Project External Glass Overflow
- Thread starter Tunjee
- Start date
Here are the details of the tank, I think the first part of the thread should illustrate to you what I did.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=600544
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=600544
Bishop,
Your thread is a GREAT help already, and I only skimmed the first few images. I'm going to go read it in-depth now.
This question might be answered in your thread, but is that an Oceanic cube or a custom tank to the same dimensions? And if it is an Oceanic, did you order it without the top trim or remove it yourself?
Your thread is a GREAT help already, and I only skimmed the first few images. I'm going to go read it in-depth now.
This question might be answered in your thread, but is that an Oceanic cube or a custom tank to the same dimensions? And if it is an Oceanic, did you order it without the top trim or remove it yourself?
I think I answered that in the original thread, or perhaps earlier on in this one, but the tank is a 37g Oceanic. I removed the trim by simply twisting it into the tank from the center of each pane until the silicone bond broke. Once I had each side loosened I pulled the trim off at each corner. I scraped the silicone off with a razor blade...
Just wanted to chime in here and say that I went with an external overflow box on my 37 gal as well. 
The glass shop cut the weir for me in the back glass, and I built and attached the overflow box myself. The tank was left full for about 6 months (project kept getting pushed back!) and had no issues. It's now been running with LR for about 3 weeks now.
Nothing has shown any signs of cracking, seperating, loss of structural integrity, etc. The tank is 24" x 18" x 21". I'd like to try this on my next tank, but I'm planning on getting a huge 260 gal (84" x 24" x 30") and I'm afraid of cracking the back glass on a system this large. Any suggestions? I won't be routing teeth directly into the glass, but doing the slot/weir method and attaching a routed acrylic overflow plate.
In any case, I'm very happy that I decided to go with this method for my 37 gal. It really keeps the interior of the tank clean-looking, and on such a small tank, an overflow box would have taken up a ton of space.
The glass shop cut the weir for me in the back glass, and I built and attached the overflow box myself. The tank was left full for about 6 months (project kept getting pushed back!) and had no issues. It's now been running with LR for about 3 weeks now. Nothing has shown any signs of cracking, seperating, loss of structural integrity, etc. The tank is 24" x 18" x 21". I'd like to try this on my next tank, but I'm planning on getting a huge 260 gal (84" x 24" x 30") and I'm afraid of cracking the back glass on a system this large. Any suggestions? I won't be routing teeth directly into the glass, but doing the slot/weir method and attaching a routed acrylic overflow plate.
In any case, I'm very happy that I decided to go with this method for my 37 gal. It really keeps the interior of the tank clean-looking, and on such a small tank, an overflow box would have taken up a ton of space.
I skipped to the end, but what did you do to get the black backing? I was thinking of having a piece of Acrylic cut, but I am going to have 3 holes for a closed loop, plus the weir. How would I seal it so that it doesn't leak in between the glass and Acrylic? Would silicone work? BTW, your tank looks awesome!
Aqua Keepers
New member
Just cut holes in the acrylic just large enough so that the sheet goes around the bulkheads. This way the balkheads would only be in contact with the glass.
Rocketboy52
New member
Any chances that the earlier pictures from the beginning can be reposted somewhere? The links have all gone dead and I'm' curious to see the progress from the beginning.
