Overflow Box Filtration

[alrha]

Overflow boxes tend to take up a nice chunk of space in our reefs. Does anyone use it for any type of filtration? or do y'all just leave it empty and let the water drain through it the way it's meant to be?

 

[masterswimmer]

Albert, IMO if you were to use anything in an overflow box (ie:sponge, chemical media, etc) you would be impeding the flow. If any of the impedence clogs enough, I think you could be setting the stage for flooding. Your return pump would continue working as usual, but your overflow might not be able to handle it. The result would be water over the sides.

JM $.02,
R

 

[inkblue]

yUp... ruSs on the monEy. nooB like me had a sponGe, aLmost overfLowd :irked:

 

[alrha]

what about bio-balls or things like that that dont clog? i know they only create nitrates, but that is water that is being fed to the sump anyway where the nitrates would get skimmer out or utilized by macro-algae.

 

[meschaefer]

what about bio-balls or things like that that dont clog? i know they only create nitrates, but that is water that is being fed to the sump anyway where the nitrates would get skimmer out or utilized by macro-algae.

I have used my overflow box to hold a bag full of carbon. I stopped doing it after a while, because I was nervous that it would clog up the drain pipe/overflow tube. I think that you could use the overflow box this way, but it would require a little modification, to make sure that there is not way that the pipes could get clogged.

(On a side note while nitrates will be used by macro algae, skimmers do not remove nitrates, only the dissolved organic compounds (DOC) that will eventually be broken down into nitrates)

 

[Hotwheels]

I use an overflow box and like russ said this can be dangerous.
An alternative would be to have the over flow feed in to a chamber that contains your prefered filter media.\
Overflows come with a sponge, but unless you inspect it daily DOC's, Algae and other things (ie..livestock) can block the flow and create the water amount to rise and eventually OVERFLOW (spill over the sides.
If you use an overflow you may want to take note of your livestock, some like to go places you do not want them to go. The overflow being one of these places. A simple screen can prevent this (it to needs to be cleaned periodically to ensure proper flow)