Internal vs External overflow box

[jason the filter freak]

Im pretty sure this will be a 6 one way half dozen the other debate. But WAMAS has rarely steered me wrong. 

 

Im looking at picking up an SCA 80 gallon 32 x 24 x 24. If i go external overflow ill have 4 holes in the back of the tank (2 drain 2 return) and 4-5 pieces of plumbing running down the back. If i do external, nothing running down the back but i loose tank space but lose the external plumbing. 

 

ALSO. A couple of weeks to get the internal overflow tank 3-4 MONTHS to get the external overflow tank.

 

We're moving to Hawaii for next PCS soon so this will be my last tank for a while as there really arent economical options for getting a tank on the island. 

[Origami]

If the schedule weren't a discriminator, I'd suggest going external. You've been in this hobby long enough to know that you'll regret losing the front-to-back real estate taken up by an internal overflow. Go with something like a Shadow overflow which has a low-profile in tank (but gives good surface skimming) and can be set up with a BeanAnimal drain system. If you're looking for a single, flush coast-to-coast type of external overflow, I can see how that would take more time to get into and through production.

[Big Country]

Having just set up a tank with a Reef Savvy Shadow overflow, I found it amazing how much quieter this tank is than my old tank and how much larger the tank is without those big internal overflow boxes.

[DFR]

I LOVE external overflows because of additional real estate within the aquarium, But I always end up going with an internal weir.  I see my aquariums as a piece of furniture and because of such, I value the decreased space between tank and the wall.  If I were to have an in-wall aquarium I’d definitely go with the external though.

[smh254]

I know this is not going to help you but I have that same tank. I have the internal overflow. I have a long hall that u can see between the glass and wall so I like that I can push up against the wall. Its much cleaner looking down the hall than my old tank. I would like more space in the tank. If your tank is going in a spot that you can’t see behind it I would go with external.


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[YHSublime]

Another vote for external (hey! Look at that current landslide!) if it’s not external, are you even really maximizing your space for all the corals you’re gonna keep?!


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[BowieReefer84]

On 2/27/2019 at 1:06 PM, Big Country said:

Having just set up a tank with a Reef Savvy Shadow overflow, I found it amazing how much quieter this tank is than my old tank and how much larger the tank is without those big internal overflow boxes.

LET ME SEE IT!

[Big Country]

2 hours ago, BowieReefer84 said:

LET ME SEE IT!

I would but I havent figured out how to post pictures on this site easily

[YHSublime]

9 minutes ago, Big Country said:

I would but I havent figured out how to post pictures on this site easily

 

www.flickr.com

 

as far as 3rd party goes they are pretty easy to work with. 

[Origami]

3 hours ago, Big Country said:

I would but I havent figured out how to post pictures on this site easily

Try just dragging and dropping the picture to your post now....

[Big Country]

[Origami]

;-). That worked. I changed some settings about 10 days ago....

[Big Country]

Yeah, I just had to download a app to resize the image to get it small enough to post.  Maybe I'll post more pictures now.

 

I do need to get the polyp labs lenses out and try them to try and clean up the color of the pictures though.  They always look either washed out or blue.

Edited March 6, 2019 by Big Country

[overklok]

Modular Marine make a great external overflow, with a shadow intake, it does not take up much space inside the aquarium.

[YHSublime]

Eshopps also makes several sizes that are low profile and easy to install. 

[dmatt56]

I saw this tank last week. It’s amazing how HUGE the tank looks! I also have a 180, but there’s so much more space with the external overflow.

Matt