General Purpose Overflow for FishRoom

[ahud]

I am hoping I can get some ideas from the reefing community. Reefers are usually much more plumbing savvy than the freshwater side.

I'm setting up four 125 gallon tanks on sumps (not sure if I will combine them yet). What type of overflows do people run on setups like these? The tanks are in a fishroom, so being quiet is not paramount as long as the noise is not obnoxious. If I buy pre-made overflow boxes for each tank, I'd have $400-500 in overflow boxes, which seems a huge waste. I'll drill the tanks myself.

Tanks will most likely all be freshwater, but I would like the option to convert to salt if I wanted to down the road. Looks like most of the clownfish breeding setups just have a single open drain. But I am not sure what type of flow rates they run.

Any suggestions?

 

[Formulator]

Just go to home depot and get a sheet of acrylic. Cut to size with a saw, cut the weir teeth with a dremmel or jig saw, and use a propane torch to bend into the shape you want. Glue into corner or back glass with silicone. I did mine like this 8 years ago and its held up great. There is probably a youtube video on how to bend it with the torch. It sound intimidating, but its really super easy. I guess you can tell I free-handed my weir teeth, but nobody has ever noticed lol.

 

[Ironwill723]

I am hoping I can get some ideas from the reefing community. Reefers are usually much more plumbing savvy than the freshwater side.

I'm setting up four 125 gallon tanks on sumps (not sure if I will combine them yet). What type of overflows do people run on setups like these? The tanks are in a fishroom, so being quiet is not paramount as long as the noise is not obnoxious. If I buy pre-made overflow boxes for each tank, I'd have $400-500 in overflow boxes, which seems a huge waste. I'll drill the tanks myself.

Tanks will most likely all be freshwater, but I would like the option to convert to salt if I wanted to down the road. Looks like most of the clownfish breeding setups just have a single open drain. But I am not sure what type of flow rates they run.

Any suggestions?

Drill them and use some of these. Way cheaper than $400-500.

2500 Gph Overflow Box - Internal Aquarium Surface Skimmer Up To 200 Gal Aquarium

INTERNAL OVERFLOW BOX- 2500 GPH- 11.75" x 3.5" x 5" tall- CNC machined- 1/4" cell cast acrylic (highest quality)- Bent corners (no seams)- Polished edges- 100% water tight joints- Recommended for aquariums up to 200 galInstalls easily with silicone.This overflow box comes just as pictured but...

modularmarine.com

 

[ahud]

Thanks for the suggestions! Either should work.

Now if I do a herbie style drain. Am I reading correctly that I can adjust the flow until water trickles into the emergency drain? Which will alleviate the worry of having to fiddle with the gate valve?

Bean seems unnecessary. The room is cement floor with floor drain. And I am installing PVC baseboard to make a waterproof lip in the room. The idea being any type of flood would be contained in the room and make its way down the floor drain. I already found out the floor is not perfectly sloped to the floor drain, hence adding the baseboard.