Filter media Inside Overflow

[mapledalemolossers]

Has anyone considered increasing your filter surface area by installing media of some kind in your overflow?

I just setup my new aquarium and feel that the space is wasted. I measured out about 4 gallons in each overflow box. Seems like I could put a couple of gallons of 10ppm sponge in there, or a bag of carbon or something, to help the system.

 

[marinerules]

I do carbon and polyester quilt batting. And in one corner of the overflow I have a pic pipe that's comes up and is shorter than the overflow in case the quilt batting clogs and the excess can go down the extra pipe instead of overflowing the tank

I have cut milk crates to make a grid that sits at the bottom of my overflow box

 

[mapledalemolossers]

Thank you. The tank is a 210 with twin overflow boxes. I set it up last week for my alligator gar. I currently use an fx5 instead of a sump system. The tank has two overflow boxes.

I considered bypassing them by keeping the tank a little less full and running the fx5 over the side of the tank, plus Garp needs some space to break for air.

It seemed better to plumb the fx5 up to the system though. Works great. I took the return plumbing right out of the overflow boxes so there is just a big drain in the bottom. I measured the output with a bucket. It's 525gph. The overflow boxes hold 8 gallons of water, which is double what the fx5 holds, so I am going to build a mechanical and chemical filter system in each overflow box so the water gets conditioned before it even makes it to the main filter. Pictures to come.

 

[mapledalemolossers]

I have an eheim 150 watt heater keeping the tank at 77 degrees (house is 63) Thought it would take double the wattage! If anyone has a giant tank that they keep at 77 degrees or so please let me know how much power they use for heat. I just setup this 210 and I'm already looking for 500 plus gallon to replace it.

 

[Danh]

I have 300 watts taking my 210 from room temp of 70 to 86*.

I use my overflow boxes as settling chambers. I don't want polyester filter batting - primary used for mechanical filtration - in a box that has no flow through it. It flows, but not through it. Filling it up would probably cause it to stagnate closer to the bottom. Leave it open for the most part lets the larger solid waste sink to the bottom and I can suck it out easily. I've got plenty of bio media in my sump where the already mechanically filtered water is forced to flow across it.

While I feel that the space is somewhat wasted I wouldn't just cram stuff in it. Use it wisely. Put a 2L FB DIY FB filter in it or something like that.

 

[wannadivesteve]

Kaldnes? I'd be tempted to put some kind of pre-filter material, but that'd require work keeping it clean. I'd think filling each of those chambers with 2 gallons of kaldnes and pumping a lot of air through it would do a bunch of good things for the tank.

 

[mapledalemolossers]

I will research these. Thank you!

 

[Danh]

If you put K1 in a 2L or 20oz bottle you can make a FB filter in the box. I wouldn't fill my box up with anything for the reason I stated before - you don't really have good natural flow through the box - But you also don't want to pack it with stuff that can clog your drain. That would be a bad day. Keep it contained in something like the videos above.

IMO, though, my sump is more than enough for my tank. I don't need to fab anything in my overflow boxes.

 

[mapledalemolossers]

I think I'm going to do a dual Fluidized Purigen filter in them. That will occupy the space and provide extra filtration for nitrates and stuff. The fx5 output will be more that the filter can handle but I'll just build a bypass and valve all 4 lines to get it runnin just right. Should be cool. I'll put up pictures when I start it. Thanks for the info so far everyone!

 

[rodger]

I have an eheim 150 watt heater keeping the tank at 77 degrees (house is 63) Thought it would take double the wattage! If anyone has a giant tank that they keep at 77 degrees or so please let me know how much power they use for heat. I just setup this 210 and I'm already looking for 500 plus gallon to replace it.

You keep your house at 63? Dang, I would freeze! What do you keep the AC at? Sorry for the derail.