29g overflow suggestions/guidance?

[76hudson]

Hi folks,

I'm putting together a 29g reef with a 20 long sump. If you were me, where would you put the overflow? Corner? Middle back? Tough with a small tank. Drill the bottom and put up a wall or drill the top with a box?

Looking for opinions. Frankly, I can't decide which way to go. I'm a decent diy'er and no problem throwing drill bits at things.

Thanks in advance,
Greg <-- rookie

 

[JohnK]

Personal preference, any of the above will work.

I'd probably lean toward a corner or end overflow since the tank is only 12" wide.

 

[STiTCH87]

Figured i'd come to your thread and give you an official welcome to BRS!!! :w

A 29g is roughly 30 1/4 x 12 1/2 x 18 3/4 (I had a 29g as my last tank)
If I were you, I would put the overflow on the back wall on either the far left or far right side.
I believe most DIY kits ask or an inch or two space between the box and edge of the tank. You'd have to look into that.
I went with a glass-holes kit. Easy to drill the tank, easy to install. No leaks.
Hated the overflow at first, ran way less flow than what it was rated for (running ~300-350 and plan to go to 200gph) and it's much quieter now and I love it.
I'm personally not a fan of middle overflows for various reasons I could get into later if need be.

If you drill the bottom, a corner would work nicely.

+1 to what John said about a corner or end due to such a small width.



Since you said "if you were me" i'm gonna say this:
700gph glass-holes kit installed on far left or right back wall.
1-1/2" spa flex pvc to 20g sump with 3 baffles after the skimmer, a return section, then a refugium fed by a T line on the return like I have.
A Sicce Sunchra 1.0 or 1.5 return pump (251-357gph respectively)
A oversized ball valve on the two lines T'ed from the return.
An oversized check valve to disable water from entering the sump from the display/return line during power outtage.
3/4 return kit back into the tank installed on back side wall opposite end from the overflow.

That's just me though and as mentioned, there are many many ways, none specifically the right or wrong way (well, there ARE wrong ways...)
But it's also really just preference.

I have no experience with overflows where the hole is in the bottom of the tank so I can't help you out there.

Regardless your decision, I wish you the best of luck, and happy reefing Greg! :encouragement:

 

[JohnK]

I agree with everything except the check valve

 

[STiTCH87]

Yes I understand some are for and against the check valve. So because of this, I will also suggest an alternative to the check valve. You can drill one or two holes at the base of your returns LocLine to break siphon in the event of a power outtage. The thing with this, is that if a siphon does indeed form, the water level has to drop and enter the sump continuously until the water level reaches the holes in the return LocLine.

There are various methods to combat this, and IMO they all work and are just a matter of preference plus I'm personally not very familiar with the methods, so I just took the easy way out. lmao.

In fact, I had no clue what I was doing with it and Greg at Underwater world suggested it. I did oversize it though.

 

[Steviereefs]

All great points but I must say I have a eshopps 800 overflow on my 29 in the center and I'm outstandingly happy in comparison to my diy overflow. The quality is superior, the design allows you to shut off your return pump and restart it without loosing the siphon. The only way you could loose a siphon is if the power was out for days or longer and the water evaporated out of the overflow to a certain point. I'm telling you it's awesome, easy to use, clean looking, and you can get a good size return pump and increase your tanks turn over rate.