Ghost vs. Glass Holes

john.m.cole3 · Jan 20, 2016

I'm re-building a old beat up 72 gal bowfront and wanted to go Bean Animal style, so I gravitated towards the ghost overflow by synergy reef. However, I have heard of Glass Holes overflows being pretty nice and quiet too! Any opinions? Pros? Cons?

I am after quiet, reliable, and a snall footprint in the DT.

KingTriton · Jan 20, 2016

Quiet? Oh no no no....

Quiet - Ghost overflow
Reliable - Glass Holes
Small footprint - Glass Holes or Ghost

hybridazn · Jan 20, 2016

If you want quiet go with the ghost. I have a custom bean on my 180 and it's dead silent. I also have a glass holes on my frag system and it's not super loud but it's not quiet either. It def has a gurgle to it

jetmaker · Jan 20, 2016

I have a h20 overflow it's quiet

reefjerk · Jan 20, 2016

What is it about the Glassholes that makes it noisy but more reliable?

I was under the impression the Ghost's are typically is run with a Beananimals, while the Glassholes look to be mostly Herbies?
Wouldn't the Ghost then typically be more reliable?

jetmaker · Jan 20, 2016

jetmaker · Jan 20, 2016

This is the h20 by custom aquarium get the template and hole saw puts it in perfect position for water level.runs 1200 gph its on my 75 gal.

john.m.cole3 · Jan 20, 2016

That H20 is an interesting concept. Does it create any shadowing in your tank?

jetmaker · Jan 20, 2016

john.m.cole3 said:
That H20 is an interesting concept. Does it create any shadowing in your tank?

None and is a one hole drill.

jetmaker · Jan 20, 2016

I didn't use the barb I plumbed mine to 1 in pvc went from 1200 gph to 960 but my eheim 1262 only does 898 it worked perfectly but it was to much flow for me I like a slower fuge rate so skimmer and cheato get more nutrients so I got a eheim 2000 compact it runs 528 and Came out perfect I used the plastic med gasket for the overflow that came with it and it's quiet

jetmaker · Jan 20, 2016

Oh and not even the smallest critter can get in this overflow.

IxTCxI · Jan 20, 2016

Ghost FTW

KingTriton · Jan 21, 2016

reefjerk said:
while the Glassholes look to be mostly Herbies?
Wouldn't the Ghost then typically be more reliable?

Glassholes and a herbie are going to be two completely different setups. A herbie isn't possible on a Glassholes overflow box. The Glassholes overflow is loud ime. Even with the internal mesh and adjustable tubing. Ive owned 4 of them in total.

In terms of reliability I gave the edge to Glassholes as they have less bulkheads "holes" which in turn will lead to a lesser chance of leaking. Glass holes has 2 gasket contact points whereas Synergy has a total of 7.

john.m.cole3 · Jan 21, 2016

total of 7? I thought synergy only used 2 bulkheads to connect internal box to external box? Wouldn't that make 4? Or arew you adding the 3 x 1" bulkheads in the bottom of the external box to get to 7? So you're saying there is more chance of leaking w/ the ghost?

reefjerk · Jan 21, 2016

KingTriton said:
Glassholes and a herbie are going to be two completely different setups. A herbie isn't possible on a Glassholes overflow box. The Glassholes overflow is loud ime. Even with the internal mesh and adjustable tubing. Ive owned 4 of them in total.

In terms of reliability I gave the edge to Glassholes as they have less bulkheads "holes" which in turn will lead to a lesser chance of leaking. Glass holes has 2 gasket contact points whereas Synergy has a total of 7.

OK I see what you mean. The glassholes is really just a 90 degree drain.

Any additional gaskets wouldn't bother me, I was more concerned with the reliability of keeping the tank over flowing.

KingTriton · Jan 22, 2016

reefjerk said:
I was more concerned with the reliability of keeping the tank over flowing.

Neither should have any issues with overflowing. Id personally be more concerned with bulkhead leakage than overflowing, especially with how the bulkheads nut are being used for sealing purposes "not just the flange". Restricting flow from a 1.5'' hole would be very hard to do in my opinion. They are both reliable.

KingTriton · Jan 22, 2016

john.m.cole3 said:
So you're saying there is more chance of leaking w/ the ghost?

Yes. Keep in mind that most of these ghost setups are ran with limited access to the drains. If you have a leak I hope you have a way to address it without having to breakdown the tank.

garra671 · Jan 22, 2016

john.m.cole3 said:
I'm re-building a old beat up 72 gal bowfront and wanted to go Bean Animal style, so I gravitated towards the ghost overflow by synergy reef. However, I have heard of Glass Holes overflows being pretty nice and quiet too! Any opinions? Pros? Cons?

I am after quiet, reliable, and a snall footprint in the DT.

Built in overflows (I.E. Drilled tank). Can be dead quiet if you do it correctly. Look into a "durso standpipe" it will eliminate the sound by honestly 90%

KingTriton · Jan 22, 2016

garra671 said:
Built in overflows (I.E. Drilled tank). Can be dead quiet if you do it correctly. Look into a "durso standpipe" it will eliminate the sound by honestly 90%

True. The only issue I have with the standpipe is the intrusion and bubbles. That said I would use the Durso standpipe before I would use a glass holes overflow box. If however you run a built in overflow box than you might as well just make it a Herbie.