How mush lower should my overflow chamber level be thank my tank?

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menace78

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I've always used overflow boxes and just got my first RR tank and have searched threw the threads with no luck so here's the ?.

My dorso is adjustable and I'm wondering if there's a good hight for the overflow drop to be or if it's just a noise preferance?

Pro's and Con's of a longer drop compared to shorter drop?

Would like to understand the reasoning behind it being adjustable.
 
keep it high for quieter operation, and less splash means, less salt all over the inside of your overflow!!
 
I've always used overflow boxes and just got my first RR tank and have searched threw the threads with no luck so here's the ?.

My dorso is adjustable and I'm wondering if there's a good hight for the overflow drop to be or if it's just a noise preferance?

Pro's and Con's of a longer drop compared to shorter drop?

Would like to understand the reasoning behind it being adjustable.
You can adjust the water level in the sump and tank but limited to the size/volume of the overflow box as for noise on my tank it doesn't seem to make much difference
 
keep it high for quieter operation, and less splash means, less salt all over the inside of your overflow!!

So no min. or max. drop? no real pro's or con's other than noise and salt creap?

You can adjust the water level in the sump and tank but limited to the size/volume of the overflow box as for noise on my tank it doesn't seem to make much difference

I can see lowering it could temporaraly raise the level in the sump.
I don't know if there's a diferent way to set it up, but water quantity in the long run is the only thing that permanently changes my sump level.
And how would changing the dorso change the tank water level?
Dosn't it still only stay as high as needed by the return pump to
push threw the slits in the overflow?

Maybe I'm missing something. please clerify if you can.
 
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The water level in the tank should not change dependent on the height of your Durso standpipe. Does your overflow box only have slits at the top? Or does it have an Aqueon Megaflow System Overfloe Box?

http://www.aqueonproducts.com/produ...edilled-aquariums-with-megaflow-overflow.htm#

Water level in your tank could go higher if your return pump is providing more water than your overflow can return to your sump. That eventually would lead to your tank overflowing over the top.
 
The water level in the tank should not change dependent on the height of your Durso standpipe. Does your overflow box only have slits at the top? Or does it have an Aqueon Megaflow System Overfloe Box?

http://www.aqueonproducts.com/produ...edilled-aquariums-with-megaflow-overflow.htm#

Water level in your tank could go higher if your return pump is providing more water than your overflow can return to your sump. That eventually would lead to your tank overflowing over the top.

I have a central overflow with only the slits on top built into the acrylic tank. it's 18"w X 7"d.
curently my return is providing about 1" (or 1/2 the hight of the slits in the overflow). It has a dorso conected to a 1.5" bulkhead and a 2.5" open toped pipe for emergency overflow.
Everything works great and is quiet compared to my old CPR overflow box, I was just trying to figure out if there was a reason for adjusting it other than just noise issues.
Right now I have the in box hight about 1" below the slits in the overflow and have moved it down as low at ~5" to see the diference in noise and it's relitively quiet even with that low of a level.
Is there any + to the surface gas exchange with a higher fall distance?

Maybe some pics of my overflow would explain it better than me.
 
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That's a nice overflow and return set-up - very large and easy to perform any adjustments or maintenance. What size is your tank?

g
 
That's a nice overflow and return set-up - very large and easy to perform any adjustments or maintenance. What size is your tank?
g


Thank you, It's eather 110g or 115g. It's a flat back hex and I can't find a calculator to figure it out. The same dementions are sold under both gallonage. Gota love manufacturers. :p might be calculated with and without overflow area.

The size of the overflow is kind of a love hate relationship for me. It's nice to have such a big area for overflow but sux to have it take up so much room in the tank.
 
I used this site to make my own Durso pipe. The site explains somethings that might answer some of your questions maybe...

http://www.dursostandpipes.com/make-your-own-diy?start=2

It talks about gas exchange and more...

Ideally the water level in the overflow chamber will be about 1 to 2 inches lower than the display water level. This provides for gas exchange and prevents an organic film from building up on the water surface of the overflow chamber. If you designed it correctly, the water level in the overflow chamber will be a little lower than the display tank and the water level will be at about the middle of the Street-Ell fitting as pictured in the introduction page.
 

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