Tricked Overflow

[Undertheradar]

Overflow guards. 1/4" teeth spaced 1/4" apart. This can require alot of patience and the best in router equipment. If you have the time a custom built jig is the best way to go...but still not easy. I used black needlepoint mesh, but that clogs too easy. Egg crate, but that looks nasty. Gutter guard, but that is hard to keep in place. Then I tried this...

[Undertheradar]

I used 1/8" plexi. Cut it up, weldon3, 1/4" ceramic bit to make the holes. Works perfect. No longer does my overflow make the water rise as it clogs. In fact, it would take a very long time to clog, as even large pieces just get stacked in between the box's front and the plate...and the water just goes around.

[Undertheradar]

The sides of the plate keep the plate in place....otherwise the water pressure would sweep the plate to the back of the box. This way the plate is kept exactly 1/4" from the front wall of the box. The flow is many times better. Before my max flow through my little converted brochure holder overflows was just under 300gph max...now it could handle double that. Its easy to clean too...simply lifting it out clears it...alot easier than having to scrub mesh. Any best of all, it looks good.

[tylernt]

Cool. Can you get the ceramic bits for working acrylic at your local home improvement store, or are they special?

[Undertheradar]

Home Depot. They are just those spade bits used for tile & ceramic. The larger ones tend to make oblong holes, but the smaller ones work great.

[tylernt]

Oh, bits made for drilling ceramic, not bits made out of ceramic. I get it now. Thanks.

[Tigahboy]

Very nice, man. good job!

[StephG]

Is the bottom of the box covered or is it just the 3 sides? Can't your snails or hermits flow down to your sump ... I see a hermit inside the box in one of your pictures. Did you have to glue/silicone the box in place? I'm acctually looking for something like this for my nano

[EnderG60]

I would really not recommend ceramic bits for acrylic. they can get clogged and ruined very easy.

 

The best tools for acyrlic, are drill saws, drills and grinding bits good for wood or soft metal.

[Undertheradar]

Im tellin ya....the bigger ones cut for crap, but te smaller ones, like the 1/4" variety are just fine and never wear out...

[StephG]

Hey Undertheradar ... I saw your new overflow box ... do you think you could explain how you get the overflow box to stay in the tank? Did you glue it on or did you silicone it? It looks really clean. I sent you a PM did you receive it?

 

Thanks,

 

Steph

[StephG]

bump

[CU_Reefer]

Find a friend with a milling machine. Including setup it would only take 15 to 20 min to mill all the holes. Much easer than using a router.

[StephG]

Does anyone know how to glue the overflow to the tank and to make it look clean?

[Undertheradar]

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...&threadid=14508

 

StephG, I tried PMing that link to you but your box was full. The above link will show you that the box is in fact a brochure holder, and its held on by the parts that attach to the bulkhead in the back of it.

 

CU_Reefer,

I did the whole thing by hand...no need for all the milling. they are just holes after all. Bonding the pieces together and drilling the holes after I marked them with a sharpie and ruler took me 5 minutes.

 

Besides this, I also have a Mark 2. Mk2 has no holes, just the three pieces bonded together, but the middle piece is 1" shorter, but with the gap at the bottom, so that the water flows over the box edge and then under the baffle. I will have a 29g with a large built in overflow that will show this rather well.

[StephG]

Thanks undertheradar Where did you get your brochure holder? I want to try this but I think that this will be something that is relatively hard to find. Is there an alternative?

[Undertheradar]

Well, most retailers have them, maybe not always the right type. I do have plenty extra, but I got all of mine from Home Depot.

[StephG]

Did you just go in and ask them if you could have them? How much to ship one over to me? I made the hole for my overflow 1.5" from the top of the glass so I'd probly need one that is 3-4" high.

[Undertheradar]

Yeah, just walked right in and asked...but I know someone who works there and he gets them for me all the time. If you know of anyone working retail, they are your best bet.

Let me see if I have one already cut to that height...I should. If so I would just charge you shipping. (what, $5 ish?, oh wait, canada...hmmm, maybe a little more)

[StephG]

Undertheradar ... I'd pay what ever shipping costs even if it's 10$. Let me know if you can do it .... thanks alot btw

[StephG]

One more question ... the overflow you're currently using is it the one in this thread? Because I've seen 2 different overflows on your tank.

[Undertheradar]

huh, two different ones? show me...???

[StephG]

The first one is here

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...highlight=clams

 

and the other one is the one you're talking about in this thread with the holes in it.

 

Do you think you'd be able to ship me one of those brochure holders?

 

Thanks,

 

Steph

[Undertheradar]

Same box, I just removed the mesh and made the removable baffle.

[StephG]

So do you think you can send me one of them? If so let me know as soon as you can and I'll paypal you the money. If not don't feel bad I'll try to find one somewhere else.

 

Thanks,

 

Steph