pic of overflow - prev peculiar overflow design

[rnall]

Here is a pic of the overflow I discribed in the previous thread. The overflow continues as it is with no openings to the bottom of the tank.

I am now planning to rip out the divider with a makeshift tuning fork and guitar string. That is unless someone can tell me why it's there?????

I also plan on slapping 1/8th inch black acrylic to the overflow to make it blend in with the back and fix the inlet so that all my critters do not end up in the overflow.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Ron

 

[LFS42]

Is there a hole on the other side?
Perhaps they had a ligth in there.
to illuminate the rocks from behind :?

 

[rnall]

Nope. Just the inlet and two holes drilled in the bottom of the tank (one for each side of the overflow).

 

[Anonymous]

Does the weird chamber have a hole in the bottom? If so, perhaps this was used for the return.

RR

 

[LFS42]

So, there is a hole on the both sides of the divider?
If so, the other was a return and the person thought they needed the divider in it.
Mabye, for sound purposes.

 

[rnall]

Yes it does. It must be the return. What I find interesting is that it's sectioned off with that divider. It's just wasted space.....a return chamber full of air.....why?

 

[rnall]

Guess I should have taken another pic....sorry.

Yes, drilled holes on either side of the divider.

The reason I brought this up is that the right side had to be the intake and the left had to be return and I just couldn't figure out why there was a divider in there.......

Someone took the time to put it in there and I didn't want to rip it out unless I was certain that they were crazy for doing it.

 

[LFS42]

I return my first post....
How can explain anything we do

I mean really.

If it reduces the nitrates by .5 mg/l, we'll try it.
If it reduces the noise by 1 decible, we'll try it.
If we think we can make it better than a trained engineer, we'll make it.

A tank I was called to service was just unbelievable.
He came up with this filter all by himself.
first, 200 gal FOWL.
The siphon overflow went into a 4' tower of Bio-balls.
Then it went into a 15 gal sump, with a skimmer designed for a 10 gal tank.
The pump then pushed it through a life-guard filter with only the mech filter and heater canisters.

Back top your tank.
The person you got it from probably had a friend come over and say
"hey you should put this in there"

 

[Bobzarry]

Could have been also used as dual drain. a u-tube(s) joining both sides could give you drain to both outlets....perhaps one going to other equipment, one direct to sump, eventualy both would join in sump where they would get pumped back to the main tank.......just a thought.
tho I agree most likely its a return.



Bob

 

[Anonymous]

Some of the new acrylic tanks have 'airspaces' like that. The major benefit of this type of return is you can have the tank flush with the wall behind it - no plumbing on the back of the tank. Another benefit would be a more of a straight line return. You also don't have to use a bulkhead for the return because there is no water in the chamber. If the hole is big enough you could also run lamp cords or whatever through it.

If I were buying a new acrylic tank I would have two or three of these sections depending on the size of the tank. However, on acrlyic tanks the chambers are much smaller and less obtrusive that yours.

RR

 

[LFS42]

Rigthy
That's gota be the answer.
the kicker is, It make sense too.

 

[rnall]

aaaahaaaaa!

That makes perfect sense. Maybe he/she wasn't crazy after all.

I'm glad I posted this.

Now I have to make up my mind if I want it or not........

Thanks a million,

Ron