Holy reefer!!!! Dd 250 custom

[jjk_reef00]

Great thread, I'm subscribed! I'm a huge fan of the silent and safe overflow, and I have one on my tank. The two things I noticed is that food gets sucked over it real fast so you may want to use filter socks. I find 1 large filter sock is enough to place both main drains in. I thought about turning my pump off at feeding time but haven't done it yet...

The only downside of that type of overflow that I can see is that a wavemaker isn't going to give you that much of a wave. My tunze doesn't at least because the overflow is placed along the back of my tank. I have an 8' tank, the overflow is 4' long and noticed no difference in 1 or 2 tunze waveboxes. I get 1/2" -1" waves. If possible set your waveboxes up against the wall with your overflow and point them to the wall that has no overflow. That way they will bounce off of that wall and give you better wave making capability.

For my next tank I want to do the overflow on the side of the tank like you did in hopes to get more of a wave in my tank. I love the surface skimming but I really miss the powerful wave action.

 

[snaza]

Hi,

Great tank thread. Im also setting up a similar size tank with same overflow. I dont have anywhere near the flow you have from the return so was wandering how much flow you think 1 x 1.5inch syphon could handle?

Also interested in what those bulkheads are call for the overflows. they look like they take up much less space than the normal tank ones i've seen

thanks

Aaron

 

[teesquare]

These pics are of some of the CL returns....

 

[teesquare]

This how I made the returns: I ised 1-12/'' intake screens from Aquatic Eco Systems.. They slip-fit into schedule 40 grey electrical conduit PVC. That in turn slips - tightly - into 2'' ABS pipe. It just makes the whole assembly less noticeable.

 

[teesquare]

leslie:Sure you can't get Pal at Oceans Motions to send you some? They are great!

jjk:I had not tried the wave boxes that I have here....I have thought that waves mght interfere with the quietness of the overflow - that is why I went with the OM-4s for current change-up. They provide the water motion below the surface - without the surface surge and change in the height of the water that a true wave maker would do. I like both - but this has worked well so far....still I am tempted to try the wave boxes.

snaza: 1- 1-1/2'' siphon is all you need. In fact I am only using one of the 2 siphons I have right now - and it is handling all of the flow from a Reeflo Barracuda. One thing - you may want to do is to up-size the fittings in the overflow with 2'' fittings, then bush down to 1-1/2'' pipe.
Not neccessary, but seems to help slow the velocity of water entering the plumbing, and reduces vortexing at the forward most edge of the lip on the 90 that "picks-p" the water from the overflow.

 

[bhelne01]

i love the design and look of your tank and system

 

[teesquare]

Thank you very much bhelne01!!!
It is a continuing effort, and there will be additional improvements....
T

 

[TheCoralReef731]

Thanks for the pics of the returns. You certainly camouflaged them well. I imagine you get a nice even flow in all directions with those. Have you noticed any detritus build up?

 

[teesquare]

You are welcome!
I have seen on small area that allows debris to settle out. But it is easy to get to, and remoove the gunk. Maybe I can move a rock to allow more flow there.......

T

 

[cjtice]

Hey T2, tank is really looking good!

We will have to schedule a visit soon...

Chris

 

[teesquare]

Hey Chris!
Thanks - come and look in person will ya?
I got asked about skimming. I am currently using and old Beckett type, and it need replacing. ( I have 2 larger ones, just need the time to put one in place)

 

[teesquare]

Here is a shot of the "nasty" bucket. It is a white bucket, - well, it was anyway......

 

[Bax]

OOOOH! That's a nasty bucket now!

 

[teesquare]

Bax - I gotta tell you - it is a test of courage to carry that when it gets full - all the way to the sink in the basement....I tripped once...the smell caused the wife to leave the house for several hours:mixed:

So I figure - the next time I need her gone for a period of time...I can spll a "bucket 'o poo" :lmao:

T

 

[jb61264]

teesquare...absolutely insane build!...subscribed and following along

 

[EnglishRebel]

Hey T
I am amazed at the difference in the color of your rocks from the first photo to the most recent. I know it's only been a few months but that's a lot of coraline.
Cant wait to see it in person.

 

[RichK]

Teesquare, I am planning a 300DD and was wondering about your overflow. I am probably going to have them do an internal coastal overflow across the back, or maybe offset to one side. I want the tank as close to the wall as possible.I am not going to be pushing as much flow through it, but it has to be SILENT. My main question is: It looks like the piece of glass the water flows over is just at the bottom of the trim. Is this the case? And, without any "teeth" is this glass, do you have any issues with fish going into the overflow?

 

[jupiter]

As others have said, great tank.

Are your overflows also made of ABS? Are you concerned about leaching or deterioration?

 

[teesquare]

jb- thanks for tagging along!

Alan - tahnks - seems to just be water changes, as I have not added any additives to the tank yet. Still working on setting up the Profilux, and dosing pumps

RichK - I left a link to this thread on Mike's 300 Double D:lol2:


You are right - the overflow wall - which is the right end pane of glass, is 1 inch shorter in hieght than the other sides of the tank. That makes it also even with the bottom of the top tank trim. There is 1/2'' between the top edge of the overflow and the bottom of the euro-bracing. The euro-bracing is 1/2'' like the rest of the tank. So the emergency drain is set at just below the top edge of the euro bracing, approx 3/4'' above the topedge of the overflow.
Note: I added the top brace at the back of the overflow. My fault - I did not ask for it , and I did not explain well enough to the guys at Marineland what I was doing.
This was the first time they had built an external overflow and the first water jetting job like you see.

I don't like teeth on a weir (overflow) they catch debris, and if a fish is going over, it is going usually because it is dead, or near death. I have only lost one like that. The others seem to know ( sense the pressure difference?) a they approach the "edge" . And - it is easier clean and looks nicer to me. Again, eith er will work - but you will need to adjust the overflow wall hieght down a bit, ot offeset for the area of the teeth. And - teeth cause more noise if you have a resonable flow rate.....

Internal or external - either way this is the best thought out overflow system I have ever had. Not to my credit - BeanAnimal's.

T

 

[teesquare]

Jupiter:
Yes - that is ABS. No problems with degradation, or leaching of anything. ABS is approved in many places for various water/wastewater applications. There are threads here on RC about it, and - it is one of theose things that there is far more superstition than fact about.
Funny - some of the same guys that are against using ABS - recommend spray painting pipe black that will be in the tank!!!!!
I use some carbon, so if there are any things released ( which I really doubt) it may be removed.
Just for info sake - the pigment used to make the color black in paints, coatings, plastics, etc is "carbon black". Literally...carbon.

T