Reefsavvy's Ghost Overflow: Patent Pending?

[cakemanPA]

I just noticed this. What happens when the pump shuts off. The water level is going to slowly drop to the bottom of the removable weir. Can your sump hold that much water?

It can and it does. The bean animal breaks siphon pretty quickly. Sump water level rises only a couple of inches

 

[flamron]

It won't siphon down to the bottom of the weir unless you don't put any standpipes in the back overflow box. Mine only drops an inch or two.

 

[thejuggernaut]

Oh ok, I see. It only drops to the bottom of the bulkheads, not the removable weir. Lol, I was going to say. It looked like the water dropped 5" when the pump shut off.

 

[flamron]

I don't think that tank was fully set up. It doesn't have a bulkhead in the return.

 

[cakemanPA]

I don't think that tank was fully set up. It doesn't have a bulkhead in the return.

Correct... I have a picture of it with the stand pipes set up but not with water in it

 

[woodnaquanut]

Correct... I have a picture of it with the stand pipes set up but not with water in it

FYI there is no reason to have the piping you are using. They were included in the original BA because the three drains were connected directly to the OF bulkheads. With the external OF box you can just friction fit pipes to the OF box BH and use two 'ell' fittings or a 'p' trap to get the 'U' shape.

The advantages are it's simpler and shorter. It will all fit within the external OF box. :thumbsup:

 

[cakemanPA]

FYI there is no reason to have the piping you are using. They were included in the original BA because the three drains were connected directly to the OF bulkheads. With the external OF box you can just friction fit pipes to the OF box BH and use two 'ell' fittings or a 'p' trap to get the 'U' shape.

The advantages are it's simpler and shorter. It will all fit within the external OF box. [emoji106]

I thought about changing it, but I have it all up and running. It fits better than it did in that picture. It's quiet and dialed in. I am probably going to go with the "if it ain't broke" theory.

 

[tidus10]

That's certainly a great start

 

[Settings]

I made mine for under $45. I contacted local plastic shop and told the the sizes I needed the cast cell plastic cut at. They had it ready for me by the end of the week. Mine uses 1 1/2" bulk heads and is 28" long the back is 3 1/4 inches wide and 6 1/4 deep. The wet side is 1" wide and 6 1/4 deep.

The whole came together perfect. There are things I would do differently, but the current one has been solid even its magnetic weir.

 

[Settings]

I made mine for under $45. I contacted local plastic shop and told the the sizes I needed the cast cell plastic cut at. They had it ready for me by the end of the week. Mine uses 1 1/2" bulk heads and is 28" long the back is 3 1/4 inches wide and 6 1/4 deep. The wet side is 1" wide and 6 1/4 deep.

The whole came together perfect. There are things I would do differently, but the current one has been solid even its magnetic weir.

 

[Ted_C]

I asked my LFS to quote me some prices on cut acrylic based on the below drawing. I am planning on gluing the pieces together myself so I can drill into the acrylic and install the bulk heads (without needing to send hole measurements to the mfg).

My tank has already been drilled - so the ghost overflow wouldn't work on my tank.

A company (which will remain nameless) refused to quote the job - as it "infringes on the IP of that design."

 

[Overgrown]

I asked my LFS to quote me some prices on cut acrylic based on the below drawing. I am planning on gluing the pieces together myself so I can drill into the acrylic and install the bulk heads (without needing to send hole measurements to the mfg).

My tank has already been drilled - so the ghost overflow wouldn't work on my tank.

A company (which will remain nameless) refused to quote the job - as it "infringes on the IP of that design."

Observation: much like the(cringe) "Ghost," overflow, the notch in the CAD you have taken the liberty of attaching is inordinately deep. By definition, a Ghost is a barely visible apparition. A presence, if you will, that is merely sensed, and perhaps occasionally glimpsed. Note how that notch in yours and similar other designs are roughly 2" in depth to the top of the spillover( waterline.) That's an unsightly aesthetic design flaw, regardless of whether teeth are employed or not.
Further, this is not a coast to coast unless your tank width is approx as wide as the overflow.
It's been interesting to watch this phenomenon unfold. Here we have the flawless design and epic flow/ surface skimming capabilities of a Bean, with detailed how-to instructions, and arguably the greatest and most info-laden reef forum thread of all time right here at RC, and yet there are still companies and hobbyists that are technically regressing to an inferior design that is potentially more expensive to fabricate.

 

[thejuggernaut]

Observation: much like the(cringe) "Ghost," overflow, the notch in the CAD you have taken the liberty of attaching is inordinately deep. By definition, a Ghost is a barely visible apparition. A presence, if you will, that is merely sensed, and perhaps occasionally glimpsed. Note how that notch in yours and similar other designs are roughly 2" in depth to the top of the spillover( waterline.) That's an unsightly aesthetic design flaw, regardless of whether teeth are employed or not.
Further, this is not a coast to coast unless your tank width is approx as wide as the overflow.
It's been interesting to watch this phenomenon unfold. Here we have the flawless design and epic flow/ surface skimming capabilities of a Bean, with detailed how-to instructions, and arguably the greatest and most info-laden reef forum thread of all time right here at RC, and yet there are still companies and hobbyists that are technically regressing to an inferior design that is potentially more expensive to fabricate.

You just don't get the point. While I admit that the ghost has some design aspects that are lacking(could use smooth weir, and run most of the length of the tank), the original C2C system is ugly. The reason everyone keeps flocking to this design is because it is slimline and less intrusive than a 5-6" thick overflow that runs the entire length of the tank that you can see inside to from either end of the tank. In a 90 gallon tank, that is almost a 3rd of the surface of the tank covered by the overflow. Yes, it may skim better, but because most people build their systems to actually look at, they would sacrifice a little performance to not have to look at that huge overflow. Running an external box requires a custom made tank and cost allot of money. If done right, this system could be put on any off the shelf tank, and would provide the best ratio of performance and aesthetics. Just because aesthetic aren't important to you doesn't mean that it isn't of some importance to others. And as far as it being a flawless design, I think that is up to much debate. It's flawless if you don't care what it looks like....

 

[Ted_C]

Observation: much like the(cringe) "Ghost," overflow, the notch in the CAD you have taken the liberty of attaching is inordinately deep. By definition, a Ghost is a barely visible apparition. A presence, if you will, that is merely sensed, and perhaps occasionally glimpsed. Note how that notch in yours and similar other designs are roughly 2" in depth to the top of the spillover( waterline.) That's an unsightly aesthetic design flaw, regardless of whether teeth are employed or not.
Further, this is not a coast to coast unless your tank width is approx as wide as the overflow.
It's been interesting to watch this phenomenon unfold. Here we have the flawless design and epic flow/ surface skimming capabilities of a Bean, with detailed how-to instructions, and arguably the greatest and most info-laden reef forum thread of all time right here at RC, and yet there are still companies and hobbyists that are technically regressing to an inferior design that is potentially more expensive to fabricate.

I love how someone can take a post - with no knowledge of the tank that it's going into whatsoever and come up with something like this. Typical.

The point wasn't coast to coast. It wasn't about design. It wasn't about anything other than a mfg refusing to quote a job because of IP (Intellectual property).

 

[tidus10]

[emoji6]

do we have pics of the final product?

 

[thejuggernaut]

do we have pics of the final product?

I don't know the rules about linking, so check their facebook page. It's close to the top. They are in stock right now I think.

 

[tidus10]

I don't know the rules about linking, so check their facebook page. It's close to the top. They are in stock right now I think.

heh i always forget about facebook for these companies.. i think its because i do all this stuff at work.. when i get home i just enjoy the tank thats up right now thanks for the heads up through!