glazer Posted December 20, 2002 Share Posted December 20, 2002 All the recent brainstorming and DIY'ing has started to take a toll on me.... I think all the stress, thus requiring more aluminum laden deodorant has given Alzheimers a foothold.... Okay, AGA minibow 7 gallon... sump almost done, lighting Plan A pending, Plan B figured out. Question is.... since the wife has kindly requested that all tools,routers, glue and assorted crap be put away/removed from kitchen table one last detail to figure out. (Stress also precipitates babbling, MOVE ON DUDE!) I have the tank drilled with a 1" overflow.... unfortunately it does not put the water level where I would like it...too low. I thought about using an PVC elbow and just adjust/tilt it to where I want the water height but thought it looked a little ghetto....soooo made an acrylic overflow box to attach to inside corner. What's the best way to stick this to the glass? Silicone, Weld-On? Secondly... would you put slits/slots/teeth in it or just stick it in place slightly below desired water level. I have to run the tank open topped therefor nothing acting like a lid on top of the overflow.... slits or not, if something wants to crawl/swim into it it's gonna do it. By the way I made the overflow box clear so I can see immediately at a glance see if anything is going into it that shouldn't. I may be overthinking the whole thing I suppose but like I said I've had enough.... anything else I should consider?, I just want the MADNESS TO END!, *weak haha* Thanks guys/gals Link to comment
Salim Posted December 20, 2002 Share Posted December 20, 2002 Maybe I'm missing something but can't you put a top on just the overflow box? Then slap some slot/slit/holes in the the thing and there you go. I'm thinking you could use superglue and silicone to attach and seal it but I'm not a super DIY Glazer type guy so who knows. Lets us know what you decide to do. Salim Link to comment
glazer Posted December 20, 2002 Author Share Posted December 20, 2002 Hmmm, well Salim, I thought of that.....but don't want any permanent lid to it... wanna be able to get in the box and clean any scum out plus I made it deep enough that if I have to remove the bulkhead for gasket work or even tighten it some I can. The lid would have to be able to come on and off,this is where I got stuck.... just sitting it there I am afraid it would float off and/or blow away with the water movement. Link to comment
Twins Guy Posted December 20, 2002 Share Posted December 20, 2002 g- when i get my overflow freak on i skip the slits-too much dainty routing work-and i'm a perfectionist who would screw some little detail up. try some sort of screen in the bulkhead to prevent a diliquent snail from plugging your overflow. like this stuff, roll it up like a tp roll (use some small cable ties to keep it rolled). PS this is my favorite new (to me at least) DIY media/material-39 cents a 8x12 sheet at michael's (arts n craft store)-its designed for needlepoint. i've seen people similarly use a marineland product designed for the magnums. HTH EDIT-forgot to say-unless the tank is filled n ready to setup, drain it, dry it and silicone the box in place. i've done it many times and it should work great. just run a bead around the edge, wet paper towel to clean it up/smooth it! some people don't think it holds acrylic to glass well but the forces your box will be experiencing (from the weight of the water) aren't gonna be a problem at all. i have two nanos that say so! Link to comment
glazer Posted December 20, 2002 Author Share Posted December 20, 2002 Dayum TG... hit that one on the head. Me too the perfectionist, it's a freakin' curse I tell ya! It took me three attempts at building this little overflow gizmo before I got it the way I liked, or should say was willing to accept. The routing of the slits was freaking me out.... if I messed up, and you are right, a tad bit a "dainty" handiwork that my fingers just don't do so well anymore, I would have had to either go sit in the corner and cry or um,hmmmm KILL SOMETHING! We have Michaels here... (know where I'm going tomorrow) so I will pick some of that stuff up... maybe I can just cut a piece to fit in there snug-like against the back wall. Well we shall see. Excellent dude! Thanks so much for the suggestion! Oh and no the tank is not filled.... so I will try siliconing the overflow in place. I plan on running the tank for about a week or so with nothing but plain water in it to look for problems/leaks/disasters, whatever before ANYTHING that costs money goes into it!...lol Link to comment
lizbeth Posted December 21, 2002 Share Posted December 21, 2002 Originally posted by glazer maybe I can just cut a piece to fit in there snug-like against the back wall. Well we shall see. I'd build a "strainer" with it. Some monofilament and a needle, some fine stiching. I'd be afraid that if you just cut a piece and it's flat to the bulkhead it might clog with something that gets in the overflow. If you have a strainer there is more surface area thus more safety margin against clogging. I'm watching this process of your's very carefully. I might be setting up a sump too! I'll let you screw it up first..... Link to comment
Spencerx Posted December 21, 2002 Share Posted December 21, 2002 I got some of that needlepoint screen stuff from wal-mart. I love it too. I have it over my intake on my sump and i made a filter bag for carbon out of it too. This stuff is great and they holes are just big enough to fit the small zip ties in! Link to comment
Salim Posted December 21, 2002 Share Posted December 21, 2002 Neat stuff, I'll have to remember it when I get back and start messing with my tanks again. Salim Link to comment
Twins Guy Posted December 21, 2002 Share Posted December 21, 2002 i made a cage out of it (and cable ties) (imagine a cube with the top open) and plan to use it as a refugium-just pull the trough out when its time to harvest macro-shake it in the main tank to release some pods, put it back in the filter area! could work well as a strainer in the aquaclear refugiums everyone's doing now-to keep macros out of the main tank! or sealed up just as an in tank refugium buried in rock-place for the pods to hang undisturbed! Link to comment
glazer Posted December 24, 2002 Author Share Posted December 24, 2002 Well a little update on the progress for those that have an interest.... I picked up some of the needlepoint/rug hookin' whatever it is stuff from Michaels craft store.... this stuff is awesome... great find TG, got all giddy-like and broke out in goosebumps as the DIY uses and possibilites flooded over me right there in the store.... security was called and I started to explain the whole thing but.... well anyway, it all worked out,hehe. Soooooo, this stuff cuts like a dream, just plain 'ol scissors and since it's a grid, it heps me cut straight lines! I cut the stuff out to make a box for my overflow....... Link to comment
glazer Posted December 24, 2002 Author Share Posted December 24, 2002 Here's a shot of the minibow drilled with the overflow and return. The acrylic box I made and siliconed into place.... today was test day.... I filled the box with water, NO LEAKS! WOOT! Link to comment
glazer Posted December 24, 2002 Author Share Posted December 24, 2002 Okay.... sewed up the mesh to form a box to slip into the overflow. I only had this like 1 ton test monofilament line...lol So was kinda a pain to sew ( I sewed Lizbeth, I sewed!) the mesh together.... think I'm going to try again with some real light stuff. Anyway....here's how it fits into the overflow...stuff is real flexible so very easy to take in and out. Link to comment
glazer Posted December 24, 2002 Author Share Posted December 24, 2002 Just another shot.... Man, so close to being done with this...still working on the sump and Bruce at PSL sent me an email saying my hood is shipping out today! Well.... all for now, time to go huff some more PVC dope, ( I like it Dave, I like it.... hehe) Link to comment
lizbeth Posted December 24, 2002 Share Posted December 24, 2002 Woooo! Very sexy again glazer! (shhhh, I've been using the plastic canvas w/ binder splines for tank dividers for years) Link to comment
gobies Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 I have lost track of how many times I've suggested plastic canvas to people.... Glazer -- did you sew the stuff into a closed |_| shape or just a closed |_ shape? From the pic, it looks like the latter, and not quite snail-proof.... BTW: If ya need even smaller mesh, go for the 10-count mesh rather than the 7-count mesh. Need softer stuff? Nylon mesh and tulle are your friends. New chapter for Glazer's DIY book: Useful Stuff from the Fabric and Craft Stores. Another item: the little plastic display boxes...great for building overflow boxes. Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 I see a problem with that design. I used to use that stuff for my pond's overflow...until I started finding fish and critters that got sucked in and then trapped on top of the screening...DUH. >>>I just use various drill bits, cordless drill and a ruler. I just made an overflow that is 4"Wx2"Dx3"H. I start by marking where my holes will go with a ruler. I make three rows. The bottom row consists of 1/8" holes spaced about a 1/4" apart (on center). The drill bit goes cleanly through. Over those 15 holes I put 1/8" holes every 1/2" apart as a guide for the 3/8" bit I follow up with. Above that row I work my way up from the 1/8" bit until I have 1/4" holes spaced out every inch. The water flow is too high for the 1/8" holes, but they help, and the water usually stays at the 3/8" hole level unless they clog> then it goes up to the 1/4" holes I use as backup rather than just let water and particles of any size flow over the top edge of my overflow. As for drilling, I use regular titanium bits, like for wood. To prevent chipping around the hole I start with an 1/8" hole and work my way up in the smallest steps possible. The problem is that many bits have too sharp of a leading edge that digs into the acrylic and can snap off little pieces of plastic or even crack the whole sheet. Another technique to speed up this process is to run the drill for just a second to carve a guide in the glass, but before it "digs in", throw the drill in reverse and press hard. It will not dull the bit (might even sharpen it) and the bit will melt it's way through the plexi. I do up to 1/2" like this. Right before I am about to break through the other side, I take the drill out of reverse and lightly press on the hole as the bit breaks through the now liquid-hot acrylic for a very very clean looking hole. Link to comment
glazer Posted January 14, 2003 Author Share Posted January 14, 2003 Glazer -- did you sew the stuff into a closed |_| shape or just a closed |_ shape? From the pic, it looks like the latter, and not quite snail-proof.... gobies.. just a three-sided deal. It fits in there really snug and takes some effort to get my finger down in between the top edge and the back glass to get it out of there. It would take a power-house of a snail to get in behind it I tell ya....lol I don't think a snail is gonna really wanna hang out there too much either.... it's taking water down so fast that the top of the plastic screening isn't even getting wet. Link to comment
glazer Posted January 14, 2003 Author Share Posted January 14, 2003 and wet..... The top edge of the overflow is sitting just about an 1/8" under the surface of the water. Not sure what I want in the way of fish if even any but it would take a bit of doing for them to get into it. They'd have to pretty much jump into it and I bet they'd miss and go carpet surfin' before that...hehe Wait that's not really funny. Love that skim milk look to fresh Southdown sand... two days later and I can ALMOST see the top of the power head sitting an inch or so below the surface of the water, sheesh! Link to comment
lizbeth Posted January 14, 2003 Share Posted January 14, 2003 Floss, floss, floss....no not yur teeth. I don't like the southdown haze, tho' mine looked more like choco milk. This time I'm going to rinse the heck out of it. Looking good glazer. Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 I like it when glazer thinks he is funny but really isn't. Now that's funny... "They'd have to pretty much jump into it and I bet they'd miss and go carpet surfin' before that...hehe Wait that's not really funny." - glazer, 2003 Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 sound as if a set of sidesplashes is next to add to the design. You know I gotta say: I see soooo many reef tanks without tops on and fish inside. It makes me wonder how many fish have jumped out because of this. I see it all the time at the LFSs' tanks. Im surprise I dont see more people putting some kind of gurad around the top of their tanks...I wonder if it could even be made to look good......?????? Link to comment
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