yalls opions on overflows.....

[D.J.]

aight here we go.......gone be upgrading but not a big upgrade....only gona go to a 90g.....

but i dont know what i want for overflow......figured id see if yall can make up my mind for me!!! lol


gona order a 90g RR with starfire front glass.....but dont know what i should go with for overflows......

in the corner like normal? across the back along the top??? or an island???

im not to keen on the across the back thou.....

i kinda like the idea of the island if i ever move the tank out into the open....

just wondering what yall would go with if it was you......

[OLDETOWNENORTHPETS]

Oceanic RR Starfire megaflow included. Sold a few so any questons let me know.

[firsthesitation]

From my experience I'd prefer a corner overflow from the 70/30 split. My 75 is a 70/30 and I have a hard time doing some of the rock structures I'd like and such, plus on the 30 side there is a dead spot since there is no return there.

[hansmatt]

Sweet DJ! Starfire is supposed to be great, but I've not seen them in person. I like the 90g size, not too big, but still can be a great reef size. I can't comment on the overflow location, though my gut says to use corners, easier to hide water returns etc. Happy day for you!
oh, I wouldn't get an island overflow for this size tank, unless you are doing a 4 sided peninsula...plus I think that would be a custom build.
MH

[OneDummHikk]

This is a club area and my apologies in advance for intruding. But, I would try to get some idea of how you are going to aquascape the tank and let that help decide where to get the overflow put. My 90 has a corner overflow and I hate it being there. My 120 has an end overflow (Its a peninsula tank) and it works perfect for the aquascaping I want in it (a peninsula into the tank).

The advantage of the full length overflow box is increased surface skimming ability of the overflow box. The box itself doesn't have to go from bottom to top, it can simply go across the tank. Then, you can decide whether to have the corner or center overflow box through the bottom of the tank and simply let the coast-to-coast sit on top of the overflow box.

HTH and good luck with the tank.

[hansmatt]

No worries on the club posting...the more the merrier! (ok, I'm not the OP, but club member)
I don't know if the end overflow is an option for this tank...DJ? The long overflow would certainly be nice, but maybe not necessary in a tank this size...if bigger it would be worth it. I too have a peninsula tank, but my 90g has a HOB lifereef overflow on that end. Works fine, but would certainly prefer external-on tank. Most of the coast to coast overflows are custom and have the external overflow boxes (or at least the one's I've seen)

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

This is a club area and my apologies in advance for intruding. But, I would try to get some idea of how you are going to aquascape the tank and let that help decide where to get the overflow put. My 90 has a corner overflow and I hate it being there. My 120 has an end overflow (Its a peninsula tank) and it works perfect for the aquascaping I want in it (a peninsula into the tank).

The advantage of the full length overflow box is increased surface skimming ability of the overflow box. The box itself doesn't have to go from bottom to top, it can simply go across the tank. Then, you can decide whether to have the corner or center overflow box through the bottom of the tank and simply let the coast-to-coast sit on top of the overflow box.

HTH and good luck with the tank.

[D.J.]

when i place the order the tank will be made to what i want.....i seen a side by side comparison of regular glass and starfire and the starfire is by far a better look.....


on the overflow....i had thought about an end flow on the tank but then i would be limited to the tank being against a wall as a "divider" so i trashed that one....tank just no big enuff for that....

i kinda like the island style and would let me do more with the tank as far as placing and viewing but then again where im at it wouldnt be very useful since i dont have the room to put it in the open...

the more i think about it im starting to lean more towards a corner overflow...but i dont think i want to do the 70/30...i kinda like the curved overflow look better.....and it doesnt bulge out into the tank like a 70/30....

its not gona be till jan when i actually place the order for the tank so i know i got some time to research some overflows before i dedicate to one...

yeah i like the 90g size....its gona carry the same foot print as my 75g just taller...and that was a plus for sure.......but i really wanted to place an order for a 280g but not gona happen here........guess thatll have to wait till i buy a place so i can reinforce the floors big time!!! LOL.....

[OneDummHikk]

If you are ordering it, ask what it would cost to have the overflow box be in the corner but have a coast-to-coast (even if along the short side) and compare. The more linear length to the overflow box, the more surface skimming you get off the water. That is one of the issues I have with my 90 is the overflow box is only 4" square and to get the surface water into the overflow box, it requires a lot more flow than what I wanted in the sump of that tank.

Unless I run into a scenario that changes my mind, I prefer the corner overflows to the centers simply because you can see in the overflow box to clean, find jumpers/strays and keep an eye on what is going on inside the overflow box. With a center overflow box, you lose that ability but you don't see the overflow box when its in the center. The exception to the corner overflow would be if the tank sat in a corner.

Where and how you do the overflow box depends a lot on the potential aquascaping and maintenance of the tank itself. Also how many holes are going to be drilled in the tank. With a custom tank, I would do two drains, one return and one more hole to run the electrical up through instead of over the back (that idea isn't originally mine, its the way my 120 was done and I like the idea). With that many holes, it is almost impossible to use a corner overflow box and be able to get them all in there. The box in my 120 has 3 holes in it and its almost 8" wide.

[Jrmass]

I personally like the idea of the back full length overflow box (this is something that I really wish that my 125 had as you would never see it anyhow) and the nice thing about them is like what had already been said it's a LOT better for surface skimming w/out needing as many powerheads to accomplish the task.
*not to mention that it keeps everything OUT of the tank that doesn't need to be in there. Thus more room in the tank itself*
Just my personal opinion.

If you want to know someone that already has one of these Mary *president of TCMAS* and her husband Dustin have this on their 280 gallon (I believe that's the size) display tank.

Jason

[Loverotties]

I like the corners.

[condiman]

Originally Posted by Jrmass

I personally like the idea of the back full length overflow box (this is something that I really wish that my 125 had as you would never see it anyhow) and the nice thing about them is like what had already been said it's a LOT better for surface skimming w/out needing as many powerheads to accomplish the task.
*not to mention that it keeps everything OUT of the tank that doesn't need to be in there. Thus more room in the tank itself*
Just my personal opinion.

If you want to know someone that already has one of these Mary *president of TCMAS* and her husband Dustin have this on their 280 gallon (I believe that's the size) display tank.

Jason

Honestly Im with you on this one. I hate aquascaping aquariums where I have to try to hide the boxes.

[D.J.]

im not worried about hiding one.....ill just "black" the back out anyways.....

but i thnk im gona go with dual curved overflows.....so i guess i gota order a mag 9.5 now!!! lol

unless someone has a good used one or something that is equal in size to it.....

[firsthesitation]

I know it sounds like a lot but maybe look into the Mag 12's. I'm assuming with your stand you'll be right around 4 feet of head, the mag 9.5 only has 800gph, where the 12 would be 1100. I dono what kinda corals you're gonna keep or if you want to supplement power heads or not but I know for my 75 I have a pretty mixed reef and I wish I had a 12 instead of my 9.5. You can always add a ball valve in the plumbing too to tune it in a little better. Plus I think with dual overflows on the 90 wont that take like 1000gph on the drain side?

[hansmatt]

way too much for me...I like the 4-600gph range in my 90g (for the external overflow). Quieter, and probably more efficient skimming, as there is not as quick of a pass though the sump. I prefer my circulation to be from powerheads.

[D.J.]

the dual overflows isnt set in stone as of yet......im still trying to decide on that.......

i know duals would be ALOT of flow.......but i dont want to be underrated.....ive seen a few 75g with dual OF's i takes up some room but not that much......and the tank had great flow and was only running 1 koraila 3 in the tank.....and everything seemed to have nice flow.....


the other issue i have with too much flow is i have sugar sand.....im not running that "rubble" sand/gravel/crushed coral stuff like most everyone else....i dont like the look of that...i tried it and didnt care for it....i grew up on the gulf coast and going out to the barrier islands and seeing the same reefs and the fish and sand thats what i wanted to have.....i mean when ya go to a beach ya dont walk on rocky sand its nice fine sand....

but thats just me......so i have to watch how much flow i have in the tank....i get sand build up in the back of tank and around rocks and too me it just looks more "NATURAL" and isnt that wat we are trying to create for our fish???