coast to coast overflows

[clancaster23]

I'm about to install a typical internal overflow box for my 180 gallon before I put it on my stand. Before I do that, I have read a little into coast to coast overflows. Now I'm reading that what I would need is four pieces of glass, two for the length of the tank minus a couple inches for the ends, and two small pieces for the ends. Is anyone here familiar with this type of overflow system and would you recommend it? Is it ok to leave a few inches of space on each end of the tank or should you go right to the edge? I assume that's all I'd need is four pieces of glass and silicone. How thick would the glass need to be? I have a glass shop in town that I have gotten pieces from before and pretty sure I can get these pieces to make this.

 

[kbuser92]

Do the math. A 180 is 6 feet, so if you were to do 3" x 3", you would have exactly 6 feet either way. Now if you did, say 2" x 2" with the same gap on the ends, you would have 5'10" of skimming surface, where if you did 4" into the tank, you would have 6'2". If you read the bean animal page, it says if you have a 20 ft dam vs. a 50 ft dam, the 50 ft wide dam will filter an oil spill Mich quicker, and what we are doing here is filtering as much of that oily gunk off our surface as possible. So by that explanation, it depends on how large you want your box. I would personally do something like 3" x 3" wall-to-wall. Big enough for plumbing to fit and a little extra. I think that would be plenty, and personally, I like the literal coast-to-coast look better than one with gaps. I could see how in some cases it would be more functional, depending on your exact plumbing plans, but I do think that it looks cleaner.

 

[clancaster23]

My deal is I have two 3" holes for drain holes in the center of the back of my tank wall about 6" apart and about 7 1/2" from the top of the tank. I just thought two pieces of glass end to end would look much cleaner and neater than say a four foot long one with ends on it. So basically it would be wall to wall, about 7 1/2" deep and about 4" from the back wall. I will ask if they can slope the face piece so the water flows down off the top and also if they can nip the corners of the bottom piece so it would only need some silicone in the corner to match up.

 

[kbuser92]

I think I see what you're talking about. I would start at each end of the tank about 2 1/2" down and slope them down to that 8" or so to clear your bulk heads. That would look neat.

 

[clancaster23]

it would look neat but that's not what I was talking about. I was talking about sloping the top edge of the front glass so the water falls in quietly.

 

[kbuser92]

Oh, I see. Yeah, I suppose you could, but I don't know that it would be efficient. Maybe somebody who's tried that can attest.

 

[emmett0122]

d2mini runs coast to coast overflow https://www.livingreefs.com/threads/d2minis-epic-fantabulous-new-reef-build.38569/page-14

 

[d2mini]

Yup, and I LOVE IT!!!
It's toothless, it spans the ENTIRE 7' width of the tank (not sure why the OP mentions "ends") and it skims the surface of the water like a MOFO! :thumbsup:

 

[emmett0122]

my next tank will have a coast to coast over flow

 

[clancaster23]

What I meant by ends was putting pieces of glass on the ends of the overflow pieces and not having it touch the sides of the tank. i don't want that, just a front and a bottom from end to end. Basically what d2minis looks like but mine will be deeper due to the location of the holes in the tank. Anyone know how thick I need to have the glass?

 

[kbuser92]

1/4". But you could use a plexiglass, too, and it would probably be cheaper. Our glass is like $7/sqft and I can't imagine plexiglass being much more than $2-3.

 

[d2mini]

Mine also has a piece of black acrylic covering the front piece of glass.