Another DIY overflow advice

[Reef-junky]

10 gal tanks are not tempered, at least the sides are not. I have successfully drilled 2 ten gal tanks. one cracked and one didnt. I then siliconed another sheet of glass with a hole to the drilled panel to strengthen the side, since the glass on a 10 gal is very thin. both tanks, even the cracked one don't leak.

As far as the overflow question, I would highly recommend drilling the tank. I have a 55 with a HOB overflow that gives me constant anxiety. I've had it for 5 years and I check it every single day. I have had it fail twice a few years ago but have since learned the tricks to dealing with them. They claim the siphon tube wont catch air bubbles at the right flow rate which is correct as long as the tube is clean. Any significant algae buildup will negate this. If your return pump starts spitting out bubbles for any reason, these can accumulate in the siphon and cause it to fail. Also, these siphon overflows tend to make noise if that matters to you.
I will be drilling my tank very shortly and will silicone in an overflow box on the inside and out. My design is to silicone a external box thats the same height as the tank and has 3 bulkheads at the bottom, then silicone in a glass overflow box into my tank and drill two 1.75" holes in the glass with no bulkheads.

Thought I read somewhere most tanks 55 and under are tempered glass but I’m sure it depends on who makes the tank. Always best to check before you drill anyway. I know Aqueon will sub in tempered glass if they don’t have enough regular. Maybe it’s only the bottom.

 

[burnetb1]

If your not sure there are a few ways to check. The computer screen and polarized sunglasses work. also if you can see the edges of the glass and they are "sharp" then its not tempered. When they temper glass they finish the edges so tempered glass will have beveled edges. Definitely want to check first. I tried to cut some tempered glass and was ticked when i realized its tempered....just put a nice long scratch across a 4ft piece of glass rendering it useless...
I have cut apart several tanks, a 5 gal, 10 gal, 30 gal hex, 50 gal long and 55 gal. Only the bottom of the 50 and the front/back/bottom of the 55 were tempered.

 

[burnetb1]

lol, apparently you cant use any words even close to swearing. lol. The ******** is a word for being very angry

 

[wickette]

So, my tank is infact tempered, l went to petco, 75g tanks were tempered on all sides. 75's are crazy over prices at my LFS, and Petsmart only sells them as part of a $300 kit, no clue if those are tempered (if I was willing to spend that much which Im not)... my sump dreams are shattering

 

[burnetb1]

Ouch, well I would suggest a solution that has redundancy, like multiple siphons just to be sure. I personally dont like the aquadoser attached to the siphon approach, but that is an option as well.

 

[wickette]

Im going to keep trying on the DIY version of the eshopps over flow box. My next annoying question is, can anyone think of a reason why a marina breeder box would make a bad overflow intake box (intake tubing removed, mounted inside the tank, and holes drilled across the top at the optimum intake level).

Its useless for anything else once I drill it so... thoughts?

 

[Hermie]

Im going to keep trying on the DIY version of the eshopps over flow box. My next annoying question is, can anyone think of a reason why a marina breeder box would make a bad overflow intake box (intake tubing removed, mounted inside the tank, and holes drilled across the top at the optimum intake level).

Its useless for anything else once I drill it so... thoughts?

the large one is a bit shallow for my "taste"

And once you drill it you can always just "install a plug" and revert to using it like it was originally designed.

 

[wickette]

the large one is a bit shallow for my "taste"

And once you drill it you can always just "install a plug" and revert to using it like it was originally designed.

Medium one... for the inside of the tank so it would be like 40 holes... not worth plugging that up. Im thinking 2" PVC or maybe just a pitcher for part hanging on the outside (Ill make a dollar store run and see if I can find a long rigid rectangular container)... this way I can have a solid 8" of drop length for the U (will be more like J)-tube. Functionally should work no different than the eshopps overflow

 

[wickette]

Aside from some mounting issues to figure out, something like this...

 

[wickette]

ack, realized the flaw here, the T has to be above the intake tube end.

Also, found this chart . for a 1" U tube to achieve full flow, it needs a 9" drop, minimum. I think I got this figured out.

 

[Hermie]

Aside from some mounting issues to figure out, something like this...

yea, like you saw, the U Tube has to be an actual U where both ends are equal lengths.
(And I thought you meant the box for the outside, inside is an interesting idea I may try)

ack, realized the flaw here, the T has to be above the intake tube end.

Also, found this chart . for a 1" U tube to achieve full flow, it needs a 9" drop, minimum. I think I got this figured out.

Yep great chart. shows the huge flow differences between just a 1/4" diameter

 

[wickette]

hopefully 2" diameter pvc as a the hang on back part doesn't constrain the flow, I bought a lot of garbage I can use for that part but none of it is as long as Id prefer it to be, 3" PVC fittings would more than double 2" fittings.

 

[wickette]

ok, next question, that vertical length for the U tube, is that from the apex of the siphon tube or from water level. Checked every store, clear tubing locally comes in 5/8" inner diameter or 1" i.d. nothing in between so I got the the 1"

 

[Hermie]

I referenced the replacement tubes from eshopps and estimated their dimensions using the tube's diameter as a scale, they don't have to be too long really, this is the 1.5" diameter tube:

It's a good thing you got the 1" because tubing will invariably bend into ovaline shape which lowers the tubes surface area at the point of the bends. (It's one of the reasons I got the replacement tube, it's a perfect circle the whole way through.)

 

[Crustaceon]

This is like building an airliner instead of just buying a plane ticket. I love it.

 

[Hermie]

This is like building an airliner instead of just buying a plane ticket. I love it.

*laughing face emoji*

 

[wickette]

Ive got a working prototype though the weir is a work in progress. Next up, since I'm setting up as an overflow... should I move my diy spray bar (pump return) to the bottom of the tank?

 

[Hermie]

Ive got a working prototype though the weir is a work in progress. Next up, since I'm setting up as an overflow... should I move my diy spray bar (pump return) to the bottom of the tank?

No, unless you have a hole drilled near the waterline. The tank will drain until air enters the return (unless you have a check valve on the return but that alone is not a guarantee or safe by itself), so you want the return outlet (or a hole) as near the top of the tank as you can get.

 

[wickette]

No, unless you have a hole drilled near the waterline. The tank will drain until air enters the return (unless you have a check valve on the return but that alone is not a guarantee or safe by itself), so you want the return outlet (or a hole) as near the top of the tank as you can get.

I have multiple siphon breaks, normal 1/8" hole right at the water line, one via tubing to a DIY HOB fuge, it can back siphons 0.2gal before the siphon breaks.

My canister returns mostly to the surface because it intakes from the bottom. Heres my current output. And a diagram of it flatend out to see better. It needs to be dispersed, I have a lot of anabantoids who hate high flow, specially on the surface.
Surprisingly little into on sump outputs vs all the other aspects. I could just bury the spray bar but that would significantly reduce flow.

 

[Engloid]

I talked to Aqueon a couple years ago, asking if my tank was tempered. I asked if they used tempered on the bottom only, or where. They said they use whatever glass they have there at the time to fill the orders they have. So be careful assuming your tank isn't tempered.