Overflow Cleaning

[WaterDog]

So I was basting off the rock in the aquarium today when I decided to clean the overflow box. Simple enough right? Well

A. It was FILLED with algae and

B. The whole tank almost overflowed after I knocked into the intake tube

There is already a little piece of aluminum foil covering the box, but that doesn't seem to be helping much.

Does anyone know of any ways to get rid of algae in an overflow box?

Also, is there a way to clean things like the overflow box, intake tube, and outake tube without crashing the system?

[zygote2k]

easy answer- drill the tank.

[lanman]

So I was basting off the rock in the aquarium today when I decided to clean the overflow box. Simple enough right? Well

A. It was FILLED with algae and

B. The whole tank almost overflowed after I knocked into the intake tube

There is already a little piece of aluminum foil covering the box, but that doesn't seem to be helping much.

Does anyone know of any ways to get rid of algae in an overflow box?

Also, is there a way to clean things like the overflow box, intake tube, and outake tube without crashing the system?

 

Paul B has an algae scrubber in his overflow; it is on a screen. Maybe you can put some plastic screen in there, and when it gets covered with algae, you can remove the screen and clean it?

 

bob

[davelin315]

Where is the light leaking in? Is there light coming through the overflow teeth that is feeding the algae, is there light coming through the back of the tank? What's the shape of the overflow and how does the flow go through?

[WaterDog]

easy answer- drill the tank.

 

Never been quite sure how to do this or if you could do this after the tank was up and running.

 

Paul B has an algae scrubber in his overflow; it is on a screen. Maybe you can put some plastic screen in there, and when it gets covered with algae, you can remove the screen and clean it?

 

bob

 

Hmmm...probably going to try that.

 

Where is the light leaking in? Is there light coming through the overflow teeth that is feeding the algae, is there light coming through the back of the tank? What's the shape of the overflow and how does the flow go through?

 

The overflow is a square about 1 gallon box. I think the light might be coming in through the side, since the overflow is not directly below the lights.

[davelin315]

Never been quite sure how to do this or if you could do this after the tank was up and running.

 

The overflow is a square about 1 gallon box. I think the light might be coming in through the side, since the overflow is not directly below the lights.

 

Drilling is pretty easy as long as it's not tempered! You can even drill while it's filled, I just would drain some water out temporarily. It only takes a minute or so to drill a hole.

 

I misread your overflow info, was thinking it was a drilled overflow. With the box being low profile what's probably happening is the light is getting in and the algae is growing near the teeth and then spreading downstream with the flow. Also, if it's a clear overflow as most are, then that is allowing all kinds of light in.

[WaterDog]

I'm still kind of confused what the purpose of drilling a tank and how you would go about doing that? I'm nervous to bring power tools anywhere near animals.

[davelin315]

Drilling provides you with a more reliable drain for the tank - it doesn't require you to maintain a siphon. It has the same inherent issues of clogging if something gets in there, but otherwise it's more fail safe than a siphon box.

 

To drill it you just lower the water level a bit to relieve pressure and then keep it wet as you drill. A glass hole saw basically fine grit that is attached to the bit to sand away the glass.

[WaterDog]

Drilling provides you with a more reliable drain for the tank - it doesn't require you to maintain a siphon. It has the same inherent issues of clogging if something gets in there, but otherwise it's more fail safe than a siphon box.

 

To drill it you just lower the water level a bit to relieve pressure and then keep it wet as you drill. A glass hole saw basically fine grit that is attached to the bit to sand away the glass.

 

So all one would have to do is drill a hole in the tank and put the intake pipe in there as opposed to in the overflow box?