Overflow Advice

M

mattruggiero

Member
Hi Guys,

So I'm in the process of putting my first mixed reef tank together and need some advice concerning overflows. My tank is a 125 gallons and is pre-drilled with two overflows. I've decided to just plug those holes and instead drill new holes in the back wall for an internal or external overflow box so that I can run a bean animal setup.

My questions are...

What type of overflow box should I be using? I've seen some with teeth and some without... some that span the entire tank and some that don't. Advantages/disadvantages?

Where is a good place to buy one? Mind you I prefer not to spend $150+ on some of the models I've seen available. I've almost expended my budget.

I'm hoping for 1000 GPH.. so what size pipe/bulkheads should I use?

Also, is there a website that I should be referencing for all this stuff? I've been looking and it's piecemeal. I'm finding it difficult to put everything together.

Thanks for reading and I appreciate any advice you can give me :thumbsup:
 
username in use said:
Have you looked at the herbie method? You can use the existing holes to do that.
Click to expand...

I have and that was my initial plan but I just like the idea of having two emergency drains (bean animal) and only adjusting one siphon pipe. The current pre-drilled holes aren't big enough to get the GPH needed to my sump with a single drain pipe. Plus, the overflows are big and I prefer not to have them in the tank.
 
When I set up my 120 gallon tank I removed the center overflow bow and plugged the holes on the bottom. I drilled the back on the tank, made and installed a coast to coast in tank overflow box for better surface skimming and attached an overflow box in the behind the tank with three drain lines (modified Bean Animal). I've been very happy with that set-up, it is very quiet, great surface skimming and is stable.
1000 GPH through the sump is a little strong, but if you choose to do so I would use either 1-1/4" drains which should give you more than 1000 GPH at full siphon.
This site will help:
http://gmacreef.com/category/overflow/
 
thegrun said:
When I set up my 120 gallon tank I removed the center overflow bow and plugged the holes on the bottom. I drilled the back on the tank, made and installed a coast to coast in tank overflow box for better surface skimming and attached an overflow box in the behind the tank with three drain lines (modified Bean Animal). I've been very happy with that set-up, it is very quiet, great surface skimming and is stable.
1000 GPH through the sump is a little strong, but if you choose to do so I would use either 1-1/4" drains which should give you more than 1000 GPH at full siphon.
This site will help:
http://gmacreef.com/category/overflow/
Click to expand...

Too strong you think? That's what... 8x turnover per hour. Should I be shooting for something closer to 5x? I've seen that number around.

Do you have a pic of your overflows? Just curious how it's setup. And as far as building the overflow box... can that be made from plexiglass? I have some 1/4 laying around.
 
mattruggiero said:
Good to know! Thanks!
Click to expand...

Not sure why do you want external box. Usually it's needed if you can't drill tempered glass on bottom. I've seen few custom external overflow boxes which are really good but you have to have special tank for it. The whole back panel should be converted to let water overflow skimming the surface. Having water goes into hole(s) in your back panel is not the best way to skim.
I would install two overflow boxes and if you want extra pipe you can drill another hole. You just need one.

GL!
 
danil said:
Not sure why do you want external box. Usually it's needed if you can't drill tempered glass on bottom. I've seen few custom external overflow boxes which are really good but you have to have special tank for it. The whole back panel should be converted to let water overflow skimming the surface. Having water goes into hole(s) in your back panel is not the best way to skim.
I would install two overflow boxes and if you want extra pipe you can drill another hole. You just need one.

GL!
Click to expand...

Honestly, I've just seen some tanks with the external overflow and it looks more low profile in the tank... but it sounds like Bean Animal's original design reigns supreme.

I'll probably go with the coast to coast overflow and drill 3 holes for the bulkheads in my tank.
 
Timing of this thread is perfect. I just finished making my second diy overflow. First was a bust but the second is working well so far. I basically copied the ghost overflow design made from acrylic.

I am not thrilled with the teeth design. They force the water level up in the tank thus requiring more emergency room in the sump if he pump goes off.

I am thinking a longer and shallower overflow with a lid suspended 1/4" above the top might work better.

My current freshwater overflow has teeth but the wet/dry filter below has a low water level by design offering the needed emergency room.

Was design is complete it will connect to a larger box on the back with a bean animal.
 
Ok, I wanted to come back to this subject and hope to get some more input about an overflow.

Right now I'm leaning towards using a coast to coast overflow.. the internal box would be 1.5" deep, 4" tall and 72" wide made with 1/4" glass. Then I would have an external box that would be 4" deep, 6" tall and 16" wide. I would connect them by drilling a few 2.5" holes in the back of my tank. The external box would house my BeanAnimal plumbing. I'm shooting for about 900 GPH.

What do you guys think about this design?

Also, I know there is some information in the 'Silent and Failsafe Overflow Sytem' thread... but it's 350+ pages long and after about 15 pages or so it gives me a headache. So please don't refer me to that. :lmao:

Thanks!!
 
Last edited:
mattruggiero said:
Ok, I wanted to come back to this subject and hope to get some more input about an overflow.

Right now I'm leaning towards using a coast to coast overflow.. the internal box would be 1.5" deep, 4" tall and 72" wide made with 1/4" glass. Then I would have an external box that would be 4" deep, 6" tall and 16" wide. I would connect them by drilling a few 2.5" holes in the back of my tank. The external box would house my BeanAnimal plumbing. I'm shooting for about 900 GPH.

What do you guys think about this design?

Also, I know there is some information in the 'Silent and Failsafe Overflow Sytem' thread... but it's 350+ pages long and after about 15 pages or so it gives me a headache. So please don't refer me to that. :lmao:

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

That's very close to how I made mine, nearly the same dimensions although I used acrylic for the in tank overflow box with 3/4" deep x 1/4" wide teeth.
 
thegrun said:
That's very close to how I made mine, nearly the same dimensions although I used acrylic for the in tank overflow box with 3/4" deep x 1/4" wide teeth.
Click to expand...

You've been very helpful Grun. So first let me thank you for sharing your knowledge with me. :thumbsup:

Ok, cool. What's different about the setup you have? And do you think the internal box being 1.5" deep is enough? Thanks!
 
1 & 1/2" internal box is even a hair bigger than the ghost overflow design. I have settled on a design almost identical to yours except everything out of acrylic (only because I have it). I will stop just short of c2c to leave rooms for the returns. Decided on toothless as well.
 
Koop said:
1 & 1/2" internal box is even a hair bigger than the ghost overflow design. I have settled on a design almost identical to yours except everything out of acrylic (only because I have it). I will stop just short of c2c to leave rooms for the returns. Decided on toothless as well.
Click to expand...

I was thinking about leaving space for the returns are well... and still might go that route. Right now I'm leaning towards a full c2c and just extending the return pipe over the weir. We will see!
 
Mine is 1-1/2" off the back wall OD (1-1/4" ID) x 4" tall and 30" wide. I wanted to keep the overflow 9" off the side glass, hence the 30" length. My external box is also 16" wide, 4" deep but I made it 16" tall to give me room for the drain lines. I wish I had taken some better pictures of it before I placed the tank so I could share them with you. I have three 1" drains, a primary full siphon, a secondary drain that gets just a trickle of water and a third emergency drain that is 1/2" above the secondary that should never see water but lets me sleep at night! I use a gate valve at the bottom of the primary drain, the other two drains do not have valves.
 
I'm just starting a 75g and have to drill the back for the Herbie method and I need some advice. How far down from the top of the tank and how far apart should I put my holes? I was also planning on using 1" pipe for both.
 
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