Luciën
Member
Ooh if I had to buy one again I probably go for something like MODULAR MARINE 3000 gph LOW PROFILE Overflow Box with REMOVABLE WEIR | eBay this.
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building a 1200L nature aquarium with Wild Discus & jungle-nature feel
- Thread starter aeneas
- Start date
Mr.Shenanagins
Member
Inside diameter is 19mm and outside is 31.75mm
Mr.Shenanagins
Member
I agree that’s a fine work of art. But I cannot justify that price that’s so unbelievably marked up it’s criminal.
not called Bob
Member
There's tank builders that build something like that into the glass build, no idea what it does to the costs, think the owner of dd had something like that on his reef.
Luciën
Member
True that was my thought also when I chose the eshopss, but the truth is that is would be a lot more hassle free to quiet it down..
Mr.Shenanagins
Member
Do you have the large/bean animal like I do?
That's a good point regarding the size... I read your thread of the main display tank - love the setup; my wife commented she really likes the above-water plants as well. What is the temperature of the water you keep? I may have missed that while reading through it...
Regarding overflow options indeed I might be either needing to do a custom-build or getting one of these black options. Maybe black is not so bad at the end - prevents algae to grow in there and I could hide it with the scape / wood and plants...
Eshopss would probably be too small for a 1100L / 290 gal tank. Possibly the Ghost 20" overflow... ?
I do like the design of this Modular Marine one and it seems appropriate size/flow. @DeepMetropolis I wonder why would you consider more hassle free to quiet it down? Please do explain.
...What I saw Ghost makers say is that they are "all black" due to blocking light and preventing algal growth... makes sense. Modular Marine seems to have a transparent top?
Anyway, please do share your thoughts around this. +/- 100 or 200 dollars doesn't matter to me if I am making something that should last for 10+ years so I am willing to pay the "premium" if this is the best I can get.
Luciën
Member
It's around 24/25c, In the summer it can get hotter sometime 27/28c.
What the problem is is that the outer part sits lower then the innerpart.. So the weir matches that if you want a higher water level you heve to change that and if you do it like me an just higher the weir the water falls like 2cm down making a trickling sound it's not that bad but you hear it. As far as I can tell the ghost and the eshopps both have this.. The modular marine does have the outer and inner box on the same level. As far as the algae goes I do not have a problem just clean it out once in a while..
Just further thoughts around the overflow boxes:
Any thoughts on one vs the other?
- Exotic Marine Systems: has horizontal instead of vertical slots in the inner box: good or bad? Looks the only system that does horizontal...
- Eshopss Eclipse L: probably too small for 290gal tank?
- Synergy Reef Ghost 20": some review say poor / cheap quality?
- Modular Marine 3000gph: seems interesting, but it looks like not available at the moment...?
- Fiji Cube 2400gph: also looks very sleek...
Any thoughts on one vs the other?
Sorry guys to keep going at this - but after lots more reading (and confusion) I am down to:
(a) Modular Marine: really nice design, internal and external overflow boxes at equal levels, seems to have good review (except for a few individual cases); has vertical slits i the weir - good or bad?
(b) Exotic Marine System: very very similar to Modular Marine, also internal and external units at equal levels, but has horizontal slits in the weir... they claim that this gives them much more surface area to skim and much less trickling water noise that one gets with vertical slits. They also say less impact for algae growth in the slits, reducing the flow further. I worry that these may be dangerous for some fish being sucked in, although other than cardinal tetras I have no other small fish in the tank and I have never seen those swim so close to the surface.
Any thoughts on the vertical vs horizontal slits?
(a) Modular Marine: really nice design, internal and external overflow boxes at equal levels, seems to have good review (except for a few individual cases); has vertical slits i the weir - good or bad?
(b) Exotic Marine System: very very similar to Modular Marine, also internal and external units at equal levels, but has horizontal slits in the weir... they claim that this gives them much more surface area to skim and much less trickling water noise that one gets with vertical slits. They also say less impact for algae growth in the slits, reducing the flow further. I worry that these may be dangerous for some fish being sucked in, although other than cardinal tetras I have no other small fish in the tank and I have never seen those swim so close to the surface.
Any thoughts on the vertical vs horizontal slits?
Definite +1 to this, don't apologise at all @aeneas threads like this are useful for all of us considering sump based systems.
To answer your query, I would personally want vertical slots, they'll be easier to prevent shrimp and fish going over the weir, and probably easier to modify for water level adjustment as @DeepMetropolis did with his here:
Luciën
Member
Yes I have the occasional ottocinclus in the sump even with vertical slots.. If you are experiencing algea build up there must be something wrong with your maintenance. The most troubling is leaf litter clogging up your weir but it's easely removed by hand..
And no overflow needs extra surface skimming imo.
not called Bob
Member
Only ever seen vertical slots, to me makes sense as each one is open and so never going to have an air suck noise. The noise is all at the bottom of the standpipe when it's not balanced, but with the doors shut it's no more sound than a spray bar on the surface.
Not open top would be the most silent option, but they are not in fashion at the moment
Not open top would be the most silent option, but they are not in fashion at the moment
Guys, next "challenge" in consideration of the set-up: assuming this will be an EMS or MM style 30-32" overflow box with a sump system in the cabinet below and a quiet return pipe, such as Red Dragon 3 mini... for a 96" long aquarium - how should I handle the return pipes? I was always hoping for the beautiful ADA glass lily pipes. But I wonder if this is possible in such setup. What would you recommend to make the water flow well throughout the entire length?
The glass lily pipes look very nice when they’re nice and clean, but they are honestly a pain in the ass to live with in terms of both function and maintenance.
That said, if you are dead set on them, I’m sure you could terminate your return pipe with some 16/22 tubing to allow connection onto the glassware.
Next phase of planning: I have done much reading now regarding sump setups... Please help with some of the dilemmas below. Main aim: good performance and as silent as possible operation.
I am currently thinking of three possible designs - see the images below; one has 3 major chambers, one has 5 and one has 4 chambers with K1 media included. I also have no idea how to calculate the appropriate height of the baffles separating each chamber. Is there some recommended calculation?
Option 1:
Option 2:
Option 3:
Any other recommendations highly appreciated!
I hope you will find the sketches useful and thank you for any inputs on this... 🙂
I am currently thinking of three possible designs - see the images below; one has 3 major chambers, one has 5 and one has 4 chambers with K1 media included. I also have no idea how to calculate the appropriate height of the baffles separating each chamber. Is there some recommended calculation?
Option 1:
- does the layout make sense?
- Any suggestion regarding the mechanical filtration in the 1st chamber?
- I noticed some people add glass strips on top of the baffle at an angle (see the small red coloured line on top of the baffle) which might make the water flow nicer and make less trickling sound. Does this make sense or is it unnecessary?
- how should I calculate the necessary height of the baffles?
- in 3rd chamber, are there any ideas of some additional coarse material I should use there - especially to prevent water trickling from the top of the baffle?
Option 2:
- this one has maybe even more "organized" flow... does it make sense? I think I like it even more than the 1st option
- any suggestion on the mechanical filtration in 1st chamber?
- chamber no. 2: should I continue with some more mechanical or should I add bio?
- same as Option 1: do these angularly placed glass strips (between chambers 2 and 3) make any sense in terms of quieting the trickling of the water flow?
Option 3:
- maybe best option??
- lots of people praise K1 media... I just do not want to add aeration pumps... this would make more noise and also lead to more loss of CO2. I could replace this with a couple of wavemakers instead? If yes, does this chamber make sense? What should be the height of the baffles? How should I calculate this so that I get correct flows?
- should I add some coarse filter to the chamber 4 before the pump, just to additionally protect the inflow there?
Any other recommendations highly appreciated!
I hope you will find the sketches useful and thank you for any inputs on this... 🙂
Lots of ways to skin this particular cat @aeneas - my personal recommendation would be to use a wet/dry trickle filter for the biological section. This by all accounts gives you a decent and continuous increase in dissolved oxygen which is a significant benefit in an aquarium for a number of reasons.
Also plan your sump to make maintenance as easy as possible - particularly the pre-filter section - you’ll thank yourself in a years time.
For the actual prefilter, you could look to use standard filter socks, or create a first stage section with removable fine filter foam. If you really want to go all out for a low maintenance option, take a look at the Clarisea Filter Rollers for your prefilter.
Also plan your sump to make maintenance as easy as possible - particularly the pre-filter section - you’ll thank yourself in a years time.
For the actual prefilter, you could look to use standard filter socks, or create a first stage section with removable fine filter foam. If you really want to go all out for a low maintenance option, take a look at the Clarisea Filter Rollers for your prefilter.
On the ease of maintenance, there is another suggestion... to ditch the baffles altogether and just do a horizontal flow with lots of sponges... Could this also be the quietest option?
