Center overflow

[valgae]

I'm trying to plan my build and i'm not sure if i'm going to drill the side of my tank or the bottom glass. If I drill the bottom, the overflow will be in the center of the tank. i'm having trouble finding a round or square 4 sided overflow. I've been searching for a couple of days now. Know any good places???

 

[snakeblitz33]

Depends on what you want.
Typically center overflows are for island tanks or room dividers.
So, the big question is, where is your tank going?

 

[acrylic51]

Not sure if you'll actually find what your looking for.....Most are custom built and isn't a hard project to undertake.......I will offer this tidbit,,,,,,Center overflows are a bit more efficient or maybe I should say offer better skimming ability than your traditional corner overflows.......

 

[acrylic51]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/393561/center-overflow#post_3501814
Depends on what you want.
Typically center overflows are for island tanks or room dividers.
So, the big question is, where is your tank going?
Seth I ran a center overflow on my 240 which was a in wall.....A center overflow offers more aquascaping possibilities IMO.....they can be mounted along the back wall of the tank in the center of the wall and don't necessarily have to be in the "center" of the tank......

 

[valgae]

It will be an island/peninsula room divider. It's a 240, I don't mind a DIY project, just need to get it done this weekend. I'm off till monday.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Then I agree with acrylic51 on this one...
You should go with a four sided overflow box, if not two. Two would increase the re-sale value of your tank.
Be careful that your tanks bottom pane of glass is not tempered. If the glass is tempered, it will shatter.
A simple acrylic DIY would probably work pretty well for your goal. I don't know any companies off hand that sell standard manufacturer internal overflow boxes - at least center overflows. The main thing for the DIY is to make absolutely sure it is siliconed in really, really, really well and has a long dry time. Silicone doesn't stick to acrylic really well, so you may need to rough up the acrylic a little bit on the inside, bottom, and outside of the bottom edge of it so that it may stick a little better.
Anyways, now I'm rambling. I wish you the best and share some pictures with us when you get the chance.

 

[acrylic51]

Wow!!!!! You put major pressure and deadlines on yourself......The big question as Seth had asked is the bottom of the tank tempered.....Is the tank custom built or a standard 240 and the manufacturer.....Personally I wouldn't even attempt to an acrylic overflow in the center of the tank.....Reason being is silicone will not IMHO safely hold it into place.....IMHO to many possibilities of the box coming undone, and depending how deep the drains are you risk a good probability of drain most if not all of the tank.....Another issue I see if the overflow box would come loose, and sift majorly you run a good chance of shearing off your standpipes and compromising the bulkheads and worse undo pressure/stress on the bulkheads that could lead to the bottom of the tank cracking.....
Personally the overflow box should be done out of glass.....Glass and silicone

 

[valgae]

LOL, my other option is drilling the side of the tank and putting the overflow there. i just really didnt want to see anything coming out the side. But i'm thinking this is probably going to be the way i go. the tank is 1/2" glass, it is an old school oceanic 210, has the gold logo on the corner. i have done every little trick with polarized sunglasses and laptop screens to check if the bottom is tempered. It doesn't look to be. SO i'm going for it! I think i'm doing a mag 18 on the return and 2 closed loops w/ a mag 9 and a 750. i'll throw some pics up in a bit. Refinished the stand, completely scrapped the canopy and rebuilt it. First time w/ a router, everything looks good so far. i'll probably make an official build post after i'm done.

 

[valgae]

and final product... We went with a satin black finish. I still have to make cabinet doors(bleh). Because it is going to be a room divider we took off the moulding around the top, routered some new moulding and put it all the way around. It was all in really good shape. Got it for $450.

 

[valgae]

The canopy!! Really proud of how well this turned out. My boyfriend helped a lot!! He's getting into this project big time. Like i said, this was my first time with a router. We just copied specs from the old canopy. made it about 2" taller.
made a jig

one side down

Houston, we have door holes!!

Final product.

ignore the basebord-less walls, just refinished the hardwood
got a new shop light!! and me inside the tank lol!

 

[acrylic51]

I wouldn't rely on all the tricks with glasses, laptop screens or what not, but a good old fashion phone call or checking the website would be more reassuring to me. Trust me if your wrong and that puppy explodes you will never forget what you'll get if your wrong. Not trying to scare you from drilling but I goofed years ago on a small 1/4" piece of tempered an it was an out of body experience and I've been around my fair share of large ordinances going off...wear eye protection!!!!!
As far as pump choices you can do better on the return than a Mag18 and the CL choices are very weak/poor choices. They aren't meant for that and will be very lack luster trust me again on this. I run big gun CL pump and want more already!!!!

 

[valgae]

what do you suggest?? I was going with these because i already had them here from other builds and never got used.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I don't see anything wrong with using a mag 18 for your return pump. You may want to look into something like a reeflo dart hybrid for your closed loop pump. Don't forget - you may want to use schedule 80 bulkheads on your closed loop instead of the cheapo schedule 40's. Putting together some rainbow loclines is also a good idea before you fill your tank. I'd also suggest looking into an oceans motions unit/splitter since you are using a closed loop for the majority of your water flow instead of powerheads.
I would seriously consider not drilling the tank on the bottom pane. If you do, I'd try to find a glass company and insure it if you can. Wear thick gloves, eye protection and have a way to clean up the glass after it breaks - usually a shop vac is better than a broom and dust pan since it gets even the tiniest pieces. Anyways, good luck and give us more pics when you are done!

 

[acrylic51]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/393561/center-overflow#post_3502029
I don't see anything wrong with using a mag 18 for your return pump. You may want to look into something like a reeflo dart hybrid for your closed loop pump. Don't forget - you may want to use schedule 80 bulkheads on your closed loop instead of the cheapo schedule 40's. Putting together some rainbow loclines is also a good idea before you fill your tank. I'd also suggest looking into an oceans motions unit/splitter since you are using a closed loop for the majority of your water flow instead of powerheads.
I would seriously consider not drilling the tank on the bottom pane. If you do, I'd try to find a glass company and insure it if you can. Wear thick gloves, eye protection and have a way to clean up the glass after it breaks - usually a shop vac is better than a broom and dust pan since it gets even the tiniest pieces. Anyways, good luck and give us more pics when you are done!
Mags IMHO aren't an efficient choice.....Being the size of the tank 240 gallons, way better options......The waterblaster pumps would be a way better choice, less heat transfer, and we all know that Mags transfer a good bit of heat, because that's how they cool themselves.....Reeflo would be my choice for a return pump on the tank, and you mentioned a good 1 the Hybrid Dart, which comes with 2 impellers and you can swap them out.....Also leaves you headroom that you can take the extra flow to power reactors or what not......Reeflo line is more for flow than pressure applications.....
As far as bulkheads I wouldn't use anything but sched 80's.....Again a bit more in money spent, but more peace of mind......
Quote:
Originally Posted by VALgae http:///t/393561/center-overflow#post_3502020
what do you suggest?? I was going with these because i already had them here from other builds and never got used.
I don't like the Mags for CL since depending how you setup and use your CL they are more a pressure application....Mags aren't pressure rated pumps and for the "flow" you think you'll get you will be very disappointed......By the time you run all your plumbing and what not, you will have nothing IMHO....Heck I'm running the Reeflo Super Dart Gold and haven't even fully finished firing the system and already am thinking of going bigger on the Reeflo pump. With that said I know whole heartedly the Mag won't give you what you want......The Reeflo outflows anything Mag drive has so........
Anothe aspect on the CL is to consider how your going to feed your CL pump.....I haven't seen you mention anything about drilling and such for your CL pump.....You want to "flood" the pump volute at all cost....Don't just supply it with what it exactly needs IMO.....Oversize it a bit.....Over in my build thread I posted a lot of info on manifolds and such to work your CL into the equation.....I'm not saying I'm 100% correct all the time, but I've spent so much time and energy into trying to create good flow and have talked to quite a few "experts" on flow and setup patterns.....Some of the information I did use, but other portions were a bit to risky for my liking, and Seth mentioned about drilling the bottom of the tank......That was another suggestion I was given and didn't like the "risk" involved.

 

[acrylic51]

Quote:
Originally Posted by VALgae http:///t/393561/center-overflow#post_3502018
The canopy!! Really proud of how well this turned out. My boyfriend helped a lot!! He's getting into this project big time. Like i said, this was my first time with a router. We just copied specs from the old canopy. made it about 2" taller.
made a jig

one side down

Houston, we have door holes!!

Final product.

ignore the basebord-less walls, just refinished the hardwood
got a new shop light!! and me inside the tank lol!


I'm liking!!!!!!! I like that you took the shelves out of the stand as well.....Curious and maybe you mentioned it earlier what are you planning to use for a sump.......Also curious what are you lighting plans for the tank.....The canopy looks about 12" tall inside height........A recommendation on the canopy would be to install some type of fans to pull or blow heat away from the water surface......

 

[acrylic51]

I did a quick search and not sure if there is a tag or something on the bottom of the tank, but I have a sneaky suspicion that the bottom is drilled.....I was on Oceanics site, and they state all their tank bottoms are tempered.......

 

[valgae]

Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/393561/center-overflow#post_3502051
I'm liking!!!!!!! I like that you took the shelves out of the stand as well.....Curious and maybe you mentioned it earlier what are you planning to use for a sump.......Also curious what are you lighting plans for the tank.....The canopy looks about 12" tall inside height........A recommendation on the canopy would be to install some type of fans to pull or blow heat away from the water surface......
Those homemade shelves were the first thing to go!! lol. I'll be using a 55 long for the sump. Looking into a 72" t5 fixure. That thick glass center brace is throwing me off. Going to get the toothpaste and a buffer to it soon. If i can't get it cleaned up i may just get another 48" 250w mh/t5 combo and put one on each side of the brace.

 

[valgae]

Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/393561/center-overflow#post_3502054
I did a quick search and not sure if there is a tag or something on the bottom of the tank, but I have a sneaky suspicion that the bottom is drilled.....I was on Oceanics site, and they state all their tank bottoms are tempered.......
Well I know that it is an older tank. there's nothing on the bottom. No markings, etchings, stickers. what do you mean by "bottom is drilled"?? I've also heard that Oceanic tanks before a certain date were made with non-tempered. Took a pic of the logo. probably won't help much. i've also been stalking craigslist,hehe, if I see a tank/cabinet like mine i'll ask them if they know if the bottom glass is tempered. i've gotten 2 not tempereds. but neither of them had proof of that.

 

[acrylic51]

Sorry.....What I meant to say was I have a sneaky suspicion it is tempered.....Without any tag or such it's even hard to put a manufacture date on the tank.....I just couldn't imagine a tank not using tempered....I honestly can't find any info on their older tanks......Honestly if your game suit up and drill it.....When you check with your sunglasses you did look at the tank for black lines at 45 degree angles.....
I know you mentioned it earlier, but your positive it's a 240.....Dimensions.....Just thinking out loud you said it is possible to drill 1 of the ends of the tank.......

 

[acrylic51]

I'm just stabbing at this point, but most manufacturers bigger than 55 went with tempered bottoms.....Honestly it's cheaper that way, and some people believe that if a tank is drilled in the bottom that they can add extra holes.....Some manufactures will have them drilled and then tempered after the fact which could be disastrous if the user doesn't know......