overflow box
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1335
Printed Date: June 22 2026 at 5:49am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: overflow box
Posted By: tileman
Subject: overflow box
Date Posted: November 25 2003 at 5:00am
|
Hi Members I've got a couple of questions and need your advice.
How should I go about making my overflow box more silent, it sounds like I have a creek running in my living room, Ive got a couple of bio balls up there right now but thats not working very well, second I noticed I have 3 or 4 aptasia anenomes growing inside the overflow should I leave them alone or get rid of them, one is already the size of a quarter. Third question does anyone know where I could get an acrylic box custom made for a refugium in my sump? Also I bought a new digital camera for my wife and I tried putting a couple of pics of my tank on the site but the files are too big, how do I make the file size smaller to fit? Any advice is appreciated, |
Replies:
Posted By: Suzy
Date Posted: November 25 2003 at 6:37am
|
It is soooooo easy to make an acrylic box! I made the coolest
sump for our new tank wall! I'll get a pic as soon as I get my mangroves from Kirk (Kirk, did you get my phone message?). You can get scrap acrylic from Regional plastics ( It's the first right after you get off of I15 at 33 so) for $1 a pound! I built the ultimate sump for $21 bucks, and that's only cause I had to buy 2 tubes of glue! As for the overflow, does it have a side placed return? I just got done making one for Robs FOWLR tank. It really does make it less noisy....It only cost me the cost of some pvc fittings!!! Had some leftover acrylic from the sump project! Our iPhoto computer program will let me resize pics.... |
Posted By: rstruhs
Date Posted: November 25 2003 at 6:43am
| I just put in an overflow box and had too little flow and a lot of noise at first. I modified the stand pipe (If you have one) to add flow and cut down on the noise. I made a "U" cut on one side. Hopefully Mark or Jon will jump in here, too. I know Mark has a few ideas on how to make the overflows quieter. I can't help you with Q2 or Q3. Q4 depends on the type of camera, but you need to change the file size to somewhere around 600 x 480, or about EMAIL size. Sometimes that can be done with software after you've taken the picture. Search this site for a post from Mark regarding pictures. |
Posted By: rfoote
Date Posted: November 25 2003 at 7:43am
| Tileman - irfanview is a free download that is very easy to modify file/picture size to 800x600 which should get the picture around 125k. You can download from http://www.irfanview.com/ - Irfanview |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: November 25 2003 at 7:50am
|
Is the sound a "gurgle" or "flushing" sound made when air is sucked down the drain? Or is it just the rush of water down the drain pipe? If the former, do a search online for Durso Standpipe or Stockman Standpipe. These will help to eliminate the flushing sound and can be adjusted in height to maintain the overflow box water level just an inch or so below the wier. This help to quite the fall over the weir. I'll post a couple picture of my overflows when I get home tonight. The aptasia... I'd kill and remove if it were me (but I hate 'em more then the average joe). Building an acrylic box is very easy. A tablesaw makes life easy, but I've heard that Regional will cut to order too. I like the thin glue (weld-on 4) for most work. It makes picture perfect seams most times. Regarding sizing pictures: Search here for a post by Sarnack where he gives a website for an xp powertoys download for resizing pictures. I've always used photoshop for this, but I downloaded the powertoy and really like the ease of using it. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: November 25 2003 at 10:36pm
|
Here's a couple pictures of my overflow boxs in my new tank. Top view: not installed, water enters a down turned elbow. Installed in tank: Back side view, a hole is drilled through the cap and pipe. The cap is twisted to set the water level in the overflow box and reduce noise. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: coreyk
Date Posted: November 25 2003 at 11:25pm
|
nice job on the overflow box! i just went today and picked up some acrylic to build the overflow for my new tank. so, it'll be a good guide. |
Posted By: GonZo
Date Posted: November 26 2003 at 7:13am
|
Jon, Are you worried about loosing snails through your grate? ------------- Cortney (West Jordan) The joy of discovery is certainly the liveliest that the mind of man can ever feel. - Claude Bernard |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: November 26 2003 at 8:46am
|
If the snail is small enough to make it though the grate, then it's small enough to make it through the drain pipe. As long as I can keep them out of the return pump, I think I'll be ok. If it becomes a problem, I'll cover the eggcrate with that plastic needle point stuff from the hobby store. Oh, I forgot to mention. An extra gasket around the bulkhead is required when using overflows like this. You need a gasket between the bulkhead lip and inside surface of the box and a gasket between the outside of the box and the inside surface of the tank back. I found a bathtub drain gasket at home depot that was the perfect size for this... I mean perfect, almost like it was made for this service ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
.Posted By: tomason
Date Posted: November 26 2003 at 10:42am
|
I like the idea of not having teeth or grooves in the overflow, because they're easier to DIY that way. Also, it can handle more flow.
Those boxes look really slick! |
Posted By: Kam Blake
Date Posted: November 26 2003 at 6:52pm
|
Tileman One way i found is to take 2 quarter inch air lines, and push it down the pipe until it stops making noise. 3-5 inches. It adds air to the pipe instead of having it try to grab air. 2 lines for 1" pipe. or 1 for 3/4 pipe.. |
Posted By: Carl
Date Posted: November 27 2003 at 10:03am
|
I built modified Durso pipes for the new tank and I must say that they work great! They took about 5 minutes to make and I can adjust their height as well as the air intake. Another throught behind pulling air into your drain is if you have an oversized pump and no restrictive capability you may be forcefeeding the flow and return of the system. I found previously that throttling the return will help sometimes. ------------- In Syracuse "I believe that forgiving them is God's function. Our job is simply to arrange the meeting." - Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf |
Posted By: tileman
Date Posted: November 27 2003 at 11:12am
|
Carl I dont know what Durso pipes are? HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE So far everyone says get rid of the aptasia in the overflow is it unanimous? |
Thanks for the ideas I think I'll definately try the airline tubes,Posted By: SSpargur
Date Posted: November 27 2003 at 12:53pm
|
I have a Durso pipe and they work great. For plans go to ReefCentral.com and do a search for "Durso". You'll be able to find lots of plans. ------------- Sean Spargur West Valley, UT |
Posted By: Carl
Date Posted: November 27 2003 at 3:53pm
|
Tileman, Dursos are basically overflow drain pipes that are constructed to eliminate gurgling. There are some ways to modify it to make it even better. Basically, instead of a direct gravity feed that can cause centrifugal suction and pull air into the drain (causeing the gurgle noise), the design uses a downswept elbow with an adjustable air intake control at the top. This also helps keep prime on the drain. I would assume that it can be fitted to a through the back overflow as well, mine is a predrilled. As Sean said, just do a search and you'll find the info. Good luck. ------------- In Syracuse "I believe that forgiving them is God's function. Our job is simply to arrange the meeting." - Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf |
Posted By: Beware
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 5:43pm
| I Used Kam's Air Line Tubing Idea It Works Great!...Beware |
Posted By: inspector eric
Date Posted: December 09 2003 at 6:53pm
|
I was wondering Suzy what type of glue you used.. You used the comment tubes of glue was it a paste type?.......I just got done building a sump/refugium for my 150 out of acrylic and used glue #4 that I got from Laird plastics....I don't know if there was something wrong with the glue or what but I didn't get the kind of results that I was expecting......I was told that I wouldn't have to clamp the heck out of it as it setup and I ending up doing just that.....It didn't leak when I got done...I tested it ... but the glue seams are far from transparent and I didn't feel confident enough to install it in my cabinet to use it before I siliconed the seams....I know I know...I am a little parenoid...but...just because it doesnt leak............... ------------- just because it isn't leaking doesn't mean it's safe!!!! |
Suzy wrote:Posted By: tom-
Date Posted: December 09 2003 at 10:07pm
| did you sand the edges before gluing? and you should have used #3 because it has a faster cure time. |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: January 29 2004 at 5:55pm
I've found a reason to dislike my overflow boxes (see pictures above). My snails are too stupid to stay where it's wet. They wander out into the middle of the crate and die  . I think I'll modify mine for vertical screens.------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |