Help :( Overflow on custom tank mounted too high

[dopey]

Thanks for all the quick feedback everyone! all suggestions welcomed..

Unfortunately this is just too high for my blood pressure and absolutely not approved by my partner She couldn't believe some of you said to keep it this high

Yes. I have successfully dremeled teeth in acrylic but it's tough to not screw up.

Screw up as in 'well have to order a new one now cause it's in pieces'.. or 'it's ugly but works'

 

[zalick]

Thanks for all the quick feedback everyone! all suggestions welcomed..

Unfortunately this is just too high for my blood pressure and absolutely not approved by my partner She couldn't believe some of you said to keep it this high



Screw up as in 'well have to order a new one now cause it's in pieces'.. or 'it's ugly but works'

In pieces,!

 

[jtl]

I have put together a few rimless systems with both internal and external overflows. I try to set my wier so the water level is 1/4-1/2" from the top of the rim. Yours doesn't look all that bad. As long as you have an emergency drain the tank should never overflow. I am not familiar with your set up but you may be able lower the inside box (weir) by re-drilling the back panel that sits flush against the inside glass of the tank. Put a new thin piece of acrylic over the area of the existing holes and also covering the area where you want to put new holes. Glue it in place with acrylic solvent and redrill. It is kind of difficult to dremel out the slots and make them look good but it can be done if you go real slow. The dremel want to move sideways due to the circular motion of the bit, just hold it tight.

 

[zalick]

Another solution is to get a different "inside box" from modular marine that is wider and higher volume. That would lower the level and increase surface skimming. Assuming the wider ones will attach/fit your setup. I've never used one from them. But they make many different shapes.

 

[dopey]

I think I am going to the hardware store and try to find a handheld saw/razor blade and see if that will work. No pressure on the plastic just slow sawing. That feels safest option from quick reading about cutting acrylic.

I think I'd be more likely to get a new tank or order a custom front overflow box from the manufacture before trying to redrill/patch the existing tank.... I absolutely would not have confidence in myself to attempt such a thing.

I know 220L is still tiny by yall's standard, but thing thing looks like a beast in our apartment. My anxiety has not gone down yet from getting it filled up..

 

[dopey]

Atleast i'm not the first one:

Can I dremel my overflow to lower the water level in my display?

I have a DSA 105 gallon neo reef tank and the water level is only about an inch or less from the top of the glass. Every morning I have to wipe a little water off of the glass and I can only run my mp40s at 70% or else it splashes out even more. Is there a safe way to cut down the slots in the...

www.reef2reef.com

Can I take a dremel tool to my overflow teeth to lower my water level?

I have a center overflow in my DSA Rimless but the waterlevel is only 3/4" or less from the rim. So I constantly have to clean up water streaks from it splashing over from my mp40s. Can I file down the slots in my overflow a bit with the tank full?

www.reef2reef.com

Unfortunately none returned with their results The soldering iron is clever but do wonder how it worked.

 

[zalick]

I think I am going to the hardware store and try to find a handheld saw/razor blade and see if that will work. No pressure on the plastic just slow sawing. That feels safest option from quick reading about cutting acrylic.

I think I'd be more likely to get a new tank or order a custom front overflow box from the manufacture before trying to redrill/patch the existing tank.... I absolutely would not have confidence in myself to attempt such a thing.

I know 220L is still tiny by yall's standard, but thing thing looks like a beast in our apartment. My anxiety has not gone down yet from getting it filled up..

Csn you link to the overflow box or tell us the exact model?

You might be better off getting a round file v a saw.

 

[dopey]

Csn you link to the overflow box or tell us the exact model?

You might be better off getting a round file v a saw.

https://modularmarine.com/collectio...-low-profile-overflow-box-with-removable-weir

Thanks for the advice, a file is better.

I don't mind slow, and tedius... it's been 6 months since this project started what's another few hours:X

 

[zalick]

https://modularmarine.com/collectio...-low-profile-overflow-box-with-removable-weir

Thanks for the advice, a file is better.

I don't mind slow, and tedius... it's been 6 months since this project started what's another few hours:X

I would first call/email/message modular marine. They may have a better solution.

It looks like you could get a wider internal weir.

Also, their pictures all show the typical beananimal setup with both primary and backup using 2 90 elbows. I'm skeptical you will get a silent overflow without

 

[fermentedhiker]

If my math is right your tank is about 40 us gallons. Your return pump is rated for 630gph. The cheapest solution and the one I would start with is throttle the pump back as was previously mentioned. There isn't really a need for more than 10x flow through a sump anyway at least IMO. It may solve your problem in a couple minutes as opposed to waiting weeks and paying for a custom overflow box to be made and shipped.

 

[Michael Lane]

I would drill a line of holes instead of trying to use a Dremel. Round holes can come out cleaner and still allow more water to follow through, as long as the final water height is over the bottom of the existing should.

 

[zalick]

If my math is right your tank is about 40 us gallons. Your return pump is rated for 630gph. The cheapest solution and the one I would start with is throttle the pump back as was previously mentioned. There isn't really a need for more than 10x flow through a sump anyway at least IMO. It may solve your problem in a couple minutes as opposed to waiting weeks and paying for a custom overflow box to be made and shipped.

+1 this absolutely.
Good catch.

I run 7x of my sump volume (700gph) and just 2x of total volume.

If you throttle your pump as suggested, it will lower the water line AND give you more margin for error if/when the teeth get clogged.

 

[dopey]

The total volume of the system is around 60 Gallon US -- Theoretical size, I don't know what it'll be in terms of actual water until have everything working.

The pump i'm using is a Tunze Silence 1073.020 -- Which adjustable from 53-630 gph . I think this is well within the range of turnover i'd want? I was thinking around 7x as well, which would put this pump well inline?

Sorry if i'm dense but I don't see how even if the pump was oversized, it be the issue. The teeth is the entry into the overflow, and they are very close to the top of the tank? If the pump was overpowered then the water line be well *above* the teeth indicating they are the limiting factor? In my case the waterlevel is right at the teeth and overflow box not even filling to the secondary pipe. Wouldn't this mean the drainage system is outpacing the pump?

Setting the pump on the lowest or highest setting had no affect on the water level.

 

[sp1187]

I had the opposite problem. mine was drilled lower than it should have been, so my level was lower than I wanted.
something I though about doing but didn't. ( I came up with a different solution.)
remove the overflow. silicone a glass plate to the side to seal the holes.
drill the opposite side correctly.

 

[zalick]

Setting the pump on the lowest or highest setting had no affect on the water level.

the return pump determines directly how many gallons per hour flow through those teeth. The slower the flow the lower the water will be on the teeth.

Let's look at some extremes. that overflow is rated at 800 gallons per hour. If you put a return pump on there that was 3000 gallons per hour the water couldn't flow through the teeth and your tank would overflow that's how high it would get. The other extreme is if you put a pump at just one gallon per hour you would have just a drop of water going over the teeth.

so if you adjust your pump from the lowest to highest it absolutely should be changing the water line where it hits the teeth.

 

[WVNed]

Take all the guts out of the overflow box in the back. Turn the pump down. Open all valves on the drain.

Then see what the water level is and get back to us.

You are changing the last thing you should do first because you dont understand how it works.

 

[Ridgeway]

Is there any chance you could drill a new hole XXXmm lower and a safe distance to the left or right, it won't be seen as the weir box will cover it. Easy enough to silicone a small panel on to seal it.

I assume that with the current water height that if you put your arms in then there's a high risk of water over flowing out ?

 

[dopey]

You are changing the last thing you should do first because you dont understand how it works.

I think that's a bit harsh sir. I'm not trying to argue here, but to understand. I don't think i've said anything combative towards anyone and been appreciative of the help, if that hasn't been clear i apologize.

There is no guts in the back of the overflow. There is three straight pipes going through a uni-seal. Removing anything would result in an open hole in the overflow straight to the floor

Here is one picture with the pumped turned all the way down. (Dial turned all the way one direction)

Here is the pump turned all the way up:

Apologize for my poor pic taking, but I have hard time seeing any noticeable difference.


It is possible I am simply misunderstanding how an overflow works, tho I promise I have read and tried to learn as much as possible.

My understanding:
1.) The only way water enters the overflow is from the teeth on the box within the tank.
2.) In the exterior box you have three separate pipes. One completely submerged, one a bit higher that should indicate water level in the tank. Usually you put a durso to silence it. Last one highest, as an emergency.

What I am seeing at the moment is the rear chamber in the overflow never fills up to hit the secondary pipe. Only the primary pipe which never achieves a full syphon. -- While at the same time a higher than desired level of water in the display tank.

Additionally the instructions of the overflow clearly states for rimless tank to mount the overflow box 1/4" or more lower than the rim of the tank. Unfortunately this overflow is sitting flush with the rim if not slightly above.


A question: If your overflow was oversized, and the return pump does not keep up. Is this not the behaviour you'd see? Water level at the height of the slots, but the rear box never filling beyond the first pipe?

 

[GodZillaReef]

i would find a drill bit that fits the teeth sizing. I would place in a drill press and then jig up the box. Push the box into the side of the drill bit. Kinda like using a CC table but just by hand. Any thing done by hand will be hard to make look good. Other wise change flow or change the inside weir box. Your just making the flow-able area of inside box weir greater.

 

[WVNed]

If changing the pump flow doesn't change the water height inside the tank then the weir isn't what is setting the water level and cutting it will do nothing.