Whats the best way to add a overflow to this acrylic tank

Linkfalcon · 07/23/2017, 07:59 PM

Whats the best way to add a overflow to this acrylic tank. It has a brace thanks guys for the help

I wanna run this tank with a herbie
overflow

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SFish · 07/23/2017, 08:11 PM

Use one of the holes or drill a hole depending on where you want the overflow to be. The center brace doesn't matter.

Linkfalcon · 07/23/2017, 08:42 PM

Could I drill one more hole and run it as a herbie style.
I just want it to be really quiet

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Lsufan · 07/23/2017, 09:34 PM

Personally, if that was my tank I would use the existing holes as returns. I would cut a slot in the back of the tank & make a exterior overflow box that is as long as possible. I would stop the slot & the overflow box a couple inches before the existing holes. Then I would drill 3 holes in the overflow box & run a beananimal drain setup. If it was glass I would go a little different route, but being its acrylic it is easier to cut & drill then glass is. The setup I mentioned is by far my favorite setup & is how I would do it.

Btw, if u have to drill anyways then imo a beananimal drain setup is the best setup to have as far as drains. It is dead silent, almost impossible to have a flood & a little more consistent then a herbie. I haven't touched the valve on my syphon drain in years.

SFish · 07/24/2017, 03:36 AM

A ghost overflow would be the route I would go. It's really a personal choice as to how you want to set it up.

Lsufan · 07/24/2017, 05:15 PM

A ghost overflow would be my second option if u don't want to notch the tank. It would be easier to just install a ghost overflow but by notching the tank u are doing away with the internal wier. So u would have absolutely nothing inside of the tank. I was saying how I would do it, but if I wasn't comfortable cutting acrylic then I would go with the ghost style overflow. Probably the modular marine

Linkfalcon · 07/24/2017, 06:07 PM

What size ghost overflow do u think would be best it basically a 70 shallow

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SFish · 07/24/2017, 08:53 PM

Depends on how much flow you want. 3x to 5x the DT/hr is the norm. Oversize the overflow a little bit and you will be good to go.

Lsufan · 07/25/2017, 08:32 PM

double post:

Lsufan · 07/25/2017, 08:38 PM

Get as long of one that will fit. surface skimming is important & something that gets overlooked, but the longer the box the better surface skimming u will have. They all come with a syphon drain setup, so any of them will give u the turnover u need.

Also, get one that has the exterior box the same length as the interior wier. Some of them come with a small exterior box & although u can manipulate the plumbing to fit into the box, it really doesn't work well & makes it inconsistent. I really like the modular marine boxes although I personally don't have one. I made a similar one myself

Linkfalcon · 10/25/2017, 05:30 AM

Would I run both as drains and come over the top with my returns

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Lsufan · 10/25/2017, 09:34 PM

I would use the two existing holes for returns because of where they are located & drill 3 new holes for a beananimal drain. Where your holes are located & only having two, it doesn’t leave u with many options if u don’t want to drill the tank. With it how it is u can make a coast to coast overflow box & run a herbie drain. Doing this u would need to go over the back with the return & use the two existing holes for your drains.

The only other option without drilling would be to get a corner overflow box & use one hole as a drain & the other as a return. I would never run a setup like this. U would have to use a durso drain & u wouldn’t have any backup if the drain gets clogged.

I wouldn’t setup a tank without using a beananimal drain setup. It takes three holes for the drains though, so u would have to drill. If u are going to drill the tank I would go ahead & drill 3 holes for the drains so they are located where u want them & use the 2 existing holes for returns.

I know u said u want a herbie but a beananimal is the best drain setup to have. It is as quiet as u can get for a drain & it has the most redunctancy of any drain setup. It is the best by far. A herbie is ok & imo is the second best drain to have behind the beananimal. If u don’t mind drilling I would go with the best drain setup there is in a beananimal. It is pretty easy to drill acrylic

Linkfalcon · 10/25/2017, 10:09 PM

Thanks for the advice guys think I’m going to use one hole as a drain and one as a supply there are not going to be snails in this tank there will be a big update soon as to what’s going on in this tank

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Zephrant · 10/26/2017, 12:15 AM

You could use them both for standard overflows, setup Durso style. That looks a lot like my old 120 was setup. But as said already, no backups. But you can always drill another overflow hole too and use larger overflow boxes..

I think I'd set them up as ghost overflows, if you have enough room behind the tank.

07/23/2017, 07:59 PM	#1
Linkfalcon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Arlington va Posts: 158	Whats the best way to add a overflow to this acrylic tank Whats the best way to add a overflow to this acrylic tank. It has a brace thanks guys for the help I wanna run this tank with a herbie overflow Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/23/2017, 08:11 PM	#2
SFish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 2,062	Use one of the holes or drill a hole depending on where you want the overflow to be. The center brace doesn't matter. __________________ “A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points but it is by no means the most interesting.”

07/24/2017, 03:36 AM	#5
SFish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 2,062	A ghost overflow would be the route I would go. It's really a personal choice as to how you want to set it up. __________________ “A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points but it is by no means the most interesting.”

07/24/2017, 08:53 PM	#8
SFish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 2,062	Depends on how much flow you want. 3x to 5x the DT/hr is the norm. Oversize the overflow a little bit and you will be good to go. __________________ “A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points but it is by no means the most interesting.”

07/25/2017, 08:32 PM	#9
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	double post: Last edited by Lsufan; 07/25/2017 at 08:39 PM.

07/23/2017, 08:42 PM	#3
Linkfalcon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Arlington va Posts: 158	Could I drill one more hole and run it as a herbie style. I just want it to be really quiet Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/23/2017, 09:34 PM	#4
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	Personally, if that was my tank I would use the existing holes as returns. I would cut a slot in the back of the tank & make a exterior overflow box that is as long as possible. I would stop the slot & the overflow box a couple inches before the existing holes. Then I would drill 3 holes in the overflow box & run a beananimal drain setup. If it was glass I would go a little different route, but being its acrylic it is easier to cut & drill then glass is. The setup I mentioned is by far my favorite setup & is how I would do it. Btw, if u have to drill anyways then imo a beananimal drain setup is the best setup to have as far as drains. It is dead silent, almost impossible to have a flood & a little more consistent then a herbie. I haven't touched the valve on my syphon drain in years.

07/24/2017, 05:15 PM	#6
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	A ghost overflow would be my second option if u don't want to notch the tank. It would be easier to just install a ghost overflow but by notching the tank u are doing away with the internal wier. So u would have absolutely nothing inside of the tank. I was saying how I would do it, but if I wasn't comfortable cutting acrylic then I would go with the ghost style overflow. Probably the modular marine

07/24/2017, 06:07 PM	#7
Linkfalcon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Arlington va Posts: 158	What size ghost overflow do u think would be best it basically a 70 shallow Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/25/2017, 08:38 PM	#10
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	Get as long of one that will fit. surface skimming is important & something that gets overlooked, but the longer the box the better surface skimming u will have. They all come with a syphon drain setup, so any of them will give u the turnover u need. Also, get one that has the exterior box the same length as the interior wier. Some of them come with a small exterior box & although u can manipulate the plumbing to fit into the box, it really doesn't work well & makes it inconsistent. I really like the modular marine boxes although I personally don't have one. I made a similar one myself

10/25/2017, 05:30 AM	#11
Linkfalcon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Arlington va Posts: 158	Would I run both as drains and come over the top with my returns Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10/25/2017, 09:34 PM	#12
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	I would use the two existing holes for returns because of where they are located & drill 3 new holes for a beananimal drain. Where your holes are located & only having two, it doesn’t leave u with many options if u don’t want to drill the tank. With it how it is u can make a coast to coast overflow box & run a herbie drain. Doing this u would need to go over the back with the return & use the two existing holes for your drains. The only other option without drilling would be to get a corner overflow box & use one hole as a drain & the other as a return. I would never run a setup like this. U would have to use a durso drain & u wouldn’t have any backup if the drain gets clogged. I wouldn’t setup a tank without using a beananimal drain setup. It takes three holes for the drains though, so u would have to drill. If u are going to drill the tank I would go ahead & drill 3 holes for the drains so they are located where u want them & use the 2 existing holes for returns. I know u said u want a herbie but a beananimal is the best drain setup to have. It is as quiet as u can get for a drain & it has the most redunctancy of any drain setup. It is the best by far. A herbie is ok & imo is the second best drain to have behind the beananimal. If u don’t mind drilling I would go with the best drain setup there is in a beananimal. It is pretty easy to drill acrylic Last edited by Lsufan; 10/25/2017 at 09:52 PM.

10/25/2017, 10:09 PM	#13
Linkfalcon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Arlington va Posts: 158	Thanks for the advice guys think I’m going to use one hole as a drain and one as a supply there are not going to be snails in this tank there will be a big update soon as to what’s going on in this tank Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10/26/2017, 12:15 AM	#14
Zephrant Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,234	You could use them both for standard overflows, setup Durso style. That looks a lot like my old 120 was setup. But as said already, no backups. But you can always drill another overflow hole too and use larger overflow boxes.. I think I'd set them up as ghost overflows, if you have enough room behind the tank.