Overflow Guards And Fan Platforms

jhnrb

Reef enthusiast
Here is an easy way to block light into the over flow units and an additonal place to mount several fans for additional cooling in the hood.

1- one piece of black acrylic 3/16" thick bent by supplier at a 90 degree with 3 1/2 inches by apprx. 9 inches and 12 inches wide (these measurements can be made to suit).

2- 1 foot of clear acrylic 1/2" bar stock 1 inch wide. (enough for 2 guards)

3- acrylic glue (preferably thickened).

-cut the edges of the the longer part of the black acrylic at a 45 apprx. three inches both ways and keep the triangle pieces cut off.

-drill at least two holes in 3 1/2" part which will attach to the hood.

-Cut two pieces of 1/2" bar stock 3" long for each cover.

-Take the large angled black acrylic piece and round off the front corner edges where the pieces were cut off with a sander. (belt sander on table. by hand, etc. just sand the cut into a curve as needed to your liking)

-glue two of the 1/2" bar stock 3" long onto the bottom of the black acrylic cover posistioned to sit mid way on top of the over flow front lip at apprx. the 1/4 points or as desired for support.

-glue the triangle pieces that were cut off to the strenthen the back and curved bend in the acrylic. (position so that a full contact is made at the 90 degree bend. once glue sets sand off point that hangs over in back to match the bend.

-once glue has completely set up mount the cover, level and install two stainless screws to hold the unit in place through the vertical 3 1/2" acrylic back and tighten.

NOTE: you can now mount a fan or two on top of the covers and direct across the water for additional cooling. all that needs to be done is to use aquarium silicone to glue the fans down so you can replace them should they fail. following are several pictures that will help. this project is designed for a hood that has a backing for support of the cover.(fully enclosed etc.)

TIP: The cover should hang over the overflow apprx. 1" all three sides.

IM001775.JPG

IM001776.JPG
 
Last edited:
Very nice idea.....

Now i just have to figure out how to modify this for the overflows that are in the corners and not on the center of the back.

Brandon
 
You would need to figure the piece for the back and have the supplier prebend it at a 90 degree. to the bottom of that you will need to glue the platform. make it big enough to cover the entire bottom and stick out past the back piece. then you can sand and shape it to match after glue is set up. install the two 1/2" barstock as supports off of the overflow and you are done. you will have basically 4 pieces to assemble as follows:

1-a base/bottom piece that completely covers the over flow.

2-a 3 1/2" high by bent at a 90 degree and long enough to match the base
piece along the back wall.

3-2 pieces of 1/2" bar stock to glue to the bottom of the base plate to
support off of the front of the over flow.

hope this helps.
 
Back
Top