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View Full Version : Overflow on side panel, any experiences?


joshky
08/21/2015, 11:49 AM
My tank is 48x24x16, I'm thinking about putting a synergy reef overflow on the left side glass panel instead of the back glass panel. I'm worried about what that may do to my flow options however. The overflow is 16" wide which will leave me 8" room to do something else like a return or MP40 spot. Will I hinder my flow much by placing the overflow on the side panel? I've always liked to point wavemakers at each other on the side panels, and with this design I can't really do that unless I want all of the flow up front...

I was thinking I could place one up front on the overflow side, and one in the back on the opposite side to create a gyre effect. Or I could do them both on the back glass panel or something. I would feel more comfortable if I had 3 at my finger tips but that'll have to come later. My tank will be SPS mostly with minimal rock in the display, so flow is definitely a high priority. I know I'll have decent flow no matter what, just curious if anyone has some experience with a similar setup.

I'm trying to avoid putting the overflow on the back panel because I'm either wanting a custom background (to give an illusion of depth, not like a colorful reef background you might find at a LFS), or using a frosted/light diffusing background and an LED strip to backlight it like some of the ADA planted tanks.

Shiftster
08/21/2015, 01:44 PM
I am looking into a similar set up on my new 120ga. I was thinking of using a ghost overflow on one end. The tank will be viewable from the other three sides so I am concerned about where to place powerheads.

I was thinking of putting 2 MP60 on the same side as the overflow. I am concerned about having flow coming from only 1 side. I want to have high flow so I can have SPS but I don't want to have an ugly powerhead blocking the view.

I suppose I could order a tank with the overflow in the center and cover it with rock.

Any suggestions would help.

Vinny Kreyling
08/22/2015, 08:37 AM
Many people do this when they have a Peninsula set up.
Try a search for any input with experiences.

icebrg5
08/22/2015, 08:44 AM
Here's my tank. Picture is from when tank was being setup 3 weeks ago.

Overflow is built into it but its all on the left side.
Bean animal design with 2 returns also coming through the overflow wall.Other end of the tank i have a jaebo wavemake pointed towards the overflow.

I like this design better because i get no surface film that i can see whatsoever where as on my previous tank with a center back overflow i had surface film like crazy even with two powerheads pointed towards the surface.

Maxxingout
08/22/2015, 09:11 AM
I did this on my 75g. It sits in the middle of a room so I didn't want to have the OF on the back. Did the bean animal on the left side and couldn't be happier with how it turned out.