Please read need feedback, Thanks

[insearch]

Quik Question, How reliable are bulk head fittings? The issue I am haveing right now is I just picked up my tank last night. This tank only measures 36x15x24 glass it was suppose to come with a built in overflow (trapiziod acrylic) dead center on the back panel. I pick it up and this overflow almost takes up half of the tank. It measures 12" across the back and protrudes into the tank 6". Also where the water line is set is almost an inch below the frame. I talked to the store manager and he said that these items are premade and just glued in. and the water line issue I can just put a riser pipe on the drain hole to the desired hight.

This does not sit well with me because if I do that then what is the purpose of the overflow? And would there not be stagnant water at the bottom of this overflow box.

So if I can not get the store to make right on this I am thinking of removing the overflow box (acrylic) and straight piping down to the drilled holes in the bottom, cutting off the top of the overflow box and making it a bit smaller siliconeing it at the back of the tank and useing the drilled holes as a braket to hold my return lines.

So I would like to run this by everyone and see if there are any comments.

Thanks.
The frustration is mounting!

 

[Anonymous]

I would return it and get one you like. Overflows can be made to any size, and that one seems huge! Who made the tank?

The teeth sound pretty standard - the water will be higher than the teeth when the return pump is running.

Bulkheads are pretty reliable.

Again, if the tank is not what you want, don't use it. Its not worth it to put time and effort into something you don't want anyway.
I would look for a tank that size with a corner overflow. What you are discribing sounds like a aquarisystem that has the sump built into the back of the tank.

 

[tangir1]

With the money you pay, you deserve to get it the way you wanted. You were surprised by the design of the overflow, and it is a miscommunication problem between you and the saleman. The manager will not be happy about what you expect, but it is a way to give them a mini-lesson so that they will get the customer to sign off the specs instead of "Oh, it is common sense, and I thought you knew... here, sign the slip for the credit card..."

 

[insearch]

Corner overflows will not work in this application. the tank will be exstemely veiwable on 3 sides. It will sit on an outside 45 degree wall. t will be a show piece in my house and it will be sitting on quk wood flooring so I want something with a very low probubility of leeking. As it stands I will have to do a full covering of the floor for maintinence. But like I was saying if you raise the level of water in the OFbox then what is the point of it?

 

[Anonymous]

The level in the OFB should rise (but is determined by the hight of your standpipe) - the level on the outside of the box, in the tank proper, will rise because the teeth restrict the flow which is why they are an inch or so. If you fiil it and it still seems too low you can easily glue someting on the inside of the overflow to raise the bottom of the teeth.

You can get the overflows placed anywhere in the tank, so if you want them in the back middle, they can be put in the back middle.
You could also skip the overflow box and just drill a hole for the bulkhead about an inch from the top of the tank. It is a little weirder to set up, but not that bad. You got to do it right because that is the level the water is going to be. In such a small tank I would be concerned with the amount of real estate the overflow is taking up. You could also have a custom tank made with the overflow on the outside of the tank.

There is the potential for any tank to leak, setup any way. I have bulkheads on both of my tanks and have never had a problem.

 

[insearch]

Thanks, I will keep you informed and post some pics as soon as I get this staightened out.

 

[insearch]

I was thinking about what I could do with this oversized overflow. I was also reading about dursos. Could I possibly turn this oversized overflow into a algea scrubber. I mean it has light from the halides and has inline waterflow. Let me know what you think.

 

[Anonymous]

The only worry I would have is algae breaking away and clogging your standpipe.

 

[insearch]

Yes but precautions could be taken for this, such as a slotted down pipe w/foam cover or perhaps a 2 stage down pipe. Would it be big enough to do any good though. Trapizoid 6"x12"x 24"deep

 

[Anonymous]

Sure, sure precautions could be taken. I didn't mean to imply it couln't be done. I would prolly do it with the size of the overflow you have. I would divide up the overflow into chambers.
AH, gotta run.

 

[insearch]

Thanks for your time .