Internal Overflow Question

[nzafi]

I am currently running HOB on my 180 and looking to setup an external overflow. A question popped into my head related to internal and external overflows. Right now with 3 AC110s on my 180 and a powerhead running, a ton of waste gets picked up by the filters, especially due to the depth of the intakes on the HOB. Overflows skim at the top mostly, so doesn't that make them "less efficient" and you reliant a lot more on vacuuming?

The only way I see someone getting around this is by doing the internal overflow pipe without the box, but then doesnt that introduce a lot more risk related to flooding?

 

[duanes]

Although the visible waste seems to be thought of as the most important problem in aquariums, and is from a purely aesthetic viewpoint. The air water interface (the surface) is actually where much of the most destructive waste products collect, and end up. Unseen chemicals, proteins, and other metabolism by-products tend to collect there on the surface, and if not removed. can break down into the system, causing stress and disease. Think about blue shimmering oil slicks on puddles on the road, or the white film that builds if aerators, or surface agitation stops. These are arguably more important than the nearly inert ash and grit in fish feces. This is skimming the surface, and why protein skimming is such an effective form of filtration, it is able to remove those dangerous by-product before they get a chance to compromise a fishes immune system, and pollute water. When the air water interface is disturbed these unseen by-products are taken out.
below is a photo of waste removed by my protein skimmer, waste that is not seen when looking directly at the water, but is removed when the air water interface is disturbed, and clearly visible as waste foam.

 

[Danh]

A lot of people with overflows go bare bottom to help with that too.

 

[nzafi]

I am bare bottom and almost never vacuum the bottom of my tank. With my powerhead almost nothing settles on the bottom and is picked up by the low hanging pipes from the HOB. My powerhead recently stopped working and I was amazed and how much extra crap settles to the bottom of the tank and caused this question to pop up.

Thanks for the input!