The Todd Overflow

[Hooligan]

I used egg crate for several years in an attempt to keep my shrimp from taking the ride to the sump. It became a very attractive place for macro to accumulate and grow and it also somewhat impeded surface skimming. The egg crate was used instead of covers due to the multiple over the top returns covering portions of the overflow box (oceans motions). I have long since re-plumbed the returns and now have fitted covers that leave on a slot above the weir. No more macro in the overflow and now more shrimp or snails in the sump!

Are there already pictures of this somewhere? If not, would you mind posting?

 

[d2mini]

Here's mine. Hard to see how the covers are built but it's basically a couple of rail that runs under the top plate.
First pic is the covers on, second pic shows the right most cover removed and sitting on top of my eurobrace.
There are some cross braces in the overflow that the rails sit on.

 

[MidwesternTexan]

I used egg crate for several years in an attempt to keep my shrimp from taking the ride to the sump. It became a very attractive place for macro to accumulate and grow and it also somewhat impeded surface skimming. The egg crate was used instead of covers due to the multiple over the top returns covering portions of the overflow box (oceans motions). I have long since re-plumbed the returns and now have fitted covers that leave on a slot above the weir. No more macro in the overflow and now more shrimp or snails in the sump!

Thanks again Bean.

Why would I have Macrfo in my DT? Do you have it in yours?

The bottom on the eggcrate is open, without the long sided side on it.
Kinda like an upside down U or C on the square that goes against the top of the glass of the C2C.

How could this possibly implede the surface skimming?
I''m sure you and Uncle are going to some how shoot this with a bunch of holes, however, it works fine and the top of the glass is still- the top of the glass with the water flowing over it.

And, these 3 x ~24" strips pop in and out in seconds- literally.

 

[MidwesternTexan]

Here's mine. Hard to see how the covers are built but it's basically a couple of rail that runs under the top plate.
First pic is the covers on, second pic shows the right most cover removed and sitting on top of my eurobrace.
There are some cross braces in the overflow that the rails sit on.

Thanks Dennis, you've proved there is more than one way to skim a cat.

 

[MidwesternTexan]

You're missing an emergency drain. And egg crate isnt as failsafe as you hope. Plus a vslve makes your drain hole smaller. Adding another level of worry...

Good luck looks good!

Really?

I'm not missing anything. I guess you missed the part where I developed an excellent, functional, high flowing, Quiet and safe system with a tank I bought used that already had holes drilled in it for 2 x 1.5" bulkheads.
A valve makes my hole smaller?
I guess you are referring to the primay/siphon line?

Actually I don't worry about this at all, but thanks.

Here's todays FTS

 

[BeanAnimal]

Really?

I'm not missing anything. I guess you missed the part where I developed

Pretty sure we have established that you have implemented what others already developed and published. Passivley taking credit for the work of others is one thing, actively promoting it as your own is another. Your use of language is clearly and carefully aimed at self promotion rather than simply sharing your project. It somewhat disappointing to see in context to what has already been covered here.

 

[MidwesternTexan]

Well Excuse Me.

As I've stated, I'm actually sharing my method/slice/design of the concept.
I'm not selling anything, nor do I intend to.

I'm pretty sure if you re-read my first post, I do in fact state that I implemented what others had done.

Let's see;

Post #1:

'This is really nothing new, and not really a new design.

Hello all,

This is my version of the BA, and the Herbie combined;

I call it,

"The Todd" '

Excuse me for not being holier than thou.

What is it about the surface skimming again when using the eggcrate?
The way I have with the top of the glass on the C2C still open/glass? Something about laminer flow and boundary later?
I only seek to learn from the great BA.

 

[Hooligan]

Here's mine. Hard to see how the covers are built but it's basically a couple of rail that runs under the top plate.
First pic is the covers on, second pic shows the right most cover removed and sitting on top of my eurobrace.
There are some cross braces in the overflow that the rails sit on.

Thanks, Dennis. That's very helpful.

A couple questions:

About how deep is the water flowing over your weir?
About how high above the water is the cover?
And about how far back from the weir is that front-most rail?

I definitely understand and appreciate the benefits of an uninterrupted smooth flow over the weir (and it's what I really want to implement), not to mention no "teeth" or other obstructions to clog with algae and other crap, but I'm having trouble understanding how this can prevent small fish, snails, etc. from taking a ride to the sump. Or does is simply not happen often enough to be a concern?

Thanks again for any insight you can provide.

 

[Herbie]

This is my version of the BA, and the Herbie combined;

I call it,

"The Todd" '

Might as well throw "Calfo" in to the mix too, because thats who originally came up with the coast to coast style overflow. Anthony Calfo ........MANY years ago. Long before "herbie" or "bean" came about.
Bean and Calfo systems work well together, Herbie is best used on an "off the shelf" RR tank.

Looks like you are mixing up a whole bunch of things and calling it your own ......ok.

 

[MidwesternTexan]

Might as well throw "Calfo" in to the mix too, because thats who originally came up with the coast to coast style overflow. Anthony Calfo ........MANY years ago. Long before "herbie" or "bean" came about.
Bean and Calfo systems work well together, Herbie is best used on an "off the shelf" RR tank.

Looks like you are mixing up a whole bunch of things and calling it your own ......ok.

Herbie, Well thank you, except although I gave it a name, and my name at that.............
I'm not calling it my own.

Hello,
I also never thought I came up with the True C2C overflow like I'm running, in fact, as I stated in my first posts, I used ideas I learned from reading threads, and threads, and threads from many.
That would be including, but not limited to, Bean, Herbie, Calvo, and many others.

I almost ran one of the RDSB, from the ideas and threads of Anthony Calvo.

This is my version, of a hodge podge of things, with my own flair if you will,
That I called the 'Todd Overflow'.

I'm honored that you happened by my thread Herbie.

 

[wilkerschnepf]

My setup is very similar to yours with the c2c overflow and the existing holes in the back of the glass tank. Just wanted to add my personal experience to explain why the third dry pipe is so important:

Two years ago we took a two week vacation to alaska. About a week into the trip i got a call from my buddy who we had taking care of our dog and cat. Friend, Hey dude your tank is making a ton of noise, water slurping and gurguling sounds. Me, any water spilling? Friend, No everything in the tank looks normal. Me, Ok well if you could keep checking on it when you let out the dog and if you notice any water just pull the power cord for the main return pump in the garage. My buddy has had his own fish tanks over the years so he knows what a return pump is and how to unplug it. I didn't feel like explaining how to turn it off via the neptune apex, and my cell coverage in alaska didn't really allow me to remotely do it with any consistency.

We return from vacation, the tank is making all of the noises he described and i figured it must be something stuck in the full siphon at the gate valve, it had happened in the past. No big deal open up the gate valve and it will clear out, reset the gate valve back to normal. Nope, not the case. So I inspect my overflow box and see the water very high using all three pipes. Well thats new, turns out a turbo snail made its way into the durso pipe and got stuck at the joint of the bulkhead and lower drain line, effectively clogging the secondary drain and eventually the water rose high enough to use the emergency.

I have pictures of the snail in the bulkhead somewhere but couldn't seem to find it for proof. I have a similar egg crate catch to yours and thought for sure no snails could get where it had gotten. I have had numerous fish make the journey through my plumbing and enough small snails and hermits in my sump to know that it is very likely to happen again at some point. I have even had a fish make it from my display to my sump, through the return pump to my refugium twice. Things that you may think are impossible are very possible and probable in the aquarium.

Somewhat unrelated but just to make the point, here is a pic i did find of my 8" rose bubble tip nem working its way through a 3/4" lock line with a flat fan nozzle on the end. It made its way from my fuge, under, over, under a bubble trap, through a 1" drain with gate valve that siphons back to my display.

If i were in your position i would recommend doing something like i did. Use the two existing holes to go to a overflow box mounted on the back of the tank. Then use the full bean animal overflow design. I just welded together an acrylic box and drilled the side to match the holes in the tank and the bottom for the bean animal drain. Here is a picture of how i did it. The box doesn't really take any more space behind the tank than the plumbing you have.

 

[MidwesternTexan]

Wilker...,

Thanks for your input/experiences.
I could actually see it occurring that a Tubro climb over the eggcrate grate for the C2C.

I do appreciate your input as well.
And as you say, I just might one day, maybe,
add the external box with the standard 3 line BA type lines.
I do have 1.5" ID lines and bulheads with sanitary bends/angles, etc., clogging with a snail would be a BIG snail. I have several fish, that if they somehow got into the opening, they would clog it.

Thanks for you experiences,
Todd