BeanAnimal
Premium Member
You can't silicone the box over the paint. It MUST be removed for the silicone to adhere. The back of the tank will cover over with coraline and other fauna... I would not worry about it too much.
Silent and Failsafe Overflow System
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
The tank will be dry when I do this so yes I will have access to the back of the tank to work on it. Thank you beananimal I haven't found any good pics of how people have gone about covering external boxs, so I will have a silicone line that I will have to grow xina over to hide and silicone a black peice of acrylic to.
cooper13
New member
I'm also planning on using this system. Many, many thanks to Bean and all the others who've shared their experience and wisdom.
I've searched (and read maybe 40 or so pages of this thread), but I think I still need some advice. I'm setting up a 20 gallon (tall) tank. At 12" front-to-back, a coast-to-coast overflow will take up a significant fraction of the surface area if I have to fit the 1" 90's in there. I'd like to do an external overflow to make the internal weir take up less space.
But I don't know how to plumb this exactly. I've seen a thread or two where slots were cut using a rotozip tool. I also saw one where holes were planned. But I can't seem to find a consensus about the best way to feed an external overflow box in a nano. What would you do? Holes, holes w/ bulkheads, or slots?
Thanks in advance for the advice!
I've searched (and read maybe 40 or so pages of this thread), but I think I still need some advice. I'm setting up a 20 gallon (tall) tank. At 12" front-to-back, a coast-to-coast overflow will take up a significant fraction of the surface area if I have to fit the 1" 90's in there. I'd like to do an external overflow to make the internal weir take up less space.
But I don't know how to plumb this exactly. I've seen a thread or two where slots were cut using a rotozip tool. I also saw one where holes were planned. But I can't seem to find a consensus about the best way to feed an external overflow box in a nano. What would you do? Holes, holes w/ bulkheads, or slots?
Thanks in advance for the advice!
Longer is better. Mine is on the end of the tank, with a net length of approx. 34''. If it is too short, noise becomes a problem. How long can you reasonably make it?
i am sorry teesquare... i just noticed that you posted...thanks also....lol
i decided that a center external on an 8ft tank will be a pain to get to...so i am going with a coast to coast then the external on the left rear end only..this way i have a full lenght overflow for even pull...but i can get to the external overflow as needed.....
does the 1 inch give you enough for a wavebox? or should i go a little lower if i will use a wave box...?
again thanks to everyone...
Larry
i decided that a center external on an 8ft tank will be a pain to get to...so i am going with a coast to coast then the external on the left rear end only..this way i have a full lenght overflow for even pull...but i can get to the external overflow as needed.....
does the 1 inch give you enough for a wavebox? or should i go a little lower if i will use a wave box...?
again thanks to everyone...
Larry
I was just teasing you Larry, and Unc also!
I am not sure about the wave boxes....I know that they can cause a variation in the water hieght, - and I would think that could cause some issues with the overflows running consistantly quiet....Jim? Bean? Jim Beam anyone???:lol:
I am not sure about the wave boxes....I know that they can cause a variation in the water hieght, - and I would think that could cause some issues with the overflows running consistantly quiet....Jim? Bean? Jim Beam anyone???:lol:
You *DO* have a way of cutting straight to the heart of the matter Jim, a quality I admire and emulate whenever possible.:thumbsup:
Waveboxes will require that you have pumps to remove and clean and maintain. If they are at the back of the tank, it makes it even more of a task.
T
Waveboxes will require that you have pumps to remove and clean and maintain. If they are at the back of the tank, it makes it even more of a task.
T
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
'
I think it depends on the type of wave box... Some setups move the ENTIRE volume of the tank in a laminar fashion (slosh it back and forth). While this can be very hard on the seams, it is very efficient and very similar to water movement on a real reef. Worht the comlication and risk? I dunno and suppose it depends on a lot of other variables. I would agree for that a modest system, it may be more trouble than it is worth.
The overflow can (in theory) handle the wave box. You would set the overflow to NOT suck air during the lowest activity (no water sloshing over) and either use a very large open channel, or a secondary open channel to handle the surge flow.
Doc_Polit
New member
I am a little confused in regard to flow attainable with this approach.
I have reviewed Bean's table below:
Early in the thread, Bean, you claimed that your system was easily handling a flow of 1500gph through 1" bulkheads (with 1.5" pvc).
What is the maximum flow that you would "safely" strive to run through a 1" bulkhead in a similar system.
My system will consist of 1" siphon (with 1.5" pvc), 2" open drain and 1" emergency (with 1.5" pvc) and I would sure appreciate some help so that I can purchase my pump(s).
Thanks :beachbum:
I have reviewed Bean's table below:
Early in the thread, Bean, you claimed that your system was easily handling a flow of 1500gph through 1" bulkheads (with 1.5" pvc).
What is the maximum flow that you would "safely" strive to run through a 1" bulkhead in a similar system.
My system will consist of 1" siphon (with 1.5" pvc), 2" open drain and 1" emergency (with 1.5" pvc) and I would sure appreciate some help so that I can purchase my pump(s).
Thanks :beachbum:
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
I am not sure where you are confused 
If you take a look at the table above... I am using a 1" bulkhead with 1.5" pipe. The 1" bulkhead is the limiting factor, so lets find it on the table and then move across the table to find the head height. The distance between my overflow box water line and the sump water line is about 30" (rough guess). As you can see, the table only extends to 12 inches, but a 1" pipe at 12" of head (under full siphon) will flow somewhere between 1200 and 1600 gallons per hour depending on the I.D. of the pipe. In this case the pipe is 1.5", so (again) the bulkhead is the limiting factor and the flow would be close to 1600 gph at that 12", and I have 30" of head, so the setup is more than capable of over 2000 GPH.
I have a flow rate calculator here:
http://www.beananimal.com/articles/hydraulics-for-the-aquarist.aspx
If you take a look at the table above... I am using a 1" bulkhead with 1.5" pipe. The 1" bulkhead is the limiting factor, so lets find it on the table and then move across the table to find the head height. The distance between my overflow box water line and the sump water line is about 30" (rough guess). As you can see, the table only extends to 12 inches, but a 1" pipe at 12" of head (under full siphon) will flow somewhere between 1200 and 1600 gallons per hour depending on the I.D. of the pipe. In this case the pipe is 1.5", so (again) the bulkhead is the limiting factor and the flow would be close to 1600 gph at that 12", and I have 30" of head, so the setup is more than capable of over 2000 GPH.
I have a flow rate calculator here:
http://www.beananimal.com/articles/hydraulics-for-the-aquarist.aspx
Doc_Polit
New member
Thanks Bean!
I am such a dork. :jester: I was reading the head height as feet.
Your example (and calculator) make perfect sense now.
Can you tell I'm a newbie with overflows/sumps? Lol.
I am thinking of running twin 1100gph pumps because I want a high flow rate and will have 90 gallon sump to work with.
I am such a dork. :jester: I was reading the head height as feet.
Your example (and calculator) make perfect sense now.
Can you tell I'm a newbie with overflows/sumps? Lol.
I am thinking of running twin 1100gph pumps because I want a high flow rate and will have 90 gallon sump to work with.
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