Overflow Box

[Bearfan]

I'm turning my crab/mantis tank into a fuge and need to build/buy an overflow. Does anyone have plans/links to good designs, or am I better off buying one?

Thanks People...

 

[fishfreek]

If you dont need alot of flow you could try to build one using a Lees specim container. I know I saw a thread on that here several months back.


Google search later....


http://www.reefs.org/diy/

DANG im good.

http://www.reefs.org/diy/img/overflow.gif

 

[loganj]

It's fairly easy to build one from sheet acrylic if you have a table saw available. I've built several although I have no plans for them...I designed them as I built them.

 

[dustybrannum]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=9515&highlight=
that is the link to a pic of the one i built. I had the acrylic shop here cut all the pieces and i glued them together, except for the bent piece. I can try and find the plans if you are interested in it or i could draw some up for you, they are pretty easy to make.

 

[Bearfan]

Could I use 2 PHs with a flow valve on the return side? The fuge will be sitting above the sump.

 

[loganj]

If I understand you correctly...no. You'd never be able to balance them out just right. Is there any way you can drill the side of the fuge for a drain? That would be the simplest way to do this.

 

[captivereefs]

I have a used lifereef slimline overflow in it. It has (1) 1" drain and a few extra U-tubes. The in tank part is blue acrylic. $50 shipped?

 

[Bearfan]

If I understand you correctly...no. You'd never be able to balance them out just right. Is there any way you can drill the side of the fuge for a drain? That would be the simplest way to do this.

I am considering using one of the many rubbermaid containers I already own as a fuge for this reason as opposed to my crab/mantis prison...I mean tank. Then I would just drill a hole for the overflow, put in a bulkhead and pipe and pump into the container. I am thinking about the grow lights from Menards for the macro. I would rather it be a clear tank, but with a new baby on the way, I'm trying not to sticker shock my wife.

Also, I want to be able to feed my (future) yellow tang from the macro algae harvested. What kind of macro is well suited for this purpose?

 

[loganj]

Using the rubbermaid container would work well IMO. I would, since I tend to over-engineer everything, put a second drain above the main one just in case it somehow gets stopped up. You can make your own bulkheads using male/female PVC adapters and some rubber gasket material. You could also probably make a fuge from acrylic without breaking the bank. Actually, you could build it from glass for not alot of $. Either way would work fine though. The tangs I take care of seem to be very fond of the gracilaria (sp?) and it will grow like crazy with the right conditions.

 

[Bearfan]

The tangs I take care of seem to be very fond of the gracilaria (sp?) and it will grow like crazy with the right conditions.

Do you grow it in a fuge and then transplant it out, or just clip it?

 

[loganj]

I grow it here and clip it. I take a bunch with me when I go to service tanks and just put it in the veggie clip. The tangs,(hippo and yellow) normally fairly shy, will sometimes come charging out and tear into it before I can get my hand out of the tank. I've never seen it hang there for more than about 2 minutes and they always manage to knock the clip off the glass.

 

[Bearfan]

Thanks for the info everyone, I appreciate it. I don't know which route I am going to take, but I am leaning toward the rubbermaid 19 gal I already have.