External Overflow in a glass 75

NotThePainter · 11/17/2013, 05:04 PM

Hi there!

I'm picking up a craigslist's used 75 gallon tank tomorrow and need to start building my overflow.

First, let me just say that this is not for a reef tank, but for Malawi cichlids, I know, shouldn't I be cichlid-forum.com? Well, I am active there but I figured you guys do a lot more drilling and designing overflows so I might as well start here.

I've been googling straight for about a month, I've seen Durso, reverse Durson, Stockman but the design that I keep coming back to in the BeanAnimal design. Silent and Safe I think it is called. My tank will be in my home office where sit all day long, M-F. I'll be about 3 feet from it. So it must be silent and it also must be absolutely flood-less. I also don't want to have to "tune" it too much to get it to work. I've read countless postings that Durso works but I've also read countless where it doesn't work and people move things around. I don't want to do that.

Now, I could be talked out of this, I won't mind at all, but this is where I'm starting.

Now, a Malawi tank has some different needs than a reef tank. I don't nearly have the skimming needs that a reef does, so a few drilled holes should be fine.

I will have piles of rocks however, and if I could afford it, a full fake rock background. So this means that an internal overflow box going to some drilled bulkheads will not work for me. My box needs to be on the back. I just love the system at http://www.glassreef.com/basics_overflow.php but with drilled holes, not a coast to coast slit. I don't need that, nor do I think I have the patience to cut the glass to do that.

I do not want a hang on the back go over the top type box, that just seems a bit dangerous.

I can build an overflow box, that's not that hard. (Easy to say since I've never done it, but hey, I've seen videos on youtube, right?) but how do I attach the box to the tank? I could silicone it there but is silicone really good for something that can weigh quite a lot when filled with water? It seems risky.

I'd like to be pushing about 700-800 gph, 1.5 or 2" pipe seems called for, but how many holes should I drill? There's got to be a gph calculator out there but I've not found it.

Would drilling more, smaller, holes, make sense? I'd rather not have my tank with 2 inches of air at the top, I like the look of a mostly full tank. Shoot, I like a completely full tank but I'm not going to get that with an drilled overflow.

Thanks for reading this far!

SGT_York · 11/18/2013, 08:20 AM

Keep with the three hole design, each hole fit's a certain purpose, adding more holes doesn't accomplish much. Go with 1" pipes there will be plenty of capacity on that tank.

When you add an external overflow you will still need an internal weir, basically you still need a dam to set the water level in the display tank. If you don't the water level will be set to the open channel level in your BA setup, and you will drain too much water during power outages. (you could put the weir in the external to save space)

nemosworld · 11/18/2013, 11:32 AM

Since it's a fresh water setup, I would think a hang on hooked to a canister filter would work great (have not tried it)

but if you insist on doing a diy overflow, here is mine.
rtv103 is the silicone used.

nemosworld · 11/18/2013, 06:32 PM

this is what I was talking about:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...2&pcatid=19622

NotThePainter · 11/23/2013, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SGT_York

Keep with the three hole design, each hole fit's a certain purpose, adding more holes doesn't accomplish much. Go with 1" pipes there will be plenty of capacity on that tank.

When you add an external overflow you will still need an internal weir, basically you still need a dam to set the water level in the display tank. If you don't the water level will be set to the open channel level in your BA setup, and you will drain too much water during power outages. (you could put the weir in the external to save space)

The holes are to allow the water to leave the tank and enter the external box. At first I thought I'd do it without a weir but when you mentioned it I got to thinking about it and you are right, I do need one. At least if I don't have one the water level in the tank will be much lower than than the top.

I envisioned the 3 BeanAnimal pipes being attached to the external box, not the tank so if I had many, say 5 or 6, small ones, say 1/2" then that could make up for say three 1" BeanAnimal pipes. The only reason to do this was to keep the water level in the tank high and a weir solves this.

NotThePainter · 11/23/2013, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemosworld

Since it's a fresh water setup, I would think a hang on hooked to a canister filter would work great (have not tried it)

but if you insist on doing a diy overflow, here is mine.
rtv103 is the silicone used.

That's exactly what I want to build, what's your address and when aren't you home... :- )

I want a sump, not external canister for several reasons. The first is I can increase the water volume tremendously, this has many benefits; nitrate dilution, room for water treatment (hardness raising through corals or whatever), and even raising plants to help with ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

NotThePainter · 11/23/2013, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemosworld

this is what I was talking about:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...2&pcatid=19622

So what's the advantage of drilling then? Just fewer pipes in the tank? (That's a big one BTW...)

At that price I think I can make a bigger sump at a lower price.

NotThePainter · 11/23/2013, 11:25 AM

This guy has built exactly what I want to build.

But wow, $267 in PVC? I may have to rethink this... I can go smaller, down to 3/4" I'm sure, I only need 700gph max, but wow, the mind reels at that receipt from Lowes. (And yes, some was for the salt water station but still, yikes, think of the Jeep parts I could buy with that...)

11/17/2013, 05:04 PM	#1
NotThePainter Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 15	External Overflow in a glass 75 Hi there! I'm picking up a craigslist's used 75 gallon tank tomorrow and need to start building my overflow. First, let me just say that this is not for a reef tank, but for Malawi cichlids, I know, shouldn't I be cichlid-forum.com? Well, I am active there but I figured you guys do a lot more drilling and designing overflows so I might as well start here. I've been googling straight for about a month, I've seen Durso, reverse Durson, Stockman but the design that I keep coming back to in the BeanAnimal design. Silent and Safe I think it is called. My tank will be in my home office where sit all day long, M-F. I'll be about 3 feet from it. So it must be silent and it also must be absolutely flood-less. I also don't want to have to "tune" it too much to get it to work. I've read countless postings that Durso works but I've also read countless where it doesn't work and people move things around. I don't want to do that. Now, I could be talked out of this, I won't mind at all, but this is where I'm starting. Now, a Malawi tank has some different needs than a reef tank. I don't nearly have the skimming needs that a reef does, so a few drilled holes should be fine. I will have piles of rocks however, and if I could afford it, a full fake rock background. So this means that an internal overflow box going to some drilled bulkheads will not work for me. My box needs to be on the back. I just love the system at http://www.glassreef.com/basics_overflow.php but with drilled holes, not a coast to coast slit. I don't need that, nor do I think I have the patience to cut the glass to do that. I do not want a hang on the back go over the top type box, that just seems a bit dangerous. I can build an overflow box, that's not that hard. (Easy to say since I've never done it, but hey, I've seen videos on youtube, right?) but how do I attach the box to the tank? I could silicone it there but is silicone really good for something that can weigh quite a lot when filled with water? It seems risky. I'd like to be pushing about 700-800 gph, 1.5 or 2" pipe seems called for, but how many holes should I drill? There's got to be a gph calculator out there but I've not found it. Would drilling more, smaller, holes, make sense? I'd rather not have my tank with 2 inches of air at the top, I like the look of a mostly full tank. Shoot, I like a completely full tank but I'm not going to get that with an drilled overflow. Thanks for reading this far!

11/18/2013, 11:32 AM	#3
nemosworld Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,411	Since it's a fresh water setup, I would think a hang on hooked to a canister filter would work great (have not tried it) but if you insist on doing a diy overflow, here is mine. rtv103 is the silicone used. __________________ Felix Nice to meet you! Current Tank Info: 60 Gallon Cube

11/18/2013, 06:32 PM	#4
nemosworld Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,411	this is what I was talking about: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...2&pcatid=19622 __________________ Felix Nice to meet you! Current Tank Info: 60 Gallon Cube

11/18/2013, 08:20 AM	#2
SGT_York Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,746	Keep with the three hole design, each hole fit's a certain purpose, adding more holes doesn't accomplish much. Go with 1" pipes there will be plenty of capacity on that tank. When you add an external overflow you will still need an internal weir, basically you still need a dam to set the water level in the display tank. If you don't the water level will be set to the open channel level in your BA setup, and you will drain too much water during power outages. (you could put the weir in the external to save space)

11/23/2013, 11:25 AM	#8
NotThePainter Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 15	This guy has built exactly what I want to build. But wow, $267 in PVC? I may have to rethink this... I can go smaller, down to 3/4" I'm sure, I only need 700gph max, but wow, the mind reels at that receipt from Lowes. (And yes, some was for the salt water station but still, yikes, think of the Jeep parts I could buy with that...)