Internal overflow leak     5/29/13
Hello aquatic experts,
I'm sure this question is answered somewhere on your site but it has defeated my attempts to find it. I have a built in overflow that has a small leak at the bottom. The leak is between the overflow and the tank so no water gets on the floor as long as the power stays on. But since the leak causes the overflow to equalize with the tank any power outage will drain the tank about 6 inches, which is more than my sump can handle.
<Have to get a larger sump (volume) and leave the water level down there...>
  I currently have the pump off, and closed the return valves so this can not happen but I would like to get my tank connected to the sump again. Is there a way I can seal this leak without draining the tank?
<A couple of standard approaches... there are epoxies... that can be applied/reapplied around joints, with or w/o another piece of acrylic (I take it as the material of construction... there are repairs for glass, PVC...). All require draining the tank... You may want to consider inserting an overflow pipe, pushed or threaded (if the bulkhead/through-put fitting on your tank is threaded)... Raising it/this to near the height/level of your overflow teeth>
Both the tank and the overflow are acrylic. The overflow is in the middle if the back wall and goes from the base of the tank up, with the holes in the bottom.
The leak is somewhere along the bottom edge where the overflow meets the base but I do not know exactly where.
<Again... likely just thicker, more viscous (less fluid, more molasses like) Weld-on is the route I'd go>
Thank you for your assistance.
Ej
<Take your time here... planning, containers, friends to help hand out the gravel and rock... can be done in a few hours time with all tools and materials on hand... Oh, and DO get the larger and/or additional sump for transit volume, test (unplug pump/s) to assure it won't overflow. Bob Fenner>

Coast to coast... Marineland system... actually DIY overflow box design  – 6/21/12 Andy, <?>                       I have read and enjoy your books. I also enjoy your contributions to the Reef Aquarium Hobby in general. However,  I'm contacting  you in the hopes of acquiring the answers to a few questions concerning the coast to coast overflow system.  After two days of combing articles and threads I can't seem to locate the answers on the web anywhere.  My questions concern this picture, they are below it. Please consider taking a few minutes to respond. [frmReadMail_Attachment.aspx?folder=Inbox&uid=89460&partid=4&filename=image003.jpg&user=crew&mapped=False] <Okay... I see the attached>  I want to do the coast to coast on a 60" Marineland 120xh.  I would like to incorporate the C2C overflow Beanimal version with either a closed loop manifold or manifold straight from the sump. <All right> I am having a hard time discerning from the picture where the return from the sump is entering this tank. ?   Is it coming through the manifold? <I'd guess the return is hidden behind the top side (proximal in the pic) faux wood aquarium frame... that it connects to the manifold (discharge) PVC tees shown on the top right of the pic (front)> Is the Bulkhead in the lower left corner feeding the manifold through the black shielded line? <It/this might be an auxiliary discharge... but could conceivably be an alternate intake as well... I would cap and abandon it likely in both cases>  Couldn't I just drill a hole at the central brace for a bulkhead and go straight into the manifold rather than coming from a far end If this were a true C2C/ wall2wall. What are the return line location possibilities? Obviously, we can't return from the sump into the overflow box. <... please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marsetupindex2.htm scroll down to "About Plumbing"... there are several possibilities to explore here, and important that you be aware of pitfalls... in plumbing location, sizing...> Also, there are 2 open Bulkheads with screen protectors under the center brace. Are these the drains for the manifold? <Likely so... as well as the turned up elbows (white PVC) for intake>  Is it possible to put the drains for the manifold inside the overflow box and not create issues with a Beanimal version of this overflow? <Mmm, yes... but better to run through the back, overflow box area, as shown in the BeanAnimal site: http://www.beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspx Appreciate any insight, Darrell in Carolina <I'd read, study a bit more... Bob Fenner>

Overflow box and return pump/Plumbing 6/19/12
Hello,
<Hi Kevin>
You guys are great.
<Thank you.>
You have helped me out a lot already as I try to plan my next tank.  I have a few questions dealing with the overflow box that I couldn't find any answers to. The tank is going to be 72x36x28 acrylic with one center trapezoid overflow box.
<Nice size tank.>
 My first question is how long should the teeth be on the overflow box?
<Are you planning on making the overflow yourself?  For what manufacturers charge to include an overflow box with returns, it's not worth the bother to DIY one.  As to the length of the teeth, that will depend on how high the top of the overflow is in relation to the top of the aquarium.  The number of teeth and the width of the teeth also factor into this.>
I plan on having a Vortech or two in the tank so I don't know if that makes a difference as far as waves or current? 
<Shouldn't be in that size tank.>
 Inside the overflow I will have two 1 1/2 inch Durso's and two 3/4 inch returns running out each side of the trapezoid below the teeth.  My second question deals with the bulkhead choice.  For the Durso's can I use a slip fitting and just stick the Durso's in without gluing so they can be removed for cleaning or should it be threaded?
<I would use the slip, should not cause any problems.>
 How about underneath the tank leading to the sump, threaded or slip? Is one way better than the other?
<I would definitely want a means to remove the drain plumbing from the tank.  You can use a slip providing you use a ball valve union which should be used regardless of whether you use slip or threaded.>
I also have the same question about the two 3/4 returns. I will be using flexible line inside the box to connect to the side wall bulkheads with locline.  My last question deals with the return pump.  Have you used or know anything about the super reef octopus water blaster return pumps?  I know you recommend Iwaki, but looking at different forums these are
supposed to be quiet and use a lot less energy but I don't know about durability etc.
<I've heard good reports on these pumps.  May want to post this question on one of the forums and get user comments.>
Thanks again.
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Kevin
Re Overflow box and return pump/Plumbing 6/19/12
James,
<Kevin>
Thanks for the response.  I am not making my own overflow but the maker (James at Envision Acrylics) asked what size I wanted the teeth to be so I wasn't sure what would be best?
<I would just ask for whatever the standard is.  Too small a gap between the teeth means more teeth are needed for a given flow and I would not want the overflow box to be any bigger than necessary.>
With the bulkheads is slip or threaded preferred or it doesn't matter?
<I prefer the threaded.>
I see some that say to use threaded so if you have to move things or change plumbing, you can, without replacing the bulkhead and others say threaded will leak and you should only use slip fittings?  What are your thoughts on that?
<Threaded will not leak if installed properly.  What I do is thread a MPT to slip onto the bulkhead before I mount it.  From there I prefer slip and MPT true union ball valves.  In the event you want to change the plumbing you save your true union ball valve.  Most other their PVC plumbing is cheap so I'm not concerned with that.>
Thanks
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Kevin