Calfo Style Overflow boxes

Im moving from a 60 to 100g setup and am ready to drill my AGA. Will be using this type of overflow (in fact picking up the glass later today) will be drilling 4 1" bulkheads ( have to go with 2 30" boxes because of the length of glass available). I am wondering why do we need the catch box on the outside of the tank, why not just use standpipes?. Its obv why its required on the wier type, and on the other standard o/f boxes, but since we dont need to maintain any siphon why use it here?
 
I believe the outside "catchbox" was just one person's design/idea to reduce the amount of tank space taken up by the overflow. It is not necessary, but it still is nifty.
 
Trmiv, Very Nice!!!! How did you determine the distance of the bulkheads from the top of the tank? Are they just centered on the OF? Or is that as close to the edge of the tank you can drill? I'm planning on doing this to a 55 but only going to use 1 center OF w/2 drains.
 
TurningTim: I knew I wanted the boxes just above the bottom of the trim on the tank, so I lined up the bulkheads based on that. They end up being right about in the middle of the boxes.
 
Thanks! So you place the top of the OF to the bottom of the trim line (outside) so the water level will be above the veiwing area. Right? Then center the drains on the box. Are you going to use an outside box? or just use pipe? Any type of durso mod to the drains?

Also I've read 1-1.5x the hole diameter from the edges is this right?

Thanks so much for the help!
Tim
 
Yea, I lined the top of my boxes right abou 1/4 above the top of the trim. The perfecto tanks have large trim peices, so I could go a little higher than on an all-glass.

I don't plan on using an outside box. I'm going to have an external durso on there. I don't think it will be too loud, I only plan on putting 400 gph through the entire thing.
 
Thanks Again! If you wouldn't mind please post pics of the plumbing when operational!

I'm waiting on my bits to get here and then on to the perforation (sp?) LOL!

Tim
 
Thanks for the info, no external box needed. Now what is an external durso? Also somewhat off topic, however related while we are all drilling tanks, Has anyone tried using a check valve for water returns in order to eliminate any over the top plumbing?. I just got the 4 1" bulkheads for the drain, and I also got 2 3/4" bulkheads with the intent to drill them abt 3/4 of the way down towards the bottom of the tank and use the space under the overflows to hard plump a water distribution system along w/ an scwd. I have 2 HF20 pumps that I'll be using for the returns. All of the plumping is to be covered by rockwork. Ive seen ball type check valves that should be pretty reliable. Has anyone seen this work?
 
Does anyone have pics of frags growing on the shelf of a Calfo Style Overflow box?

Another thread mentioned Green Star Polyps or Ricordea, but you know, a pictures woth....
 
WOW, i just landed on this thread and i must say, Ive been going crazy doing a design just like all of these for my 180. i am looking to coast to coast it with a 2.5" wide by 4 " deep box. My problem was Noise, i wanted to incorperate a durso to keep things quite. at the time i was not sure if my tank was tempered (still am not, but guessing that i will be able to drill the back) i had implemented an overflow system leading to a box on the back incorperating 2 dursos. see pics. but after reading on this thread for a while, im thinking of the external standpipe design i have seen. How quite is it really? also i was thinking of incorperating my Closed loop from the OF. I think i will pre drill 3 1" bulkheads, 2 draining to my sump and one serving the closed loop system, i am looking to run 825 gph through the return. what are your thoughts, anything that i should take into consideration before i get gluin? i would sure like to see some pics of the finished projects here. Cheers to a great thread.
180gallonoverflowdesig.jpg
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6406630#post6406630 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rickburdeniuk
Does anyone have pics of frags growing on the shelf of a Calfo Style Overflow box?

Another thread mentioned Green Star Polyps or Ricordea, but you know, a pictures woth....
Click to expand...

Here's pics of an Anacropora over the course of a year. Small problem with this coral is that, since there's so much area for base, it spreads a lot without putting out branches, and has to be chopped out of the slits in the overflow, to keep from clogging them
anacroporaonclsoverflow120704post.jpg


anacroporaonclsoverflow010205post.jpg
 
how about a wier that runs the lenght of the tank but empties out one end instead of through bulkheads drilled in the back of the tank?

The reason for the question is that I have a 285 gall DAS tank with one overflow in the back right corner. The tank is up and running so I don't want to drill holes in the back.

Any suggestions about building the wier so that it will skim the entire length of the tank but drain from left to right?

thanks,
George
 
It will drain wherever there is a hole. Level the weir in the tank and run it all the way to your normal overflow box and connect it up.

You may want to use a standpipe to adjust the level and prevent a splashing waterfall.
 
This is great - I was pointed to this link from a thread I joind in on regarding replacing the HOB overflow with other options. I am planning a 75 Gal and will definatly be installing one of these. I'm thinking 24" long with 2 drains - one to the skimmer and one to the skimmer area.

I have a mag 9 so I'm just wondering what size bulkhead and piping I should run.

Thanks,
Jer
 
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