If I were to make my own overflow box out of acrylic what would I need to cut the teeth into it? Is there anything in particular material wise that I should look for? Also, I've read that silicone doesn't work very well for acrylic, so what could I use that's reef-safe to attach an acrylic box to glass?
First saltwater build! 40b/20g sump reef.
- Thread starter GHsaltie
- Start date
aznxgqb0yx
New member
I think it'll be easier to make it out of glass, and you really don't need tooth for an overflow.
I wanted the acrylic because I can get it in black, I don't know where to get black glass without it being super expensive. I don't want anything clear as I want the drain pipes to be hidden. And, maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought the whole point in having teeth for the overflow is to prevent fish and other inhabitants from getting into the box.
Ok so I have another question again, this time about return pumps. I want to be able to have a mix of lps and sps, but I'm not sure how much flow in general corals need. I think I'm going to go with either 2 Koralia evolution 850s or 1 850 and a koralia 1150. That would put me anywhere from 1700GPH to 2000GPH, correct? So right now I'm trying to determine what kind of return pump I should get, any input? Also, are the powerheads I have picked out good ones?
p.s. I think I figured out my overflow box problem, but still open to any suggestions!
p.s. I think I figured out my overflow box problem, but still open to any suggestions!
Isaacs55
New member
If you need more hep and advice check out my build thread. It's also a 40B/20G sump.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2500306
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2500306
Is it this one, http://www.marinedepot.com/Taam_Rio...s-TAAM_Via_Aqua-TA3111-FIPHFF-TA3156-vi.html? Sorry, still getting used to all the different names and models...
I finally decided to go with the rio pump, have it on the way with a bunch of other stuff, hurray! Now I need a wee bit of help with powerheads, but it is a holiday so I understand if nobody responds. Okay, so not long ago I was thinking about getting either 2 koralia Eco 850s or an 850 and an 1150. Since the sales started I've been seeing the Tunze nanostreams and I really like them. However, I'm not sure which ones I would need. I'm probably going to start with lps and softies, maybe sps down the road, but I'm unsure how much flow I need for these corals, and so I can't figure out the gph I need from the powerheads. Any help is very much appreciated (hopefully before the sale ends)! Oh and happy thanksgiving everybody!
Congrats on your purchase - Christmas a little early! 
One thing on your Rio pump - it has a slip fitting on the output so you'll have to use a combination of flex tubing and PVC to attach it - don't forget to ziptie the flex tubing nice and tight as you don't want a geyser. mmittlesteadt should be able to help you as he has the same type of setup.
Also, not to worry you but put your new Rio pump in a bucket of saltwater and let it run for some time. There were problems with Rio's some years back (melting and taking out entire tanks) but I haven't heard much lately so the problem may have been resolved. But better to be safe then sorry.
The Koralia Evolution 850 may be a bit much for your 40, it will be for softies. You would do better with a Evolution 600 or drop down to the Nano 565. Definitely consider putting 2 on a wavemaker. On my 40 I have the Nano 565 and Nano 425 on the Koralia wavemaker set for 15 second intervals.
How are you doing on the overflow box? Connecting acrylic uses a product called Weldon 40 - basically it melts the 2 pieces together so you need very clean cuts on the acrylic to make a seamless joint. I used a dremel bit to cut teeth in my overflow when I made mine a few years back. It really wasn't the cleanest way but did the job.
While your shopping and still in the planning stages get yourself a Ranco controller for your 2 Cobalt heaters - do NOT rely on the internal thermostat to control the heaters. If they fail in the open position the heater will continue to raise the temp in your tank and cook everything. $49 from Amazon and you'll need to do some minor wiring for the plugs. With winter here...well, just get the Ranco now and don't worry.
One thing on your Rio pump - it has a slip fitting on the output so you'll have to use a combination of flex tubing and PVC to attach it - don't forget to ziptie the flex tubing nice and tight as you don't want a geyser. mmittlesteadt should be able to help you as he has the same type of setup.
Also, not to worry you but put your new Rio pump in a bucket of saltwater and let it run for some time. There were problems with Rio's some years back (melting and taking out entire tanks) but I haven't heard much lately so the problem may have been resolved. But better to be safe then sorry.
The Koralia Evolution 850 may be a bit much for your 40, it will be for softies. You would do better with a Evolution 600 or drop down to the Nano 565. Definitely consider putting 2 on a wavemaker. On my 40 I have the Nano 565 and Nano 425 on the Koralia wavemaker set for 15 second intervals.
How are you doing on the overflow box? Connecting acrylic uses a product called Weldon 40 - basically it melts the 2 pieces together so you need very clean cuts on the acrylic to make a seamless joint. I used a dremel bit to cut teeth in my overflow when I made mine a few years back. It really wasn't the cleanest way but did the job.
While your shopping and still in the planning stages get yourself a Ranco controller for your 2 Cobalt heaters - do NOT rely on the internal thermostat to control the heaters. If they fail in the open position the heater will continue to raise the temp in your tank and cook everything. $49 from Amazon and you'll need to do some minor wiring for the plugs. With winter here...well, just get the Ranco now and don't worry.
Well I finally have an update worth posting! I had quite a few delays due to another project of mine as well as some personal issues but I'm finally making progress. I just picked up my display tank from being drilled. I was lucky enough to find out that one of my co-worker's dad drills tanks as extra income so I got that done over the weekend. I'm going with a Herbie drain and decided on 1" for both the emergency and main drain and am doing a 3/4" return. I also decided to ditch the thought of making my own overflow or anything like that, I went with a cpr 12 overflow from Marine Depot. Today I finally found someone who cuts glass so now I can get my baffles made. Lastly I found this short but very helpful thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2557252 which gave me several ideas for the back glass. I decided to go with the Krylon fusion spray paint route, however this is where my question comes in. (I can never seem to make a post without a question being in somewhere lol.) I couldn't find any that was specifically FUSION, so I ended up getting one labeled Maxx, black matte. I don't know anything about spray paint, so will this difference effect anything or is it all pretty much the same? Oh and I also got my silicone today so as soon as I get the back glass painted and my baffles made I can start putting things together! I'm so stoked I can't wait to get started, seems like it's taking forever!
I finally got the back glass painted and the bulkheads installed last weekend. Still working on the glass for my baffles, I haven't been able to get into contact with the original person who was going to cut my glass so I'm back to square one. I've also had *sigh* more delays with my stand, due to having to go through a third party to contact the potential builder. Because of all these set-backs I have plenty of time to plan out my plumbing, which I have been putting off for too long now. I thought at first that it wouldn't be all that hard once I put some dedicated time into it, and I did come up with a rough-draft of what I'm thinking but I'm a little paranoid that I'll miss something or make an unsafe choice. So this is where I would very much appreciate some seasoned advice! I attached a picture of a (very) rough sketch that I drew on paper, so it should help me to explain what I'm planning at this point.
Yikes! As I said, very bad. Basically, main drain is shown on the right, return is on the left (in reality they are both going to be in the back, it was just easier for me to draw at the time.) Starting with the main drain is a 90 elbow on the backside of the bulkhead followed by a union (haven't fully decided if that one is necessary), somewhere along the line I would add a gate valve with unions on both ends, down to the sump I would have a 45 elbow with a union either before or after it, then the pipe would go into a filter sock in the sump. E-drain is basically the same concept minus the gate valve. Return- this is where I'm struggling the most. The major of it would be comprised of ultra-flex pvc tubing, minus the last several inches to the tank which would be regular pvc. I like the idea of having a swing check valve being the connector of the tubing and pipe, but I'm not sure if a swing check valve would be reliable or if I should go with something else in it's place. Now comes the hard part, I can't figure out how to attach the pvc tubing to my return pump. I have a rio 2500, the output is 3/4" in. which is what my return is, except that it's not threaded or anything (I don't know if that's normal). There is a 3/4" hose adapter included here's a pic,
I can't see how I could attach that end to my setup so what I was thinking was taking off the output part of the adapter, like so
and attaching the pvc tubing to that. But then I come across the problem of how to I make sure the tubing is attached securely??? Okay, I think that about covers everything, and huge props to anyone who read through all of that!
Yikes! As I said, very bad. Basically, main drain is shown on the right, return is on the left (in reality they are both going to be in the back, it was just easier for me to draw at the time.) Starting with the main drain is a 90 elbow on the backside of the bulkhead followed by a union (haven't fully decided if that one is necessary), somewhere along the line I would add a gate valve with unions on both ends, down to the sump I would have a 45 elbow with a union either before or after it, then the pipe would go into a filter sock in the sump. E-drain is basically the same concept minus the gate valve. Return- this is where I'm struggling the most. The major of it would be comprised of ultra-flex pvc tubing, minus the last several inches to the tank which would be regular pvc. I like the idea of having a swing check valve being the connector of the tubing and pipe, but I'm not sure if a swing check valve would be reliable or if I should go with something else in it's place. Now comes the hard part, I can't figure out how to attach the pvc tubing to my return pump. I have a rio 2500, the output is 3/4" in. which is what my return is, except that it's not threaded or anything (I don't know if that's normal). There is a 3/4" hose adapter included here's a pic,
I can't see how I could attach that end to my setup so what I was thinking was taking off the output part of the adapter, like so
and attaching the pvc tubing to that. But then I come across the problem of how to I make sure the tubing is attached securely??? Okay, I think that about covers everything, and huge props to anyone who read through all of that!
I finally have water in the tank!!! I am so excited right now it's ridiculous. :rollface: just waiting on the last bit of water to fill the sump with. View attachment 347816
View attachment 347817
I'm going to cut some 2x4 to sit on the inside of the stand and I'll fold the tarp over those boards. Hopefully that will eliminate any spills from soaking through the stand. Then I'm going to skin the stand and make it look all nice and pretty. Along with the doors in the front I'm also going to add a second more inconspicuous door on the side where my return is at. And of course a pic of the pipe work, my first time doing anything with pvc!
View attachment 347818
And while I was sitting on the couch marveling at the fact that I am finally getting somewhere with this tank, I notice these fun little bubbles on the underside of the overflow. So just for the heck of it I tried to take a picture, but sadly my phone isn't all that great.
View attachment 347817
I'm going to cut some 2x4 to sit on the inside of the stand and I'll fold the tarp over those boards. Hopefully that will eliminate any spills from soaking through the stand. Then I'm going to skin the stand and make it look all nice and pretty. Along with the doors in the front I'm also going to add a second more inconspicuous door on the side where my return is at. And of course a pic of the pipe work, my first time doing anything with pvc!
View attachment 347818
And while I was sitting on the couch marveling at the fact that I am finally getting somewhere with this tank, I notice these fun little bubbles on the underside of the overflow. So just for the heck of it I tried to take a picture, but sadly my phone isn't all that great.
I got my rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater yesterday, 40 lbs, and so far I'm loving it! My sand won't be arriving until later this week, so I have to be bare bottom until then. I think once I've got this rock settled in and I have a better idea of how I want to structure my rockwork I'm going to find a couple nice decorative pieces of dry rock to add to what I've got. So far I have found quite a few fascinating (and creepy) critters in my rocks. Tons of bristle worms of course, snails, two hermits of unknown type, feather dusters out the wazoo and bunches of sponges. While I was first putting my rock in the tank I saw what looked to be a small pistol shrimp, it was smaller than a half inch and clearish white in color and I've heard lots of clicking. I also counted at least five keyhole limpets of varying sizes and a nickel-sized fleshy limpet (pic included), I have yet to determine if these guys are reef safe or not so input welcomed!
