overflow box
- Thread starter firedan
- Start date
I attached mine with bulkheads just make sure to put the gasket between the overflow box & the glass. Mine is like a diy ghost overflow with a internall box I made from acrylic & a exterior box made from glass that is silicone to the back of the tank so it's a little different then what u are doing. I would still make a 4 sided box & attach it with bulkheads if I did it how u are planning with only a internal box. U can get a couple extra bulkhead gaskets if u want to put one behind the flange of the bulkhead like u normally would but u still need one between the acrylic & glass.
uncleof6
Active member
320gallon tank, move on up aren't you. Some are suggesting mounting this thing to the back of the tank, using a 3 or 5 sided box, held in place by bulkheads. Well that may work ok in a small tank, it is hardly going to work as well on a 320 gallon tank.
You are talking a coast to coast, which at best would be full length, and at the least just about full length. The bulkheads would have to be *fairly* well spaced to insure that no undue stress is placed on the glass. Not really a big deal, as the horizontal spacing of the drains really does not make a difference functionally. Where you will run into a potential problem is getting all the lines to outlet into the same area of the sump. Yes that and varying configuration between the pipes, can/will affect the operation of the system.
I would strongly suggest that you stick to the idea of an L shaped overflow (the simplest design there is.) Place your bulkheads/pipes in a manner that will allow them to drop straight down into the skimmer area of your sump. This will provide the best out of box performance, without having to mess around with it.
I would build the overflow with 9mm glass. Don't know why folks are so shy to use glass, as silicone will hold it in place till around the time the tank falls apart. DIY acrylic to glass with silicone can have mixed results, especially if one has little or no experience. They do make catalyzed polymers that do this well.
death_adder
New member
This is what I'm building beanie overflows at one end and inlet bulkhead head at other end. Will be 8mm acrylic won't be any flex at all.
uncleof6
Active member
Since acrylic is not rigid, there will be flex in it somewhere, you just may or may not be able to notice it. This is aggravated by the fact that acrylic absorbs water. It is most noticeable when one side is wet, and the other is dry, but uneven absorbtion will alter the "straightness" of a chunk of acrylic. This alone, aside from the lack of structural strength when using silicone to attach it to glass, makes glass the more suitable material to use, when water is involved.
been awhile since posted but this is overflow I have come up with. bean overflow with 1.5" bulkheads 2 1" returns. the overflow box want to be 72" 3 1/2 wide 4" deep am going to make 4" ears on both end as using the bulkhead to hold in place because I am using black acrylic so algae don't grow inside. any and all thought
What do u mean by ears, are u saying that it will have a flange for the return bulkheads to go through. So u will have all 5 of the bulkheads holding the box in place? If so I think u will be ok, mine is 48" long & it is held in place by 3- 1 1/2" bulkheads & it is fine. So if u have your return bulkheads holding the ends then space your 3 drain bulkheads accordingly then I think u will be fine.
Mine is setup a little different then yours, I have a interior box made out of acrylic but I have a exterior box made from glass.I was able to make my interior box 11/2" wide because I didn't have any plumbing but I made it 7" tall so it would cover the exterior box so u couldn't see it looking through the tank.
I would check the size of a street 90 or whatever u plan to use inside your overflow box to make sure u are building the box big enough. I agree with LXXero, I don't believe 4" deep will be enough for a 1 1/2" 90. I also don't think 3 1/2" wide will be quite big enough. I don't have one on hand to measure but I believe a 1 1/2" street 90 is about 3 1/2". If that is the case then u will have to make the box a little bigger so u can fit the 90 inside the overflow box & be able to install it in the bulkhead. U will have to check the size of your 90 & figure it from where your bulkhead will be but I believe it is going to have to be 5 to 6" tall to fit.
By the way, I have one tank with a smoked glass box then one with black acrylic, I do like the acrylic better then the smoked glass. If I had to make it out of glass I do like the smoked glass better then clear though.
Mine is setup a little different then yours, I have a interior box made out of acrylic but I have a exterior box made from glass.I was able to make my interior box 11/2" wide because I didn't have any plumbing but I made it 7" tall so it would cover the exterior box so u couldn't see it looking through the tank.
I would check the size of a street 90 or whatever u plan to use inside your overflow box to make sure u are building the box big enough. I agree with LXXero, I don't believe 4" deep will be enough for a 1 1/2" 90. I also don't think 3 1/2" wide will be quite big enough. I don't have one on hand to measure but I believe a 1 1/2" street 90 is about 3 1/2". If that is the case then u will have to make the box a little bigger so u can fit the 90 inside the overflow box & be able to install it in the bulkhead. U will have to check the size of your 90 & figure it from where your bulkhead will be but I believe it is going to have to be 5 to 6" tall to fit.
By the way, I have one tank with a smoked glass box then one with black acrylic, I do like the acrylic better then the smoked glass. If I had to make it out of glass I do like the smoked glass better then clear though.
the ear are what I meant on the ends of the box that the return bulkhead would hold and yes the 3 drain would hold center of box. as far as the width front to back I measured from back of the bulkhead that would be on the inside of the tank to the outer parts of my street elbow on the bulkhead an measures 3 in. and from top of elbow to bottom is 3" so I added 1" but this setup is new for me so all the in put I do appreciate. My original plan was 4" wide by 8" deep
