Need advise on 300g set-up!

[svb57]

Hey guys,

Need your input here!!! The 300g tank I am setting up has 6x6 corner over flows that will not work with the stand I built and the fact that I am going with a coast to coast overflow. The issue is I can not take the corner overflows out. So, what can I do? I can cover them so no water goes into them and fill them with something, but what shoudl I fill them with? Sand? Rubble? Black sand? Leave them empty?

Could really use some thoughts on this!


Thanks
Jim Mc

 

[Biggie]

I could make suggestions here but I think it would serve you better in the long run to modify the stand and use the overflows.

Other things to consider is whateveryou put in thats exposed to water is going to azccumulate debris like sand or rock or rubble then cleaning it out is going to be an issue of great concern.

blocking them off and going with a differnt style overflow diminishes the water volume but does solve the problem. Just seems like a waste to not be able to use them.
Is your stand metal or wood?

Eithier way you may be better served and happier by just bitig the bullet and modifying the stand.

I ran into something similar on my build where the drilled closed loop holes were covered by a supporting cross brace on the stand.
Despite my inhabitions It was cut, grind, reweld, primer, paint and recaot the whole thing. The work is the part that sux but the payoff is worth it. Besides its 300 gal.thats alot of display why not make it all it can be....

Really like to hear what you decide Ill be wondering how you fair.
Good luck.

 

[svb57]

Biggie,

Thanks for the comments.

The stand is made of 3x3 structual tubing. The set-up is, I will have the 300g tank over a 125g tank. Both "show" tanks viewable through a wall. That means the stand has four legs 73" apart with no support in the middle. Not sure if midification is wise or not at this time. Would like to continue looking at alternatives.

I too am afraid if I use the overflows as an in tank refugium of debris settling in and not being able to clean it out.

The other issue I am struggling with is I will be using a Tunze Wave Maker and with the 6x6 corner over flows one would be flooded and other empty ever time a wave moved from one side to other. Not sure if that is a concern or not? The coast to coast to coast skimmer will not be a “box” shape but is made from dark glass and will be se at 45 degrees.

What would you think if I put a 1” hole at bottom and ran a small maxi-jet and put rubble in the overflow box with egg crate on the top?

Again thanks for the input!!!!

Jim Mc

 

[Biggie]

That sounds like a fairly simple type stand for all intensive purpose. I can see what happened in my head. The 3 x 3 interfers at the corners where the bulk heads are correct?
Couple things you can do. to get around this. First you can do a backer and move the tank back from the wall face. Ill expalin this in detail. From the front view you can trim it out the off set picture frame style and it will look very good.

Stand wise: Id take a piece of your 3 x 3 the length of your existing stand (outside to outside) attatched to that Id weld 2 - 6 inch long double 45 mitered pieces and attatch that to your legs which will give you support for the tank to move back off the stand onto your new piece and clear your bulkheads. For the front of the stand looking top view. just add a piece in the gap weld it in.
From the front the whole tank will look recessed into the wall the distance you had to clear the bulkheads from the rear.

If all that isnt possible then theres one last option and thats drill the overflows from the back and use a 90 degree elbow.

Drilling is a pain but might be your best solution. For the existing holes you can silicone (for glass) a plate over from the inside or use Weld-On to put an Acrylic patch over them.

THis is all I can come up with other than a cut and grind apart job to modify the stand.

 

[svb57]

Biggie,

I have no issue drilling the tank (have drilled about 15 holes in my other tanks). Never thought about closinjg off the bottom and puttin gin 90 degree elbow and still use the corner over flows in conjuction with the coast to coast.

THANKS
Jim Mc

 

[Biggie]

Great, glad I gave some good advice for once lol..

Just one more thing to keep in mind, your gonna want a 90 degree elbow inside the overflow to a 90 on the outside like a durso stand pipe or you may have some noise issues with the water gurgling thru a single 90.
You can mess around with using a double threaded bulkhead and a nipple to the 2- 90's whatever works best just as long as its not a straight thru hole to your overflow.

Then again, Im not entirely up to speed on your type of overflow eithier so let me know how it works out for you.
Good luck.