# Overflow Box Placement 40g/50g breeder tank



## Octavian (Sep 30, 2009)

Just wondering where people like to place their overflow boxes?


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## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

long side or short side (peninsula type arrangement)?


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## Octavian (Sep 30, 2009)

Long side.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Depends on what areas are your main viewing areas


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## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

If on the longside, without knowing what my rock placement will look like, I'll go center by default.


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## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

Chris S said:


> Depends on what areas are your main viewing areas


+1, I think it all depends on where in the room you are putting the tank and where you are going to be viewing the tank from.


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## ///PY_M3 (Dec 15, 2010)

I'm debating if I should move my overflow to the short side since my tank is in the corner and plumb my sump in my closet. Return pump is kinda loud.


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## Octavian (Sep 30, 2009)

Chris S said:


> Depends on what areas are your main viewing areas


It will be in the basement against the wall with three viewable areas. The long side is the main viewable area. A 35-40g sump will be underneath in a diy stand. Thinking of adding a HOT refugium on one of the short sides that will be somewhat less viewable of the two short sides.


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## Naoko (Jan 22, 2011)

Hi,
The criteria as to where to place your overflow box should be based more on efficiency rather than aesthetics. You want fast removal of surfactants, if they build up in the tank you will end up with more than an overflow box that is not aesthetically pleasing  

Place your overflow on the opposite end of the sump return(s). I would put the overflow on the end that is less viewable, and a return on the other end – back corner, this will give you better end-to-end flow in the tank. The return water from the sump will have time to mix with the tank water before going back into the overflow; as opposed to putting your sump return next to the overflow where it has little time to mix with the tank water, thus reducing efficiency- removing a greater percentage of dirty water and replacing with a higher percentage of clean (skimmed) water. Then place any powerheads or closed loop returns accordingly.

You can put you refugium in the sump. 

Is your tank drilled for an overflow or is this a HOB overflow? A HOB overflow has a greater liability for a flood, just something to think about before you get the tank filled with water 

I did not vote, but either left or right side, depending on the side that is less viewable.

HTH


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## Octavian (Sep 30, 2009)

Naoko said:


> Is your tank drilled for an overflow or is this a HOB overflow?


The tank will be drilled.



Naoko said:


> You can put you refugium in the sump.


The sump already has refugium. My 29g tank also has a refugium that I made from a Lee's specimen container which holds a rock crab that I found back in November 2009. So I was thinking of replacing the Lee's specimen container and adding a HOT refugium on the right side when I do the tank upgrade. I included a picture that gives a top view of what i'm planning. Just not sure where to put the overflow box yet - either Option A or option B.


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## shiver905 (Nov 2, 2010)

I strongly recomend an uncentered overflow,

Naturres 3:1 rule,

If its in the middle its just to semetrical.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

A factor that often gets overlooked is what effect the overflow has on flow within the tank, assuming it's not An external overflow. 

Naomi, I'd beg to differ that the main criterion be functionality - I think it should be aesthetic first, then making it functional with the design you want.

For my tank, I chose a long corner overflow. I didn't want a center overflow because I didn't want an overflow box smack center in the tank as in my opinion it's intrusive and ugly. Also, the way I wanted the plumb the drain it was important to have it travel straight down into the sump. Hence for me a corner overflow was chosen. Also, I had the corner of the overflow put on an angle so that the current in the tank wouldn't create a dead spot in a right angle corner with the overflow. Also, I wasn't going with a canopy so I didn't want plumbing coming up from one side and dropping into the other, so my return comes up from inside the overflow and over the overflow teeth into the tank in almost the center of the back of the tank.

My powerheads then create a very effective gyre flow that combined with the appropriately sized overflow (to surface area of your tank that needs to be skimmed) result in a cleanly skimmed surface - functional, but better yet looks great.

I'd take a few design considerations into play like what kind of rock work you'll have, what the most common viewing angle will be, flow patterns and potential dead spots that might get created as well as system design like where your drains need to come down and where your returns have to come up.


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