Overflows and keeping the fish out

[DeepSeaBeauti]

As many of you know I have a 300DD tank. I have a modified herbi like overflow in both corners. In order to get the volume of water I wanted to drain down to the basement I needed to modify the stock corner over flow. What I did was cut out every other tooth so that more water would over flow. This leaves the teeth about 1/2" openings. My issue is small fish, and my cleaner shrimp seam to always get into the over flow box and down the 1-1/2 tube they go. If there lucky they make it past the flow control gate valves, then down either the main drain into the sump, or towards the manifold where they encounter more valves and into the refugium ( where I have found a chromas, and cleaner shrimp).

My question is what does everyone do to prevent this from happening in the first place? Is there a method to cover the large pvc dorso overflows that will not mean I need to clean it everyday because its loaded up with crud? Was thinking to use some egg crate but not sure if that's small enough, and how to attach it.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Will

 

[James983]

Will, some guys use gutter guards. You can find them at any hardware store. Never really worked for me so I gave up on very small fish. I was constantly fishing my Blue Spot Jawfish out. Until one day he made it all the way to my return pump. That didn't end well.
The gutter guards are just plastic mesh netting that you use in front of the teeth of the overflow.

Good luck.

 

[suzig]

gutter guard is also what i have always heard of others using.

 

[Spracklcat]

Enkamat is pretty good too. A little more difficult to find (i got some on ebay) but useful for so many things-

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Great, Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Ill try it out, better then nothing.

 

[quagmire]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-6-in-x-20-ft-Plastic-Gutter-Guard-VX620/202518614

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Amerimax...20-ft-Black-Roll-Gutter-Guard-85198/202962716

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-6-in-x-20-ft-Plastic-Gutter-Guard-VX620/202518614

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Amerimax...20-ft-Black-Roll-Gutter-Guard-85198/202962716

Perfect, Thanks

 

[3FordFamily]

Set flow to sump and back such that the water level is lower in the top tank (I can adjust return and from pump flow with ball valves)

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Set flow to sump and back such that the water level is lower in the top tank (I can adjust return and from pump flow with ball valves)

I do have flow valves (gate valves to be exact) but if I throttle it back in that fashion then all you would hear is falling water, In a system that moves close to 4,000 gph that would sound horrible. My system is dead quiet aside from the fans on the LED lights, and the MP40s wining away.

 

[Reef.medic]

Clear 1/4" Mesh from bulk reef supply. Or thats what I'm going to try. I currently and trying to fashion up something to keep my baby Snowflake eel from going over the overflow and then making into the sump. poor guy, happened twice now. I also made screen tops out of this. Just a 1" gap between the top of the over and the screen top. Of course he would find this.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Clear 1/4" Mesh from bulk reef supply. Or thats what I'm going to try. I currently and trying to fashion up something to keep my baby Snowflake eel from going over the overflow and then making into the sump. poor guy, happened twice now. I also made screen tops out of this. Just a 1" gap between the top of the over and the screen top. Of course he would find this.

Right now thats what I have. Since I have been building my screen top I had some cuttings left over. Two days in a row I found my blue chromas sleeping in the right side over flow. Trouble was it did not know how to get out. I took 1/4" mesh and put it across the fingers. I'm also going to make a tray of sort out of egg crate as per a suggestion from Quagmire so that if they do get in they wont get sucked up the overflow pipes.

 

[Reef.medic]

Post a pic, when your done. If you would. Id like to get some ideas.