Internal overflow box
- Thread starter Mstanker
- Start date
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Greybeard
2500 Club Member
For what kind of internal overflow?
If it's open top, surrounded by water, and full of water, it doesn't need to be very thick. There's no pressure on it. I'd still go 1/4" or more. Gives you more surface area to bond, and less likely to crack over time.
As to where to get it, you're looking for cast acrylic sheet. Look for a local vendor. In the midwest, Regal Plastics is kinda the goto spot. They've got locations all through the central US.
I had my LFS guy, who deals with acrylic much more often that I do, build me an external overflow box for my new system, but I used H2Overflows inside. It's black acrylic, 3/8" thick, and has performed well for me so far.
If it's open top, surrounded by water, and full of water, it doesn't need to be very thick. There's no pressure on it. I'd still go 1/4" or more. Gives you more surface area to bond, and less likely to crack over time.
As to where to get it, you're looking for cast acrylic sheet. Look for a local vendor. In the midwest, Regal Plastics is kinda the goto spot. They've got locations all through the central US.
I had my LFS guy, who deals with acrylic much more often that I do, build me an external overflow box for my new system, but I used H2Overflows inside. It's black acrylic, 3/8" thick, and has performed well for me so far.
OP
OP
Mstanker
Well-Known Member
So I got to think why does everyone create a overflow box. First is to stop fish from going down the drain. But Can’t you just run a Herbie system and put screens over the drain and not even build a overflow but
FFFishy
Active Member
If you're looking for something internal, but without a box, take a look at the H2OverFlow from CustomAquariums.com
https://www.customaquariums.com/h2overflowr-complete-unglued-assembly.html
https://www.customaquariums.com/h2overflowr-complete-unglued-assembly.html
Greybeard
2500 Club Member
Overflow box skims surface water, hopefully keeps snails and other critters away from the water slide, and keeps most of the water in the tank when the return pump is off.
They don't have to be fancy. Back in the day, I used a bulkhead through the ends of my tank, some pipe, a 45 degree elbow, a 2.5" to 1.5" reducer, and a PVC shower drain cover. Worked just fine. I'm using the H2Overflows that FFFishy recommended above on my current tank. I am quite happy with them. I do not, however, care for the 'Siphon Stopper' returns offered by the same company. Without modification, they created micro bubbles in my tank. I had to alter them to get them to work right for me.
They don't have to be fancy. Back in the day, I used a bulkhead through the ends of my tank, some pipe, a 45 degree elbow, a 2.5" to 1.5" reducer, and a PVC shower drain cover. Worked just fine. I'm using the H2Overflows that FFFishy recommended above on my current tank. I am quite happy with them. I do not, however, care for the 'Siphon Stopper' returns offered by the same company. Without modification, they created micro bubbles in my tank. I had to alter them to get them to work right for me.
Even Further
Active Member
You could also look at Modular Marine. They have internal boxes available and offer custom work.
