Modifying AGA overflow

V

Vauche

New member
I have a 90G AGA with AGA overflow (rated 600gph). These have vertical slats in them across the top. I read that ideally you want horizontal as this would give more surface area skimming. So my question, what would happen if I just cut about 1-1.5cm out of these slats at water level?

Reasons I am considering this. One, I have noticed larger peices of detritus can not get through the slats as they are designed (even larger peices of slime algea get caught on them only to be blown off when flow switches). Two, even if 1-2 cm it would be small enough that nothing would be able to make it through.

Anyways, just wondering, I do not want to ruin the overflow!

Thanks
 
Not sure I understand. 2.54cm is an inch so at 2cm you looking at about 4/5 of an inch. At that size my smaller crabs, snails and fish could get through.

Are you planning to make each slit bigger or remove the dividers so there are no slits? I'd go for making each a few mm bigger and adding a few more, but I'm not sure that would add enough to make a difference with your skimmer, not like a coast to coast would.

On a side note if you have that much slime suck it out with a turkey baster and address the cause of it. I also don't have any detritus that would not fit through the stock slits, are you over feeding?
 
First, yes, not 2cm, that was thinking to fast (or not thinking). My thought was to just cut a slit horizontally through the dividers right at water level so it would look something akin to "++++++"

Secondly, working on the issues as far as detritus, cyano really,increase flow (absolutely false that this stuff can't grow in high flow though), less food, water changes, basting rocks every night, ect). Also I have a problem with sargassum algea, it is all over the place and when manual removal you just can't suck it all up so to get some to get through the overflow would be a big help.

Third well I'm not sure I can do a coast-to-coast (wouldn't know how to modify this tank if it was possible) this would be my best bet of increasing the amount of surface water that could be skimmed through the overflow (question if it would make a difference is a good question).

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it and agree, I need to solve the cause of the problem, but I could use all the help to clean up the problem as the the solution is taking effect. However, if the general consensus is I'm off my rocker, well, I suppose I should listen!
 
you know drummereef, that's not a bad idea for this situation. Keeps the snails out and the detritus has more of a chance of making its way in.
 
I've done this on all my overflows:

IMG_1090.jpg


Dremel out the teeth and replace it with gutter guard. Don't know the exact flow rates but it definitely handled more flow than before.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14859389#post14859389 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Vauche
Thanks for the link and the picture. That might just be what I'm looking for!
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: Just don't blame me if you get halfway into it and freak out when you realize you're taking a dremel to your display. :D
 
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