Calfo Overflows? Good bad and the ugly..

[deadhermitwalkin]

Don't know much about them... Any thoughts?

How would you config on a 180, and would you?


Tanks!

 

[Greg Hiller]

Never heard of them. Can you explain what they are?

 

[JohnK]

Just an overflow with a very long surface area - usually across the whole back of the tank. The benifit being that you get a very thin surface skim which is supposed to be ideal for feeding skimmers. Calfo explains in his propogation bood.

The tanks at AG are set up this way.

Never used this set up so I can't comment, but it seems like a good idea.

 

[wrassefan]

I think Liam was running this style of overflow...Ray(Everythingreef) and Scott(Reefdom) also

 

[smcnally]

Chris "TOOMANYFISH" was running one and I think he liked it.

 

[JayM]

I think Liam was running this style of overflow...Ray(Everythingreef) and Scott(Reefdom) also

I bought Liam's 150 with that overflow, and it does do a nice job skimming the surface.

The ones on glasscages that Marc is (might be?) talking about don't have the big surface area, but they also don't take up the floor real estate in the tank.

Sorry to hijack, but I might want to add this as an option to the discussion.

The one on my (formerly Liam's) 150 is an acrylic box that is about 30 inches long and maybe 4 inches wide. It has 2 2" bulkheads drilled into it, and they are through the back glass of the tank up high.

 

[ScottM]

linear skimming is what its's all about. the longer (larger) the area the better it is. i'd stay away from adding a shelf, they cover over with coraline and block out a lot of light.

 

[JayM]

Got a pic of the do, and the don't, along with suggested hole placement?

 

[RichConley]

Theres a DIY thread about mine.

 

[rjdudek]

Calfo posted some pictures a while back on WWM. The pictures were of a very shallow overflow box. His looked like they were added after the bulkheads were placed. That way they were only about 1.5" off the back wall and went from one side to the other. I like the idea, they take up very little tank space, and pull surface water from the entire width of the tank. If built correctly they really don't block any light.

 

[deadhermitwalkin]

I heard the biggest issue is the shadow it cast....Blocks light.

 

[rjdudek]

The ones I have seen from tank builders probably would because they have to make them wide enough to let you get a bulkhead and maybe a screen in place. I made one for my brothers tank a year ago that we put in after the bulkheads were tested. It was solid black and there is no light interference we can see. Post #6 shows how I have seen tank builders set them up, we decided not to have it jutting out into the tank 4 to 6 inches. If your taking the overflows out the back of the tank, I think it is the best set up.

 

[RichConley]

Mine are probably only about and inch and a half out from the back wall, and are at an angle. (basically its one piece of glass, attached to the back at about 3" down, and about 1" from the back at the top). Great surface skimming, dont take up any space.


pictures are awful..its really tough to get a picture of because it hugs the trim so well.

http://www.bostonreefers.org/FORUMS/showthread.php?t=15898&highlight=overflow