hang on overflow ?

[apres]

I have had my tank running for 2 years now with no major problems. It is a 55 gal with a hang on overflow. My problem is that in the last 3 months I have had an anemone and just last night my six line wrasse got sucked down the overflow into my sump. Thank goodness in both cases they survived. Is there a way to put something over the overflow to keep this from happening? Thanks for your help.

[bertoni]

Many overflow boxes come with a preskimmer sort of box that sits in the tank. Does yours have one? If so, I'm surprised that didn't do the job. You could consider adding one.

[imtheonlylp]

either that or the "eggcrate" material from Home Depot, also known as a light diffuser panel

[coralnut99]

I've seen some hangons that don't have teeth cut in the box that sits inside the display. If that's the case, you may want to think about a new hang-on, or try your router skills.

Making an eggcrate cover, will take care of any fish that get close enough, but anemones that venture too close shrivel to next to nothing and can even make their way through teeth cut in the box. Don't know what type of anemone you have, but BTA's tend to find a comfortable spot and stay put.

[ek9vboi]

Pictures would help, it could tell us a lot about what overflow you are using and if you should get a new one or not.

[2swift]

Find your self some plastic gutter guard from home depot cut it to size problem solved.! My cpr came with it and I have had no problems.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h183/patczeck/guttergaurd.jpg

[2swift]

Ohh yea It's about 6 bucks or so good luck!

[BlueCoast]

FWIW I made a DIY intank overflow box out of one of the little critter cages at the LFS. The ones that you can stick a lizard or bug in, about a liter in size at the most, cost $2. A little surgery with a high speed cutoff wheel for teeth and it works great.

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8412543#post8412543 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2swift
Find your self some plastic gutter guard from home depot cut it to size problem solved.! My cpr came with it and I have had no problems.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h183/patczeck/guttergaurd.jpg

This is what I plan on using. I already have it but I have been wondering exactly how do you attach it? I have a Calfo style overflow and I am unsure how to "glue it" on there. Silicone? The overflow is glass.

[2swift]

Don't glue it. you will need to clean it.
Just cut out a big enough piece to fold it in a u shap then insert it into the supply side then when you need to clean it pull it, hose it and return. ? Is this over Flo similar to the cpr design?

This is a crude drawing of how mine is but if you have a u tube just add a cut to fit it in.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h183/patczeck/Untitled.png

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8413556#post8413556 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2swift
Don't glue it. you will need to clean it.
Just cut out a big enough piece to fold it in a u shap then insert it into the supply side then when you need to clean it pull it, hose it and return. ? Is this over Flo similar to the cpr design?


Thanks, I will give that a try. Mine is Calfo style, my tank is drilled. apres has a hang-on.

PS. apres - sorry for the hi-jack.:rolleyes: However, I agree with 2swift that the gutter guard will be your best bet on your overflow too.

[2swift]

No wonder I could not find an over flow by that name. lol

[Divetime]

I had a couple of curious Chromis get sucked into the sump so first I created a lid cover out of a piece of "eggcrate" material from Home Depot to fit over the over-flow box. It looked bulky and my snails kept moving the stupid thing :mad2: :uzi:

What I ended up doing is cutting a piece of the eggcrate to fit inside the over-flow and I cut it so that it inner twinned with the teeth on the over-flow. Now I can remove it when needed for cleaning & nothing can get into the box except little nerite snails :D

[2swift]

That would work to.

[apres]

Thanks everybody. My overflow does have the pre slimmer box with the teeth, but somehow the fish and bta got through them. This is the hang on overflow that came with my maxi reef wet dry filter. I will have to try the gutter guard or the eggcrate. Hopefully that will do the trick. Thanks again for all the help.