# Diy overflow



## alfred14 (Aug 27, 2012)

Has anyone ever built an overflow box from a "dip and pour" or a "specimen container" if you google image these you will see what i mean. I would think you could set this outside the tank and drill 1+ holes in the bottom to flow to the tank and then just put in as many U-tubes as you feel needed to flow the water over the tank and into this box. It seems to simple/cheap and i have not been able to find any pictures of people doing so.


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## TripleW (Apr 3, 2012)

I have never heard of anyone doing this, but it seems like a feasible idea.If you do it, take some pics of your build!


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## Mikrogeo (Jan 20, 2013)

Check youtube I've seen a few videos of people using specimen containers as overflow boxes


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## alfred14 (Aug 27, 2012)

This is what im thinking of doing 



 . Just curious as to why there are not more videos/pictures of other people doing this. Specimen containers are 10-20 dollars. And if your not trying to skim the surface then you wouldnt even need a second container just use clear U-tubes and put something on it to protect your fish from getting sucked in. Also if you have an old HOB power filter that breaks you could turn it into a overflow box by just drilling a hole in the back to drain to the sump. Doing this would come out to nearly no $.


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## alfred14 (Aug 27, 2012)

this is another video that shows a great example of using a HOB power filter 



. However this guy did some things wrong. First dont ruin a good working filter, second you dont need to have a working pump in the HOB power filter, the U shaped pipe goes into the tank and will keep the water flowing into the back of the filter where you would install a bulkhead and a hose down to your sump.


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