DIY internal overflow questions

F

frank10

New member
I'm hoping to drill my tank soon and I want to install an internal overflow box.

The tank is glass, so should the overflow box be made out of glass or can I go with acrylic?

I read somewhere that acrylic attached to glass will eventually leak.

Also, what thicknesses are suitable for glass or acrylic? This is for a 75 gallon glass tank.
 
I would go with glass. I say this beacuse the silicone bond between glass/glass is very strong as opposed to glass/acrylic. Also I've made my own overflow box, and found that glass/glass connection is really strong.

Peter
 
I would go glass, because then you don't have to worry. You also might want to look at doing a horizontal overflow if haven't considered it. That's what I'm going to do on my 75g. There is a sticky on the All Thing Salty, Anthony Calfo's old forum.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6428674#post6428674 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pmui
I would go with glass. I say this beacuse the silicone bond between glass/glass is very strong as opposed to glass/acrylic. Also I've made my own overflow box, and found that glass/glass connection is really strong.

Peter
Click to expand...

How thick of a glass would I need?

One benefit of the acrylic is that you can easily put notches at the upper surface.

How far below the upper lip would you suggest going with a glass internal overflow box?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6428741#post6428741 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BenjieC
I would go glass, because then you don't have to worry. You also might want to look at doing a horizontal overflow if haven't considered it. That's what I'm going to do on my 75g. There is a sticky on the All Thing Salty, Anthony Calfo's old forum.
Click to expand...

The horizontal option looks intersting. It would require a different hole placement. I've been thinking of a hole near the bottom for the vertical box type overflow. This would use a hole nearer the surface.

Is one quieter than the other?
 
Last edited:
There are several advantages to doing a horizontal overflow. They are covered in the other forum, but the gist is:

You don't need to drill a hole in the bottom of your tank. Alot of tanks have tempered glass for the bottom of the tank for additional support. Something you should think about if you decide to go with the vertical overflow.

It creates more floor space for rockwork and corals.

It allows your skimmer to work more efficiently, but pulling more of the waste material that accumulates at the top of the water.


Noise level is a matter of a couple thing water falling over your overflow and hole diamter. With a horizontal overflow the water isn't falling as far and you could put in larger bulkheads, say two 2" bulkheads.

In my book there are no drawbacks to doing a horizontal, so that is the way I'd go. Now if there was already a vertical one installed, I might consider leaving it.

As far as glass thickness 1/4" would be more than enough.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6429321#post6429321 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BenjieC
There are several advantages to doing a horizontal overflow. They are covered in the other forum, but the gist is:

You don't need to drill a hole in the bottom of your tank. Alot of tanks have tempered glass for the bottom of the tank for additional support. Something you should think about if you decide to go with the vertical overflow.

It creates more floor space for rockwork and corals.

It allows your skimmer to work more efficiently, but pulling more of the waste material that accumulates at the top of the water.


Noise level is a matter of a couple thing water falling over your overflow and hole diamter. With a horizontal overflow the water isn't falling as far and you could put in larger bulkheads, say two 2" bulkheads.

In my book there are no drawbacks to doing a horizontal, so that is the way I'd go. Now if there was already a vertical one installed, I might consider leaving it.

As far as glass thickness 1/4" would be more than enough.
Click to expand...

What is horizontal overflow? Any pictures?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6429321#post6429321 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BenjieC
There are several advantages to doing a horizontal overflow. They are covered in the other forum, but the gist is:

You don't need to drill a hole in the bottom of your tank. Alot of tanks have tempered glass for the bottom of the tank for additional support. Something you should think about if you decide to go with the vertical overflow.

It creates more floor space for rockwork and corals.

It allows your skimmer to work more efficiently, but pulling more of the waste material that accumulates at the top of the water.


Noise level is a matter of a couple thing water falling over your overflow and hole diamter. With a horizontal overflow the water isn't falling as far and you could put in larger bulkheads, say two 2" bulkheads.

In my book there are no drawbacks to doing a horizontal, so that is the way I'd go. Now if there was already a vertical one installed, I might consider leaving it.

As far as glass thickness 1/4" would be more than enough.
Click to expand...

One problem is that I have a bit for 1" bulkheads, but nothing larger.
 
when installing these internal overflow boxes, do you dare remove any of the existing silicon to get the glass plates flush with the existing glass?
 
I wouldn't just add enough to seal around it should hold good enough. Dont have to worry about it leaking water like a regualr tank seal. I am planning one as well for my 40g breeder two pieces of 1/4" glass siliconed to the tank glass around the tank seals.
 
This may be a dumb question? How exactly are you guys cutting these glass pieces to size? Are you running these overflows the entire length of the tank and putting one 2 inch hole on each side of the overflow?

Thanks
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6555416#post6555416 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zenzence
This may be a dumb question? How exactly are you guys cutting these glass pieces to size? Are you running these overflows the entire length of the tank and putting one 2 inch hole on each side of the overflow?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I had a local glass shop cut it for me. I just called around. I got my glass cut (1/4") a tube of CRL silicon sealant for about $16 total.
 
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