Acrylic versus Glass external Calfo box

[rayk]

Okay, this is going to seem a bit crazy, but stay with me.   So the design is a 125 or 180 gallon tank with no overflows.  The plan is to use a coast-to-coast overflow box.  However, I don't really want the box taking up 4 inches of tank space to fit the downturn elbows for a BeanAnimal style siphon.  The thought is run 1 peice of glass slanted along the back wall of the tank, and have 3 or 4 holes in the back which flow into an external overflow box, where the standpipes will be. 

I have two ideas, and any others are welcome:

1.  Acrylic - I would make an acrylic box, probably 3 feet wide by 5 inches deep by 5 inches wide.  I would make holes in this box that match up with the 3 or 4 holes in the backwall of the aquarium and run a bulkhead through both holes.   

2.  Glass - I would in this case make the same size box as above, except would only need the bottom, back and sides, as the 'front' of this box would also be the 'back' of the aquarium. 

I'm really leaning toward acrylic, because I can test the waterproofness of my box before ever attaching it.  I've never worked with acrylic, but my main problem may be lack of tools.  Checking the needed 80 tooth sawblade is $50+.  Need to borrow my uncle's router and haven't even check the bit needed for that yet.  Looks won't matter, but straight cuts for the sides will.  from what I'm reading, everything else will overhang and be routed. 

   The only benefit to the glass is that I'm already getting some glass cut for the coast-to-coast overflow, and I'll be buying silcone, etc. 

BTW, the tank will be in the wall, so the plumbing in the back has all the room it needs.  It is also in the basement on a concrete floor.

[cyberwollf]

You really need to come check out my tank. I did this literally a week ago ( check the extreme tank makover thread). I chose black smoked 1/4 glass. It was $60 precut ( probably a little more for a 6' 125 vs my 4' 75). I chose glass for the sturdyness of silicone bond, but more importaintly the easy of cleaning compared to acrylic. I can take my same razor scraper to the calfo where as you'd have to use special acrylic stuff with the other option

[rayk]

Thanks for the offer, may have to do that.  35 & Smithville is my old stomping grounds, family business used to be right there on Linden for years, but its now a Mexican grocery store. 

I will be doing glass for inside the tank, either two peices in a very small box like 1" deep, or one peice at an angle. 

From what I can tell from your pictures, it looks like you've gone with the 'regular' method like BeanAnimal.   I am going to actually make a box on the outside of the tank to hold the actual overflow water and to give me more room for elbows/standpipes.   Do you have such an external box? 

Hrm, I wonder how much cleaning this outside box will require.  It will be just a tad farther from the lights, but still get plenty of it. 

- Rayk

[ghurlag]

If you are going to attempt bonding the overflow box to the tank, you'll want to use glass since silicone doesn't bond with acrylic at all.  Given the importance of a good seal with this, you'll want to do everything you can to put the odds in your favor.  My concern would be the weight of the glass and water on the back of the tank pulling the silicone away.  I think you'd need to rig up some sort of bracing on the back.  You should really consider what Wes has done with his 75g.  It DOES take a little space, but not much in comparison some of the other overflow designs.

[cyberwollf]

I don't know that I have seen the external coast to coast, link?  How does the water get out of the tank into the external box?

[cyberwollf]

Ohhh I just googled it... I would HAVE to go with glass external due to the MUST watertight seal over time. Internal should just depend on your cleaning prefernce. My box sticks out only 3 inchs and is 5.5 deep. Doesn't take up much room at all.

The external is a very cool idea I didn't know about, but I'd have to say I'd still go with the internal myslef (I don't think I trust anything I make to be 100% waterproof overtime, as the external box failure would suck) but maybe you have better/more trusted glasswork skills

[reefman]

Sounds lik a nice idea!

[rayk]

I had a link at work for the glasswork, I'll post it tomorrow. 

Just one bit of info, if I did go with acrylic, it would not be bonded to the back of the tank.  It would be a full box, with 4 sides and a bottom, watertight all on its own.  The side toward the tank would have 3 holes in it, just like the back of the tank, and a bulkhead would connect them (i.e one side of the bulkhead would be inside the aquarium and the nut would be inside my acrylic box. 

The main reason I'm thinking about this is that a) I have the space behind the wall and b) BeanAnimal has made comments that his next one will be external to save.

Thanks to all for comments, I wish I could CAD it up or something to explain better.
- Rayk

[rayk]

Oh, I did find the link again:

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t358/selbold/Aquarium%20Build/Plumbing/Overflow/Overflow-11.jpg

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t358/selbold/Aquarium%20Build/Plumbing/Overflow/Overflow-16.jpg

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t358/selbold/Aquarium%20Build/Plumbing/Overflow/Overflow-17.jpg

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t358/selbold/Aquarium%20Build/Plumbing/Overflow/Overflow-1.jpg

[rayk]

These pictures show the general idea.  I would not have a 'slit' out the back of my aquarium like these pics though.  I would have the coast-to-coast, tank-wide peice of glass as the overflow and then 3 or 4 1" or 1 1/2" holes into the external box.

- Ray

[HUNGER]

thats a slick setup

[reefman]

Nic pictures!

[rayk]

Okay, my thought pattern is still leaning toward acrylic here.  I figure I can build the acrylic box cheap and if it leaks, go with plan 2 and use glass. 

However, my plan to connect the acrylic box to the back of the tank is through 3 bulkheads.  So, the bulkheads will have water on both sides of them.  If I use 2 gaskets, this shouldn't be a problem, right?  Anybody have water on both sides of a bulkhead?  All my bulkheads have water on one side and a pipe coming out the other side, but the nut side is never in water. 

BTW, the 180 is sitting in the garage ready to go.  Talked the wife in to it because it was 'on sale'. 

- Rayk

[Rayman]

woohoo 180 gal of fun , i would think it would work fine but never tried it myself, i am sure someone here has. 

[rayk]

Its been a while.  Vacations, injuries, work distractions, but finally the glass is in for at least the external overflow box and the coast-to-coast.


This is the bottom, two sides and the back.  The 3 sides closest will be attached to the back of the 180.


Another angle.


And another.


And from the back side.  Notice the Coast-to-coast glass in the corner there.  Hopefully that fits. 

Now to just figure out the eurobracing, so the plastic bracing at the top of this thing doesn't interfere.

- rayk

[HUNGER]

cool

[lazylivin]

Looks good Rayk