toothless overflow

[btuck]

Ok so I've been doing some reading and was curious about the advantages about the toothless overflows. It would make it much easier to make, but is one design better than the other? TIA

 

[NeuroDoc]

An overflow with teeth keeps your fish and snails from catching a wave.

 

[Krish]

Yeah, that's pretty much the purpose of the teeth in an overflow. However, the CPR overflow doesn't use teeth, but they use a little screen mesh to prevent the same thing from happeneing which you could also do as well.

 

[shallowreef]

I agree with the mesh idea.

 

[btuck]

Ok so I understand the mesh idea, perhaps using something like gutter guard or even some eggcrate at the top, but are there any physical changes to the overflows surface skimming abilities with or without teeth. The reading I have done, which is in no way scientific, says that toothless overflows skim the surface better.

Here's the thread (the debate starts a few posts down)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=883410

I always feel like I'm cheating on RF when I go look at RC hahaha

 

[Llarian]

I don't like the mesh because it catches detritus and needs to be cleaned much more frequently than the ones with teeth.

However, it does get a lot more flow out of the same length of overflow.

-Dylan

 

[Krish]

Ok so I understand the mesh idea, perhaps using something like gutter guard or even some eggcrate at the top, but are there any physical changes to the overflows surface skimming abilities with or without teeth

IMO, the more surface area, the better surface skimming you will get. A 10inch overflow with 1/4 inch teeth cut into it IMO, would never match up to the same length overflow without teeth.

 

[Dragonfly]

I don't have teeth or mesh on my overflows. My tank has a coast to coast wier with twin overflows so the water level only rises a couple of mills. I've only had a curious clown go over so far, and fished him out the next day with a net. Beauty of it is the whole overflow and wier stays clean.

 

[btuck]

Thanks for the help. I see advantages both ways now. Now to decide which to do.