Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

[jupiter]

Awesome Mike!!!
Don't you feel better now - just because you have witnessed that it is SAFE - you already knew it could be silent. And - that means - is you should never lose sleep again over whether the tank"sounds funny" - which is often a pre-curser to a flood:eek1:

Congratulations - you have passsed "the test!:bounce1::bounce3::bounce2:

Well I can't say the tank won't leak. There is still a slight gap between the tank frame and the rigid foam on the stand. I'm just waiting for the tank to crack. I'm told the tank will settle but it doesn't stop me from being nervous. The tank has been filled for 3 days so I'm sure that's not enough time.

As for the overflow, I couldn't be more pleased.

 

[jb61264]

You mean ...like this?

Only - this serves a purpose in this location, and it frees up a lot of space that would otherwise be lost in the tank
T

VERY tight teesquare...love how that looks!!...I will definitely be doing that design for my next tank (oh god, did i really just say "next tank"?)

 

[teesquare]

jb -Thanks! - you have the same bug/addiction we all suffer from! If you get a chance - look at the build thread for that tank!
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1762906&highlight=Holy+Reefer!!!

T

 

[deepseanige]

I'm giving serious thought to implementing BeanAnimals design but first a quick question on BeanAnimals below quote:

An extreme example: Take two identical 40' wide ponds that are fed with the same amount of water, one with a 4' wide dam and the other with a 40' wide dam. It follows that for the same flow (lets say 100 gallons per minute) over the dam, that the narrow dam will have a very thick waterfall and the wide dam a very thin sheet of water cascading over it. Now place an oil slick over both ponds! It will take significantly longer for the 4' wide dam to clear the slick fro the pond. Why? Because much of the water flowing over the dam is from below the surface! Now apply this logic to your tank, but instead of an oil slick, understand that the surface of the water attracts organics from the tank. The logical conclusion? For any given flow rate, the wider the overflow, the better your skimmer and/or in sump filtration will work!

I completely understands the above, but my question is, in the aquarium with a horizontal overflow box spanning the length would the organics that are 'sticking' to the surface of the water that get transported into the overflow box not just settle in the overflow boxes surface?

The overflow pipes take water from under the surface. Would you not just get a build up of organics on the surface in the overflow box?

Cheers

 

[BeanAnimal]

I'm giving serious thought to implementing BeanAnimals design but first a quick question on BeanAnimals below quote:



I completely understands the above, but my question is, in the aquarium with a horizontal overflow box spanning the length would the organics that are 'sticking' to the surface of the water that get transported into the overflow box not just settle in the overflow boxes surface?

The overflow pipes take water from under the surface. Would you not just get a build up of organics on the surface in the overflow box?

Cheers

It is a simple matter of volume and turnover. The water in the overflow box is moving very quickly and stays well mixed. There is no chance for the organics to build up on the surface. Take a 4'x2' tank with a surface area of 1152 square inches and an overflow box of 4'x0.25' with a surface area of 144 square inches. For each turnover of the tank surface, there are at least 8 turnovers of the overflow box surface.

 

[deepseanige]

Thanks BeanAnimal, I've absolutely no experience in over flows/sump config so might have some more questions for ye :thumbsup:

Nige

 

[noobtothereef]

Hey bean i have a question, is there any benefit to having then"t" and elbow on the emergency? Im building my plumbing now and was just making sure it would be ok just to run a straight pipe, thanks in advance,

Jim.

 

[BeanAnimal]

That would be fine noob

 

[gweston]

Planning to use Bean's set up myself on my first reef tank build. The extra work is worth it for the added overflow protection AND quiet operation vs a standard HOB overflow.

I'd like a 6' 125gal tank, but an in-tank overflow would suck up valuable 'width' real-estate as the tank is only 18" wide. Putting it on the end is a possibility, but it would then be quite visible from the front. Much prefer on the back.

I'll chew on that option a bit and think it through.

The alternative is to just go with a standard 48"x24" 120 gal. That way an internal (coast to coast style) overflow takes up less notable space if placed along the back. (i.e. if overflow is 4" wide, then I still have a good 20" of clear width left).

I read through this thread and others, lots of different set ups. How wide/deep are most people making their overflows? Any effective dimensions? I'll likely use a standard AGA tank.. though I am on the hunt for something with Starphire front (glasscages maybe)


-1" bulkhead hole depth from 'lip'?
-overflow dims... <tank length>x4"x6" ?

Bouncing between a slightly shorter overflow to allow for drilled returns. But I suspect I'l do a coast to coast and just plumb them over rather than drill. The fewer holes the better (maybe).

 

[robojet]

I was wondering, is there a favorite brand of ball valve being used? And is it OK to mix a Sch80 ball valve with Sch40 tubing? I was considering ordering these ball valves.

 

[BeanAnimal]

For the 18" 125, why not opt for an external box fed by a very slim internal weir and holes drilled in the back.

Over the top returns are fine... as always I suggest an Oceans Motions, as they are amazing devices. (love my squirt, but wish I had a 4-way for a larger closed loop).

 

[gweston]

Interesting idea. That should work nicely for the 125 long.

-Maybe 1" wide x 6" deep slim weir, ~36" long (possibly full tank length?)
-3x back drilled spaced out holes about 4.25" down, ~2" size holes (to fit 1" bulkheads should tank purpose change later).
-Drains into external box (larger) bottom drilled for 1" bulkheads, for the 3x siphon, secondary, and emergency pipes.

This viable?

Sorry if q's are basic. This is my first time trying to do this sort of thing

 

[teesquare]

Sounds like a great way to may the system work - and not lose much room in the tank, and keep it close to teh wall!
T

 

[jb61264]

I just inherited a 35 gallon hexagon with a nice stand...I know I've seen some cool "external" implementations of this overflow. Anybody know who it was that cut an oblong hole at the top of the tank for water to flow out of and into an external box with the silent/failsafe overflow in the external box?

 

[jesserettele]

It is a simple matter of volume and turnover. The water in the overflow box is moving very quickly and stays well mixed. There is no chance for the organics to build up on the surface. Take a 4'x2' tank with a surface area of 1152 square inches and an overflow box of 4'x0.25' with a surface area of 144 square inches. For each turnover of the tank surface, there are at least 8 turnovers of the overflow box surface.

Bean, I have a question.....

I am installing an internal overflow (smooth not notched or serrated) and want to calculate how low below the top on the rimless tank I should to mount it. I want it as close as possible to top without the possibility of flooding over the top of the tank. The overflow itself will be 36"long X 4"wide (surface area of 144 square inches). At about 700-900 gph return pump how much water height over the overflow is expected (I would blindly guess 3/16"-1/4")? I would like the top of the glass of the tank to be at least a 1/4"-3/8" above this water level.

 

[coyote97]

I just inherited a 35 gallon hexagon with a nice stand...I know I've seen some cool "external" implementations of this overflow. Anybody know who it was that cut an oblong hole at the top of the tank for water to flow out of and into an external box with the silent/failsafe overflow in the external box?

I cut a long (18"-20") x 1" tall slot in a 70 gallon to flow to an external overflow box.

 

[jb61264]

Bean, I have a question.....

I am installing an internal overflow (smooth not notched or serrated) and want to calculate how low below the top on the rimless tank I should to mount it. I want it as close as possible to top without the possibility of flooding over the top of the tank. The overflow itself will be 36"long X 4"wide (surface area of 144 square inches). At about 700-900 gph return pump how much water height over the overflow is expected (I would blindly guess 3/16"-1/4")? I would like the top of the glass of the tank to be at least a 1/4"-3/8" above this water level.

I think your estimation of about 3/16" of water flow over the top of the overflow is right on...not by my tank right now but it is a pretty thin layer that flows over the top...no more than 1/8" to 3/16" and I am using a Mag 18 (I have between 3-4' of lift from my sump so there is still some pretty good flow coming into the tank through my returns)

 

[jb61264]

I cut a long (18"-20") x 1" tall slot in a 70 gallon to flow to an external overflow box.

Do you have a build thread or any pics? This sounds exactly like what I want to do

 

[noobtothereef]

That would be fine noob

thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[coyote97]

Do you have a build thread or any pics? This sounds exactly like what I want to do

RO/DI is flowing into the tank for the first time now. Still have to fine tune the Bean, but probably only having problems because I'm new. Bean, if you'd care to look too and give your blessing? http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1684130