Neptune Aquatics

Dual side viewable tank... where to stick the overflow??

I have a 135g tank, it's only 18 inches wide, but I would like to scrape the black paint off the back and make it viewable from two sides. Problem with this is where can I put an overflow? Not through the bottom, the tank is glass so I'm fairly certain the bottom is tempered.

I'm unsure if the sides are tempered, but if they are and I shatter it, how hard would it be to replace the glass (non-tempered) and then I could drill it right.

My idea is to have an overflow just on one side, but I was thinking that might be an issue as far surface skimming (it is a 6 foot long tank) then I started think about making a long trough on either side of the tank maybe an inch below the lip really thin that goes back to the main overflow box so it does skim along the 6 foot length.

Anyone have any ideas?
 
I guess you can get a hang off the back overflow...I don't think you have much choice. I wouldn't drill it either.
 
1) The sides (short sides) have braces on either side of the tank, so a HOB won't work. I thought about epoxing a box inside, and making some PVC tubing or something to create a siphon, but I'm unsure if I'd have enough flow to pull that much. Plus the need for airline tube to suck bubbles out seems like quite a bit of work. Still an option

2) I could maybe drill low (having the same potential shatter issue) and make an overflow towards the center, although that seems like more work, as I'd need to make a rather tall box.. plus the center brace would make any cleaning out impossible once it's set up. Plus I'd really want to set up a mountain of rock around it, which would shadow part of the tank from some of the bulbs.

I'm still unsure what I want to do, I have a 6x1.5x1.5 acrylic tank and a 6x1.5x2 glass one. One I want to make into an uber-clean coral tank, with a few select smaller fish, the other can be more of a fish tank with some minor easy to keep, low light corals. I'm unsure if I want the coral tank to be viewable from both sides, or the fish one. The issue with fish is they might want a darkened back as a "cave".
 
I added a side external overflow compartment to my 4' tank. I was also worried about surface skimming. I put a spray bar on the opposite end of the tank that sprays toward the end with he overflow. It's at the top of the tank and it sprays horizontally. It agitates the surface and pushes any surface scum towards the overflow. Maybe this will work for you, Mike.

Ignore the ugly maxijets. :lol: I'm replacing them with some Tunze. :D
 
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