[Centromochlus]

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/for/1485344145.html

I really want that tank, but it has an overflow and i've heard that pressurized co2 and overflows don't mix.

Can some explain to me what an overflow exactly is, and if there's a way to "remove" or "not use" it?

Thanks.

 

[eyebeatbadgers]

1,300 posts and you haven't seen overflows?

I wouldn't buy the tank anyway, he can't spell "craziness".

 

[Centromochlus]

1,300 posts and you haven't seen overflows?

I wouldn't buy the tank anyway, he can't spell "craziness".

Yes i know, it's a really noobish question, but i've never fully understood the purpose of them.

All i know is that they prevent the tank from overflowing in the event of a power outage. Is that the only thing it does? :icon_conf

 

[eyebeatbadgers]

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/sumpoflowsetup/Sump_Overflow_Box_Setups.htm

The tank you're looking at is drilled in the back glass, so you've got holes to deal with. Seems a little steep in price to me anyway since you aren't looking for the overflows.

 

[Centromochlus]

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/for/1484497727.html

Hmm... good size and good price.
Really ugly stand, but i could always refinish that haha.

 

[eyebeatbadgers]

much better deal.

 

[davefan13]

If you still don't understand what an overflow is, I'll try to explain.

Basically they are boxes in the back of the tank, that are slightly shorter than the top of the tank. So if you fill up the tank to the top of the overflows, nothing happens, but if you fill it up more, the water flows over the top of the boxes, and to the bottom of the overflow. At the bottom of the overflow there are usually holes, which carry water out of the tank and into a sump system. This would be a very easy problem to fix - just put pvc caps on top of the holes in the bottom of the overflow.

The reason that CO2 and overflows don't mix is because, essentially, water will splash down from the top of tank to the bottom of the overflow, causing lots of disruption in the water. When this happens, CO2 can escape, which is something you don't want to happen in a planted tank. However, if you just put a cap over the hole at the bottom of the overflow, you can easily fill up the tank, as well as the overflows, so that no water will be leaving the tank, and there will be little to no surface disruption.

Hope this helps.

 

[mszabo]

Alternately I suppose you could hook your canister filter intake outlet into the overflow holes directly. However one of the main benefits of having the open air sump tank attached to the overflow is it always keeps the tank looking full. Since the water in the main tank is always at the overflow line, any extra water is in the filter, As water evaporates in the main tank more water in the filter goes back up to the main tank.

This of course wouldn't work with a canister filter as it is a sealed system. I wouldn't run a large SW or low-tech tank without one as it is just too convenient having a tank that always looks full.

 

[Centromochlus]

If you still don't understand what an overflow is, I'll try to explain.

Basically they are boxes in the back of the tank, that are slightly shorter than the top of the tank. So if you fill up the tank to the top of the overflows, nothing happens, but if you fill it up more, the water flows over the top of the boxes, and to the bottom of the overflow. At the bottom of the overflow there are usually holes, which carry water out of the tank and into a sump system. This would be a very easy problem to fix - just put pvc caps on top of the holes in the bottom of the overflow.

The reason that CO2 and overflows don't mix is because, essentially, water will splash down from the top of tank to the bottom of the overflow, causing lots of disruption in the water. When this happens, CO2 can escape, which is something you don't want to happen in a planted tank. However, if you just put a cap over the hole at the bottom of the overflow, you can easily fill up the tank, as well as the overflows, so that no water will be leaving the tank, and there will be little to no surface disruption.

Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot for the explanation - that makes so much more sense now.

Seems like it would be easy enough to plug it up.

 

[davefan13]

Yep, no big deal to fix

 

[timwag2001]

I wouldn't buy the tank anyway, he can't spell "craziness".

lmao rofl sbtmnait (spit beer through my nose and its tingling)