How to Silence an Overflow Box

Overflow boxes facilitate the movement of water from a display tank to a sump in systems without a built-in overflow. The boxes accomplish the movement by maintaining a continuous siphon, drawing water up and over the back of a tank into a box with one or more bulkheads attached to drain tubes leading to a sump. The nature of all overflow box designs leads to gurgling, splashing, agitated water-related noises. While some people find these sounds soothing, others seek to silence the noise, especially in formal rooms. While totally silencing the noise from an overflow box is impossible, drastically decreasing the noise volume is simple.

Things You'll Need

  • Pre-filter mesh screening
  • Bulkhead filters
  • Overflow box lid
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Instructions

    • 1

      Raise the water level in the display tank to decrease the amount of air mixing with water in the overflow. A perfect siphon creates no sound, and raising the display tank's water level moves the siphon closer to this ideal state.

    • 2

      Install pre-filter mesh screening before the siphon tube. Slowing the cascade of water into the bottom of the siphon tube minimizes water agitation and helps form a better siphon, both of which reduce noise. Most overflow box manufacturers supply a fitted mesh screen for this purpose.

    • 3

      Install bulkhead filters in the overflow box's main compartment. These cylindrical sponges fit over the bulkhead fittings, slow down the water flow into the drain tubes, and raise the water level in the overflow box. These actions reduce sloshing and mixing sounds.

    • 4

      Attach a lid to the overflow box's main compartment. Most of the noise generated by an overflow box comes from this area, and placing a lid muffles much of the noise. Most manufacturers supply a lid for just this purpose. Tight-fitting lids, and thicker lids, seal in more sound than poorly- fitting lids. The lid may need occasional cleaning and rotating.