should bond to glass with silicone better than acrylic due to the fact that it is more porous in nature. I'll also be making a removable black acrylic cover so I can take it out and clean it once in a while. I'm a fan of the perfect black backdrop to bring out the color of the tank inhabitants 
I have some questions about these overflows and hope someone here can help. I am in the planning stages of a build. I know what I want and feel confident my "theory" is sound but obviously theory and reality are sometimes different. Currently I have 2 ten gal. tanks sitting on a cheap metal stand in my bedroom and want to build a cabinet for them to keep the niose down. I plan on making it peninsula style and have a short side set up for the overflow. I know it would be better for skimming to use a long side and cutting a ten gal. tank is not really easy but sometimes you gotta make the significant other happy. So my questions are
1) IF I cut a piece off the top of the short side what are the chances of the glass cracking later? I saw in this thread where someone rounded the corners of the cut glass to prevent cracking but they did not go truely coast to coast.
2) IF I cut the top completely off the short side do you think a piece of black acrylic would work as a background inside the tank and allow for the overflow part to be narrowed so the cabinet can be extended up that end to cover the external overflow box and top but still keep it flush with the tank.
3) IF the black acrylic can be used inside the tank should I worry about supporting the 1/2" on either end above the cut glass?
4) I know BeAn has put together a wonderful overflow setup for the overflow pipes but being in a very small box could I go with 2 pipes? 1 would have a silencer of some kind and the other would be an emergency backup. I have made alarms with float switches, alarm speakers, and relays for HOB overflows and could use one here for a third failsafe.
5) Since this is a ten gal. tank and I don't plan on alot of flow in the sump would 3/4" bulkheads be OK or should I go with 1" bulkheads? Remember space is limited.
I know there are alot of big IFs to my questions but any help or advice would be appreciated.
TIA
Brian
1) IF I cut a piece off the top of the short side what are the chances of the glass cracking later? I saw in this thread where someone rounded the corners of the cut glass to prevent cracking but they did not go truely coast to coast.
2) IF I cut the top completely off the short side do you think a piece of black acrylic would work as a background inside the tank and allow for the overflow part to be narrowed so the cabinet can be extended up that end to cover the external overflow box and top but still keep it flush with the tank.
3) IF the black acrylic can be used inside the tank should I worry about supporting the 1/2" on either end above the cut glass?
4) I know BeAn has put together a wonderful overflow setup for the overflow pipes but being in a very small box could I go with 2 pipes? 1 would have a silencer of some kind and the other would be an emergency backup. I have made alarms with float switches, alarm speakers, and relays for HOB overflows and could use one here for a third failsafe.
5) Since this is a ten gal. tank and I don't plan on alot of flow in the sump would 3/4" bulkheads be OK or should I go with 1" bulkheads? Remember space is limited.
I know there are alot of big IFs to my questions but any help or advice would be appreciated.
TIA
Brian
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Brian
10 gallon tanks are pretty flimsy. You can try to cut the panel, but you will likely break it. The good news is that replacing the panel wil be very easy. With that in mind it may just be easier to have the glass shop cut you a panel of the proper height. Take the tank apart and replace the panel.
You don't need a fancy overflow with flow that low. You can likely create a very quiet setup with the low flow that will be needed for a 10 gallon tank. 2 standard dursos will likely do the trick.
You may also want to consider doing a DIY tank. The glass for something that small will not cost that much and you can get the size just right for your project.
10 gallon tanks are pretty flimsy. You can try to cut the panel, but you will likely break it. The good news is that replacing the panel wil be very easy. With that in mind it may just be easier to have the glass shop cut you a panel of the proper height. Take the tank apart and replace the panel.
You don't need a fancy overflow with flow that low. You can likely create a very quiet setup with the low flow that will be needed for a 10 gallon tank. 2 standard dursos will likely do the trick.
You may also want to consider doing a DIY tank. The glass for something that small will not cost that much and you can get the size just right for your project.
Thanks Bean for the help. I had considered building a custom tank but I have 3 extra 10 gal. tanks that are not being used so I can take several tries at cutting and not be out anything or I might take 1 apart and pay someone to cut it for me. But thats extra beer money. So what do you think about the acrylic and bulkhead size.
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
I finished the calfo on my 58g.
One problem......
The glass shop didn't have "smoked" glass, so I went with 3/8" clear. Now that is is finished with the white elbows (and blue strainers if i use them), Hayward bulkheads, and return plumbing visible I'm not quite as thrilled about the look. I ran the plumbing through a bulkhead then up and around to each of the sides of the tank. Think a Closed-loop style in only a "C" formation and plumbed from the return pump. I have painted the tank with Krylon Fusion black just past the joint of the bottom pane of glass. So to the question.....
What can I do besides a black acrylic "curtain" placed behind the vetical glass on the overflow. I will not paint the inside of the tank with the Fusion either:eek1: .
Are there any other options other than a black acrylic "curtain"?
One problem......
The glass shop didn't have "smoked" glass, so I went with 3/8" clear. Now that is is finished with the white elbows (and blue strainers if i use them), Hayward bulkheads, and return plumbing visible I'm not quite as thrilled about the look. I ran the plumbing through a bulkhead then up and around to each of the sides of the tank. Think a Closed-loop style in only a "C" formation and plumbed from the return pump. I have painted the tank with Krylon Fusion black just past the joint of the bottom pane of glass. So to the question.....
What can I do besides a black acrylic "curtain" placed behind the vetical glass on the overflow. I will not paint the inside of the tank with the Fusion either:eek1: .
Are there any other options other than a black acrylic "curtain"?
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Just let the coraline grow over it. "plant" gsp or some other encrusting coral on the face.
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
Bean:
I've viewed many images of tanks on RC that let the coralline algae encrust the background and have not cared for it. It feels like the size is decreased as the algae encrusts more of the surfaces. I really like the clean look of the black background and want to keep it that way and fear a transition to a encrusted overflow may look awkward. If I could get some polyps that wouldn't melt under the 250W or 400W MH (haven't decided which route to take with a 21" deep tank but needing to spread 36") then that could be a cure.
I've viewed many images of tanks on RC that let the coralline algae encrust the background and have not cared for it. It feels like the size is decreased as the algae encrusts more of the surfaces. I really like the clean look of the black background and want to keep it that way and fear a transition to a encrusted overflow may look awkward. If I could get some polyps that wouldn't melt under the 250W or 400W MH (haven't decided which route to take with a 21" deep tank but needing to spread 36") then that could be a cure.
i have 1/4" black acrylic caulked to the entire back glass on mine, on the inside of the tank, and it hides everything. the builder convinced me it was the right thing to do and i think he was right. it's been up almost two years and it is not a trouble to keep it clean, it doesn't show film algae at all and coralline seems to grow everywhere but on the background.
our setups sounds similar, i have a full length external overflow with bulkheads allowing two return lines back up. i used to have them feed a "C" shaped manifold from the return pump, but redid that not long ago. i couldn't get enough flow from the return pump to make it worthwhile without creating a mess of microbubbles. now the closed loop does all the work.
for your lights, the lumenarc reflectors are supposed to be able to cover 36" easily.
our setups sounds similar, i have a full length external overflow with bulkheads allowing two return lines back up. i used to have them feed a "C" shaped manifold from the return pump, but redid that not long ago. i couldn't get enough flow from the return pump to make it worthwhile without creating a mess of microbubbles. now the closed loop does all the work.
for your lights, the lumenarc reflectors are supposed to be able to cover 36" easily.
agood69er4u
New member
210 syng tank
210 syng tank
the 210 syng Taj Mahal
210 syng tank
the 210 syng Taj Mahal
Here is how I made my internal overflow box
http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=44150
http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=44150
socalchris
New member
I have 1.5" Savko Heavy Duty Bulkheads that require a hole size of 2 5/8"
I drew the circles on the back glass pane using the bulkhead gasket as a stencil. The very top/peak of the circle is 3" from the very top of the trim of the tank. Is this ok? I plan on using a long calfo style/coast to coast glass overflow box. See diagram below:
I drew the circles on the back glass pane using the bulkhead gasket as a stencil. The very top/peak of the circle is 3" from the very top of the trim of the tank. Is this ok? I plan on using a long calfo style/coast to coast glass overflow box. See diagram below:
socalchris
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12057522#post12057522 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by socalchris
I have 1.5" Savko Heavy Duty Bulkheads that require a hole size of 2 5/8"
I drew the circles on the back glass pane using the bulkhead gasket as a stencil. The very top/peak of the circle is 3" from the very top of the trim of the tank. Is this ok? I plan on using a long calfo style/coast to coast glass overflow box. See diagram below:
can anyone please confirm? i already drew the holes with a marker and i wanted to drill today if this space is ok.
Fishcrazy06
New member
General rule of thumb is to be at least the same distance from the top or side of the tank as the diameter of the hole. Therefore, I would think you should be fine. If you go back a few pages you can see mine and thats about the distance of my holes maybe even less and I drilled 3 across the top.
Eric
Eric
DeathWish302
Clown Hoarder
socalchris:
I have a 60mm hole for the sched. 80 Hayward bulkheads roughly 3" from where I believe the glass stops behind the trim on my Oceanic 58g. I had it filled with water for 48hrs after the overflow had cured for a week. No problems. Since I'm paranoid and over-think EVERYTHING (see occupation), I went with 3/8" glass for the overflow. I haven't ran the analysis on Ansys or Algor, but I bet with the addition of the extra bracing from the overflow that you could make the area behind it swiss cheese with no concerns of stress failure. I think the real key is to not create stress risers by drilling holes with really jagged edges. This I feel could result in the overall failure of the pane if a area doesn't chip out a "scalloped" piece, but creates a chip that merges to a finite point. Just my hypothesis.
DW302
I have a 60mm hole for the sched. 80 Hayward bulkheads roughly 3" from where I believe the glass stops behind the trim on my Oceanic 58g. I had it filled with water for 48hrs after the overflow had cured for a week. No problems. Since I'm paranoid and over-think EVERYTHING (see occupation), I went with 3/8" glass for the overflow. I haven't ran the analysis on Ansys or Algor, but I bet with the addition of the extra bracing from the overflow that you could make the area behind it swiss cheese with no concerns of stress failure. I think the real key is to not create stress risers by drilling holes with really jagged edges. This I feel could result in the overall failure of the pane if a area doesn't chip out a "scalloped" piece, but creates a chip that merges to a finite point. Just my hypothesis.
DW302
kentrob11
Premium Member
How are you guys with glass tanks concealing the view of the external box from the inside of the tank? If you silicone it to bare glass, you're going to see the seams and the inside of the overflow box from the front of the tank. It would stink to have to use black acrylic panels on the inside to cover the whole back of the tank. Talk about a PITA to get out and clean!! I like a nice clean background on my tank....
