Calfo Style Overflow boxes
- Thread starter Jeremy Blaze
- Start date
GuySmilie
Premium Member
Thanks. Yeah hindsight is always 20/20 
I've put together many tanks in my day and every time the features seem to evolve and improve. Of course, the base of information contained within RC can dramatically shorten the learning curve. I only wish it would have been available to me years ago.
Guy
I've put together many tanks in my day and every time the features seem to evolve and improve. Of course, the base of information contained within RC can dramatically shorten the learning curve. I only wish it would have been available to me years ago.
Guy
Holyreefer
Octopus Extreme 300 Skimr
For an overflow to work do all of the holes have to be perfectly lined up or jus the top?
I understand they all have to be in the box, what if the bulk holes are not allined up perfectly, would i be able to built it from the lowest hole to the top of the tank(where i want the wate level to end?)
I understand they all have to be in the box, what if the bulk holes are not allined up perfectly, would i be able to built it from the lowest hole to the top of the tank(where i want the wate level to end?)
Planning a 29 with a small sump. want to put 250-300 gph through the sump, planning on using a c2c and 2 - 1/2inch bulkheads and turned down street elbowswith a 1/2inch return via a tuned down mag 5. Anyone forsee and problems using the small bulkheads(trying to conserve as much verticle plane as possible...) thanks...bals
Holyreefer
Octopus Extreme 300 Skimr
GuySmilie,
you did do a nice job with that.
Nevermind... i measured them they are straight thank GOD!
I have mine drilled 5 1/2 inches from the top of the tank 1 1/2 inch holes
you did do a nice job with that.
Nevermind... i measured them they are straight thank GOD!
I have mine drilled 5 1/2 inches from the top of the tank 1 1/2 inch holes
GuySmilie
Premium Member
Thanks everyone for the kind words.
Rich_1833:
One of the local glass shops specializes in beveling glass, so they have the equipment to route just about any shape into glass. Though, I found it odd that they would not remove the trim ring. They said that sawing into it could possibly chip the glass edge a certain way that could cause it to fracture. So I gingerly sawed it off with a hacksaw blade.
Rich_1833:
One of the local glass shops specializes in beveling glass, so they have the equipment to route just about any shape into glass. Though, I found it odd that they would not remove the trim ring. They said that sawing into it could possibly chip the glass edge a certain way that could cause it to fracture. So I gingerly sawed it off with a hacksaw blade.
I've decided to put eggcrate behind my calfo overflow. This is the second time I have had a fish jump the thin layer of water overflowing into the sump. The way my sump is designed, I had to drain it and drill a hole to get to the stupid fish, and then repatch the acrylic after I got him out. What a pain.
Solitaryensis
New member
Hey guys,
Been following the thread and everyone has some great ideas. I have a AGA 120 with two overflows and i just hate the way they look. Ideally id like something that looked just like Guysmilies (above) but with a 120, i think ill be needing the centerbrace. Im also not a huge fan of the Calfo "inside tank?" version. So i was hoping someone had any ideas on an alternative. TIA
Been following the thread and everyone has some great ideas. I have a AGA 120 with two overflows and i just hate the way they look. Ideally id like something that looked just like Guysmilies (above) but with a 120, i think ill be needing the centerbrace. Im also not a huge fan of the Calfo "inside tank?" version. So i was hoping someone had any ideas on an alternative. TIA
GuySmilie
Premium Member
The overflow box glued to the back of the tank provides more bracing than you can imagine.....for the back glass panel. Now the front one would still need support however, unless you fashioned a small 'euro' style brace to glue to the top inside of the front panel. It would have to be heavy glass, like 3/8" or 1/2".
By the way, on my overflow box I used 3/8" in the bottom panel. The sched 80 bulkheads were so massive that I was afraid 1/4" glass would not hold up to the strain.
By the way, on my overflow box I used 3/8" in the bottom panel. The sched 80 bulkheads were so massive that I was afraid 1/4" glass would not hold up to the strain.
GuySmilie
Premium Member
I'd like to let them run as is, but I know they will be too noisy. They are all 1" bulkheads and should such the water out pretty swiftly, I'd imagine.
So I will be using a version of the durso on two of the bulkheads. One will feed water to the skimmer chamber of the sump and the other will feed water to the refugium/dsb portion of the sump.
The third bh will just have a piece of pcv pipe stuck in it, cut to a height of 1" lower than the overflow rim - to act as an emergency overflow safety.
So I will be using a version of the durso on two of the bulkheads. One will feed water to the skimmer chamber of the sump and the other will feed water to the refugium/dsb portion of the sump.
The third bh will just have a piece of pcv pipe stuck in it, cut to a height of 1" lower than the overflow rim - to act as an emergency overflow safety.
GuySmilie
Premium Member
I was just going to mention that.
If you're really want an unobstructed view, and you don't have access to the tanks ends, this is probably your best option. I think it could be done up very nicely if a guy took his time and figured it all out. Would probably cost a few more bucks but the effect would be worth it, imo.
You could make something like a 6" square column. Either glass or acrylic, but glass would be easier to secure to your tanks bottom, assuming you have a glass tank. That would give you a good 24" of lineal overflow area. I would not cut teeth into the lip if it were me. If you're concerned about losing animals over a toothless edge, you could fashion a square piece of eggcrate to fit inside the column a inch or so below the lip. That would catch stuff before it gets sucked into the discharge plumbing.
Then when you get it all installed you could bury it in a massive mound of live rock. I think that would look sharp. One drawback I see is how to tame waterfall noise with a system like this - especially if you have a tall tank. Check out the Thread Of The Month here on RC to see how that guy built a cube style with no visible hardware.
Anyway, a few ideas....
customcolor
New member
i think i will use 2 1" bulk heads with my design. to what i read they should handle that amound of flow from a mak4 with 4'head. or should i do 4. i plan on doing 2 boxs cuz i wana keep the center open for a swirlenstein hooked up to a Hydor Koralia #1.
lukinrats
Premium Member
I hope this question can be answered here... I am planning out how to do my overflow... I.E. HOB (u-tube)... Full spanning internal calfo overflow, vertical overflow, or fixing my 90 up the way that GuySmilie did
I like the route that GuySmilie took, and am wondering if you can cut that slot out w/ dremel on a glass tank, or if you have to have an acrylic tank... Also how hard is it to do this on glass?
I plan on running about 400 gph through the sump, so I thought that if I did my overflow that way... I can run 1 to 2 bulkheads directly to the sump... 1 to the skimmer... 1 to the Fuge... Does this sound acceptable, and what size bulkheads do I need to get 400 gph running through 2 of them, or just 1 if it will do it
Thanks,
I like the route that GuySmilie took, and am wondering if you can cut that slot out w/ dremel on a glass tank, or if you have to have an acrylic tank... Also how hard is it to do this on glass?
I plan on running about 400 gph through the sump, so I thought that if I did my overflow that way... I can run 1 to 2 bulkheads directly to the sump... 1 to the skimmer... 1 to the Fuge... Does this sound acceptable, and what size bulkheads do I need to get 400 gph running through 2 of them, or just 1 if it will do it
Thanks,
