Help w/ overflow teeth size, please

[Benny Z]

i'd like to send ~1,000 gph through two rectangled overflows, sized 22" long by 4" deep (front to back). this is about 52" of total overflow space.

i'd like a super thin layer of water going over the overflows, which is why they will be so big.

the question is, how big should the teeth be for the "fenced" top? it's going to be very difficult to clean these due to the euro brace style top. the bracing will be covering the overflows and i will only have two small holes to get inside of each. i would say it will be impossible to get any fish out of the overflows and just barely possible to get any snails out of them should they find their way into the boxes.

thanks in advance. waiting for replies before having the overflows custom built.

- ben

 

[lemonhead]

as you add teeth it will take way from total overflow space, so to keep the water thin bigger overflows might be needed.

 

[lemonhead]

i checked with the calculator it said minimium linear overflow needs to be 15 in. i think with 52 in of overflow having 1/2 in. wide teeth with 1/4 in between them will give you 26 in. of actual overflow.

 

[Benny Z]

thanks...

so are you saying that the spaces (places for water to get through) need to be 1/2" wide or the teeth dividing the spaces need to be 1/2" leaving the spaces 1/4"?

i'd rather not hvae 1/2" openings for critters to get into if i can avoid it.

thanks!

 

[Benny Z]

i just took a ruler to a pretty small external overflow box that i have from my last reef setup. the openings are 1/4" with 1/2" teeth between the openings.

do you think i can go smaller than that and leave 1/4" teeth between? reason i ask is because my clown goby was always getting sucked through the teeth into the box while chasing food at feeding time. i'd like to have openings that would prevent this from happening with this tank.

but at the same time, i don't want algae to block the holes. if it's not advised to go smaller than i'll just deal with the larger holes. at least the clown goby would have a much bigger sump to get sucked into this time.

 

[ChemE]

Go toothless and use Gutter Guard to keep critters from entering Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Toothless results in the thinest possible layer of water, which of course results in more efficient skimming.

 

[Benny Z]

thought about that.

honestly, i don't trust myself to get it installed 100% level. with teeth i can mate the tops of the teeth right against the top brace to ensure a perfectly level install. i could use spacers, yeah...i know... actually, i could ask him to make the corners 1/4" taller than the body of the material... hmm... actually, yeah, that's a great idea.

hrm.

 

[Benny Z]

so they would look like this from dead on...

 

[ChemE]

Perfect. Then all you have to do is shim the tank so that it is perfectly level.

 

[Benny Z]

a guy on our local reef club forum is a contractor and saw that i was building the stand a while ago. he offered to come over and basically put the stand together for me. he used a laser leveler and was able to get it perfectly level in the spot it's going to be. still, i'm going to use 3/4" styrofoam under the tank. it should be as level as level gets.