Want to Block Slits in Corner Overflow

[rtolz]

Ladies and Gents,

While researching what I want for my next tank (probably a year or two down the road), I seem to be settling on a Coast to Coast overflow combined with a Bean Animal setup.

In the meantime, I have my 120G tank with dual corner overflows, each constructed as in this picture:

The slots in mine are thinner, but you get the idea. What I'm learning in my research is that a smooth overflow with no teeth is preferable because of the greater surface skimming effect. I'd like to see if I can block the teeth in my overflow in order to duplicate that effect. I imagine the possibility of inserting some appropriate non-porous material against the inside of the slits, thereby forcing the water to return in a smooth sheet over the top lip of the overflows.

I can meander down the aisles of Home Depot, Lowes or my local craft supply shop for ideas, but I figured I'd come to my Reef Central buddies first to see if anybody has done this or can give pointers of any kind.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mcgyvr]

Acrylic sheet.. a couple bucks.. Cut/fold/ziptie and voila..

Note that you will need to be cautious of the water level in the tank..
You can't just cover up the slits and have the water 1/8" from overflowing the top trim of the tank..

The differences in teeth vs no teeth isn't drastic enough to justify doing any modifications for that reason alone..
You also loose the protective aspect that teeth offer such as blocking fish/snails,etc... from getting into the overflow/sump/blocking flow,etc...

 

[rtolz]

Acrylic sheet.. a couple bucks.. Cut/fold/ziptie and voila...

Thank you so much for all your observations. I imagined such a thing as a flexible acrylic sheet would exist, but that was only in my mind. Thank you for confirming my imagination. Do I find that in the big box hardware store? or in the crafts stores?

Note that you will need to be cautious of the water level in the tank.. You can't just cover up the slits and have the water 1/8" from overflowing the top trim of the tank....

That's a completely valid concern. I'll have to evaluate this carefully for that reason alone.

The differences in teeth vs no teeth isn't drastic enough to justify doing any modifications for that reason alone.. .

Assuming that the prior concern is evaluated and dismissed as not being a problem, what I have read has convinced me that it's a worthy modification. If the concern is a problem, then that stops the modification right there.

You also loose the protective aspect that teeth offer such as blocking fish/snails,etc... from getting into the overflow/sump/blocking flow,etc...

I've had the occasional snail and even a small fish once winding up in the overflow, even with the teeth. And that has never caused any problems. This has issue has also been discussed in threads on whether to have teeth or no teeth on a coast-to-coast overflow, and I'm satisfied it's not going to increase any potential problems for me. I would not consider this issue by itself to be something that would stop me from modding in this way.

So, the only thing standing in my way is satisfying myself that I'm not raising the water level too high with this mod. I'll know the answer to that by making some simple and direct observations tonight.

Thanks again for your thoughtful responses.

 

[hearttx]

Bake the acrylic sheet in the oven to make it flexible and bend it to the shape you need.

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[laverda]

I would cut the teeth off. Then attach the new curved peice with 2 nylon nuts and bolts using the 2 longer slots. You can then adjust to the height you prefer by where you drill the new piece.
I have some thin black acrylic I could send you if you figure out the length and height you need. I would sugest finding somthing with the same radius to bend the acrylic over.

 

[pfan151]

I think you are greatly overestimating the benefits of the water going over the top instead of through the slits. Not nearly worth the effort IMO. Pretty much every tank in existence has the slits and they all work just fine. There will be plenty of surface skimming through the slits. If you are determined to do it I would say your only option to keep the water level from being too high is by going with the suggestion in the post above about cutting the slits off.

 

[Gorgok]

Looks like you would roughly triple the weir length, which at the same flow rate i calculate to about half the water height above/through the weir. Still won't be a thin sheet at ~600 gph with that little length, but noise reduction could be pretty good (depends a lot on how far it falls after the weir).

Putting on a flexible strap on the front with some plastic nuts and bolts won't take much time or cost much, so if you want to do it go ahead. The 'improvement' will mostly be in your head though.