Why is overflow needed?

[khoile]

Hi I saw all reef tanks seem to have overflow, why is this needed? Can't I just use canister filter? I know extremely small tank doesn't use overflow, but it seem like 99.9% of tank out there have overflow.

[ljosh]

The overflow skims the dirtiest water off the top of the water column. It also alows you to use a sump and increase the systems total water volume wich gives it more stability over all.

[stevelkaneval]

over flows are used to skim the surface and the hide the plumbing behind them and protect most fish and inverts so they dont get sucked into the sump.

[reefhead165]

they look better and also they are design to pull junk from the surface so you will get better light penitration

[khoile]

Make sense.

What if I don't want a sump, can I hook canister filter up to the overflow box drain?

[Reef of Eden]

if you just want surface skimming, you could hook an adapter to a canister filter.
something like this...
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...t~HG10240.html

[khoile]

But that's an ugly looking adapter. overflow box is much nicer looking .

[Reef of Eden]

definitely.

[Sk8r]

contains pipes/hoses that send water to sump, for heating, skimming [removes protein waste], topoff [float switch automatically adds fresh water on call], perhaps a refugium [planted area, to further clean water], and return pump [sends heated, clean water back to tank].

[m2434]

khoile how big is your tank?

[steaminmikado]

contains pipes/hoses that send water to sump, for heating, skimming [removes protein waste], topoff [float switch automatically adds fresh water on call], perhaps a refugium [planted area, to further clean water], and return pump [sends heated, clean water back to tank].


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Sk8r

where can i find this "topoff"

[khoile]

Originally posted by m2434
khoile how big is your tank?

I dont' have one yet. But I do plan to start a nano, maybe 20 G so I can keep a nemo for my daughter.