Making your own Overflow? - Aquarium Advice

SeeDemTails · 05-10-2006, 10:02 AM

Has anyone made their own overflow before out of plexiglas or a similar material?

I am going to set up a 10 gal nano reef with a 5 gal fuge. I dont want to use a huge overflow in a 10 gal tank, so I wanted to make my own, one a little smaller and narrower, of course not as much flow, but it will still be enough for the 10 gal. I will have a couple PH in the tank as well.

Any suggestions?....any ideas where to buy plexiglas sheets?

ryguy · 05-10-2006, 02:23 PM

home depot should have acrylic. You will also need a acrylic bonder which, I believe, almost melts the sheets together to form the bond.

SeeDemTails · 05-10-2006, 04:28 PM

So as long as you have some brains, some acrylic bond, and a dremel this should be easy right?!

The only part I dont think I will be able to make is the tube that the water actually flows through.

05-10-2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeeDemTails

So as long as you have some brains, some acrylic bond, and a dremel this should be easy right?!

The only part I dont think I will be able to make is the tube that the water actually flows through.

I've had the opportunity to mess around with a little bit of lexan work before and there is a little bit of stuff that you need to know before you do it. This info will help you do the job right without getting frustrated at yourself in the process. Believe me it can get a bit frustrating when you run into a problem with this stuff, but in the end the finished product is most of the time well worth it.

Here's a sight that will give you a ton of info on lexan, making overflows, sumps, fuges and I believe a reactor aswell.

http://www.melevsreef.com

BillyZ · 05-10-2006, 04:50 PM

The tube you can easily just use a small piece of pvc or plastic tubing. it doesn't need to be anything "special".

(moving this to DIY)

exodus · 07-02-2006, 07:14 PM

I've built my own overflow box before, was quite easy and took maybe two hours of bending time. Just throw the plexi (what I used) in a vice where you want the bend to be, heat it up (watch out for bubbling!) with a torch and watch it bend right over. Its pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

And a router tip with a dremel goes a long way with this one.

greenmaji · 07-06-2006, 04:55 PM

A heat gun would be ideal rather then a torch (they sell them pretty cheap at Harbor Freight)

05-10-2006, 10:02 AM	#1
SeeDemTails Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Daytona Beach FL Posts: 436 Images: 4	Making your own Overflow? Has anyone made their own overflow before out of plexiglas or a similar material? I am going to set up a 10 gal nano reef with a 5 gal fuge. I dont want to use a huge overflow in a 10 gal tank, so I wanted to make my own, one a little smaller and narrower, of course not as much flow, but it will still be enough for the 10 gal. I will have a couple PH in the tank as well. Any suggestions?....any ideas where to buy plexiglas sheets?

05-10-2006, 04:50 PM	#5
BillyZ Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Western NY Posts: 3,622 Images: 6	The tube you can easily just use a small piece of pvc or plastic tubing. it doesn't need to be anything "special". (moving this to DIY) __________________ Acronyms and Abbreviations

07-02-2006, 07:14 PM	#6
exodus Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Redding, CT Posts: 291 Images: 1	I've built my own overflow box before, was quite easy and took maybe two hours of bending time. Just throw the plexi (what I used) in a vice where you want the bend to be, heat it up (watch out for bubbling!) with a torch and watch it bend right over. Its pretty easy once you get the hang of it. And a router tip with a dremel goes a long way with this one. __________________ Tanks: 55g - Planted/PFS - Up and running as of 4/30/06, heavily planted running 2x 175 metal halide, dry dosing. lots of fish. Royal pleco!! 10g Freshwater - Fake plants/PFS - Breeding pair of convict cichlids purchased from the LFS I work at for $1.25 (best part is that I have a place to get rid of the fry!)

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05-10-2006, 02:23 PM	#2
ryguy Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: vancouver island Posts: 514	home depot should have acrylic. You will also need a acrylic bonder which, I believe, almost melts the sheets together to form the bond.

05-10-2006, 04:28 PM	#3
SeeDemTails Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Daytona Beach FL Posts: 436 Images: 4	So as long as you have some brains, some acrylic bond, and a dremel this should be easy right?! The only part I dont think I will be able to make is the tube that the water actually flows through.

07-06-2006, 04:55 PM	#7
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	A heat gun would be ideal rather then a torch (they sell them pretty cheap at Harbor Freight)