Overflow help for a freshwater tank

[fishfreak0114]

Hi everyone.  I'm posting this for my mom who has a 92g corner tank.  It's freshwater, not salt, but it was designed to be a saltwater tank, hence it has an overflow.  She hates the overflow because it needs daily top ups.  Because of that she feels chained to the tank, and isn't really enjoying the hobby anymore.  So the question is this:

 

Could the top 1/5 or so of the overflow be cut off?  So that the water level doesn't drop back there?  And then glue needlepoint grid stuff over the top so the fish wouldn't go down to the filter?  Or if anyone has a better suggestion to make the water level remain the same as the main tank, I'm all ears. 

 

Thanks  

[seabass]

I assume it's drilled.  If so, I take it that she doesn't have a sump, and the plumbing goes higher then the water level to avoid water from entering the holes.  If that's the case, she could add a sump.  It would give her a place for filtration (and other equipment) and would hide the heater.  There is nothing wrong with setting up a freshwater tank the same as a saltwater tank.

 

Also, an automatic top off unit would work for her current setup, as well as if she upgrades to a sump.

 

If she doesn't want to add any equipment, (and if my above assumptions are correct) there are still a couple of options.  The easiest would be to drill holes in the overflow so the water level remains the same in the overflow as the display.  The problems being that the water in the overflow is basically stagnant, and there remains a chance of a leak if the plumbing fails.

 

Or maybe just drop the water level so the water never enters the overflow.

 

Still another option would be to try to remove the internal overflow and seal the drilled holes.  Sealing the holes could be as simple as bulkheads with plumbing higher than the water level (similar to what she may have now).  Or she could use end caps on the bulkheads.  Or she could use silicone to seal a small plate of glass over the holes.  Then the gravel will cover the plate and you wouldn't even realize it was drilled.

 

Of course she could buy a different tank too.

[bofo]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

I assume it's drilled.  If so, I take it that she doesn't have a sump, and the plumbing goes higher then the water level to avoid water from entering the holes.  If that's the case, she could add a sump.  It would give her a place for filtration (and other equipment) and would hide the heater.  There is nothing wrong with setting up a freshwater tank the same as a saltwater tank.

 

Also, an automatic top off unit would work for her current setup, as well as if she upgrades to a sump.

 

If she doesn't want to add any equipment, (and if my above assumptions are correct) there are still a couple of options.  The easiest would be to drill holes in the overflow so the water level remains the same in the overflow as the display.  The problems being that the water in the overflow is basically stagnant, and there remains a chance of a leak if the plumbing fails.

 

Or maybe just drop the water level so the water never enters the overflow.

 

Still another option would be to try to remove the internal overflow and seal the drilled holes.  Sealing the holes could be as simple as bulkheads with plumbing higher than the water level (similar to what she may have now).  Or she could use end caps on the bulkheads.  Or she could use silicone to seal a small plate of glass over the holes.  Then the gravel will cover the plate and you wouldn't even realize it was drilled.

 

Of course she could buy a different tank too.

seconded simply plugging the holes. If it's a back-drilled tank you can simply drop water level below the bulkhead (during water change), and screw in a pvc plug, Home Depot less than a buck. If it's drilled on the bottom with a standpipe this wouldn't work without a 100% water change. However if the water only overflows into the overflow (compartment?) from the top, the seal from the bottom will keep the water from overflowing, you could drain the compartment and screw in a plug from the bottom. Either way you're getting wet haha

[fishfreak0114]

Thanks for the replies!  I now realize I should have mentioned what it's like back there.  There's a hole drilled in the bottom of the tank in the overflow, the only hole, which is used by the canister filter.  I've mentioned an ATO to her, but she said she doesn't want to spend the money, and she doesn't trust one to not overflow the tank when we're away.

 

So if extra holes were drilled in the overflow to water would go back there quicker, the water level would remain constant between the overflow and the rest of the tank?  Right now, the water level in the tank stays constant and the overflow drops (which I assume is how it's supposed to be).

 

My mom first thought to remove the entire overflow, but then she realized that the fish would go down the filter, or get stuck if it was covered with needlepoint mesh  And the sand would go down.

[seabass]

I think I can visualize it.  So I assume the tank is in the corner, right up against two walls, so (if the hole were covered) the hose for the canister filter would have to go out over the front.

 

If you wanted to, you could still remove the overflow box.  There should be a bulkhead installed already.  Then install a piece of PVC tubing long enough so that it's flush with the top of the tank.  Then you can run the canister filter hose down the PVC pipe.

 

 

[fishfreak0114]

PVC is a good idea, I'll bring that up to her.  She doesn't like how the overflow looks either.  There's a few inches of space on both side of the tank, it's next to a window so there had to be room for a curtain to squeeze by.  Here's a couple pics of the set up

 

I realized I was wrong, there's two holes in the bottom, one for the intake and one for the return

 

The return goes all the way to the top of the tank, but the intake is pretty close if not directly at the bottom

[seabass]

So that's a typical reef ready overflow.  What I suggested earlier might not work.  Instead, I'd probably add some holes to let water in the overflow whenever the water level drops below the overflow's teeth.  Maybe use a couple of low profile intake strainers:

[fishfreak0114]

Ok, I think that will work  Why does the water level drop even though there's openings near the bottom already?  Is there just not enough water going in?

[seabass]

6 minutes ago, fishfreak0114 said:

Why does the water level drop even though there's openings near the bottom already?  Is there just not enough water going in?

Yeah, that's my guess.  The canister filter is pumping more water out than the middle openings are letting in.  You just need to let some more water in, and it should work no matter what the water level is.

 

You could also go ghetto and just drill 1/4" holes in it until it lets in enough water.

[fishfreak0114]

I think we'll be going with 1/4" holes.  Thanks for all your help!

[chrislu0]

Wow, they are really beautiful.