Overflow failure!

[Anonymous]

Check out my latest post to my reef blog to see how I spent my time this evening....

Http://www.knowltonsreef.com

I'm exausted. Sleeping now.... 8O

 

[dubbin1]

The new overflow looks so much better then the getto drywall mud box that you had in there. I would have bought a real overflow before I put that ugly pink/red box in my tank. I guess you now know why you should not use silicon on plastic (it will not hold). The new box will eventually fail in time when the silcon lets go again but it does look good.

 

[Anonymous]

Just like to comment that

H-E double hockeysticks in a heartbeat

is something I have never heard before and I thought it was funny as well, hell

hahah

dang, I am going back downstairs

 

[polcat]

Yep, agree with dubbin1 the new box is destined to fail as well. Silicone won't hold. Maybe you could just make a complete 5 sided box with a hooked edge to hang over the tank rim? Then you could sleep at night

 

[Anonymous]

Buy the best, cry once!

~wings~

 

[jcurry@wesketch]

Why didn't you just use glass instead of acrylic? Plate glass is cheaper and the silicone will hold it in place forever. The silicone will not hold the acylic.

 

[ChrisRD]

The silicone will not hold the acylic.

I see this statement on occasion, but personally that has not been my experience. I've never had a problem with silicone holding non-structural acrylic stuff to glass tanks (ie. internal overflow boxes, sump baffles, etc.). In fact, last time I tried to get some acrylic baffles out of an old glass sump (siliconed) I had a hell of a time! Of course, I agree, it does bond much better to glass. In this case, however, it sounds like the box was neither acrylic, nor glass...

 

[Anonymous]

This is lore based on a lot of peoples experiences trying to build structural elements using acrylic and silicone.

For that purpose, I agree with them. Silicone will not bond loadbearing acrylic, but like you I have had it last a hell of a long time in non-loadbearing applications like this one. I am expecting to never replace this overflow. And I am going to do the other one the same way.

We'll see what happens...

 

[polcat]

Sure I've had non pressure applications of acryilic to glass with silicone. Might last a week or a century. But when you are in there sometime cleaning algae or trapped snails and the whole thing peels off you'll remember this thread.

I wish you the best, remember you are working on a part of your system that can cause a flood. I personaly would not cut corners, never say never.

 

[Anonymous]

On my 110 the acrylic overflow pulled out of the silicone that held it to the side of the glass tank. I'm really glad I had a standpipe.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting design on the new one. I particularly like the egg crate for the teeth. And using the tank back and corner for skimmer box sides was a smart idea also. As long as they stay close to the tank walls to prevent snails and fish entering it should be effective.

I hope the air tap will not only prevent air build up but also prime the u tube. My commercial HOB overflow uses clear plastic and I see bubbles accumulating at the top of the tube all the time.

Hopefully this design will work just fine.

 

[Ben1]

My commercial HOB overflow uses clear plastic and I see bubbles accumulating at the top of the tube all the time.

If it is a standard u-tube design then the bubbles are building up becuase your return is to small.

 

[dubbin1]

My commercial HOB overflow uses clear plastic and I see bubbles accumulating at the top of the tube all the time.

If it is a standard u-tube design then the bubbles are building up becuase your return is to small.

Its not that the return pipe its self is too small its that return pump is not big enough.

 

[Ben1]

Yep that was my intention.