Internal Overflow boxes

[Clownloachlover]

BCA,
Any of you that are looking to buy or build internal overflow boxes here is a suggestion which I will take pictures of shortly.

I decided to have some custom made internal overflow boxes built out of 1/4" black acrylic plastic. I drew up a design and sent it out to three plastic fabricators, only one responded with a quote for get this....364 bucks plus taxes for two 4" X 8" X 30" high boxes. Of course that inlcuded the labour to bend them into a three sided box as well as cut the water flow "teeth" across the top....So I got to thinking and this is what I have come up with.

I bought a 36" long piece (shortest I was permitted to buy) of white PVC pipe, 8" in diameter, 1/4" side wall thickness. I cut it in half lengthwise, in essence giving me two pieces 36" long with a 4" radius. I then cut them to the final height I need them. I then drilled 3/8" holes across the top and cut them out using my dremel tool essentially creating "ports" for the water to flow through. The 3/8" holes were spaced 3/8" apart. I then painted it black to blend into the back of my tank. I then siliconed them into place and viola, internal overflow boxes for a grand total of $17.20 for the pipe, $6.79 for the plastic spray paint and 3 bucks for the tube or silicone....a long way from 364 bucks and they are round not square so they blend into the back of the tank even better. Will post pictures shortly!

[Fish Whisper]

picture would help, hard to visualize for the building impaired

[target]

Sounds like a great solution. Good thinking. A picture would be good.

[tony1928]

Cool idea. I'm visualizing a piece of pipe cut in half and siliconed to the back of the tank??

[bumblebee]

I am imagining there is an internal drain tube underneath the "box" inside the tank for water to drian to. And both side of the trough sealed against the two sides of the tank. Is it a 30" long tank?

[Clownloachlover]

Cool idea. I'm visualizing a piece of pipe cut in half and siliconed to the back of the tank??

Tony,
You are correct. An 8" pipe has been cut in half lengthwise, the cuts have been smoothed with a sander and then they are siliconed in place after painting. Unfortunatley the only two colors of pipe I could get that size in that thickness was white or white. I could have gotten green but the thickness was like 1/2" which was way to thick. Pictures are coming soon, just have to upload them from my camera.

They are the full inside height of my tank with "water ports" cut into the top 1.5" section of the pipe

[Clownloachlover]

More pictures of the overflows

"I am imagining there is an internal drain tube underneath the "box" inside the tank for water to drian to. And both side of the trough sealed against the two sides of the tank. Is it a 30" long tank?"

No they actually run vertical as you can see in the pictures...behind the overflow is a bulkhead with a strainer input which will be connected directly to an FX5 filter on each overflow. Then the return from the filters comes back through bulkheads elsewhere on the back glass...all of the plumbing behind the tank is PVC with the exception of the connection to the filters which is nylon reinforced plastic tubing....nice and clean and easy to spot if any leaks should occur.

[eternity302]

WOW! Cant wait till i see it finished!

[Clownloachlover]

Me too, was hoping to get my stand finsihed tomorrow but it seems that Mother's day has popped up tomorrow so I guess I will have to wait!

[eternity302]

=) Mother's day is like a family day... grab her to help out!