# How do you keep your shrimp out of your overflow?



## AoxomoxoA (Apr 22, 2010)

Unless you want to clean every day (I do on some tanks, multiple times day), I've found the best option was to get rid of water pumps, & switch to air pump driven sponge filters. You can also pre-filter with a sponge a lot of HOT filters without losing flow.

Ultimately you must decide. Shrimp or everything else. Easiest way to make this decision is to give in to Multiple Tank Syndrome.

Or in your case, you could let the shrimp live in the sump too.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

they make overflow sponges that are coarser than intake sponges. Try ebay. That's the only good option, and if rinsing them once in a while is too much work... Tape a tootsie roll onto the sponge, so you'll always have some motivation to rinse it! Rinse, eat tootsie roll, tape tootsie roll to sponge, repeat!

lol


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## efface (Aug 27, 2010)

lol like your idea mordalphus

my overflow sponge is like this one:

(note from the Management: please contact the poster for the link to the item)

I'd really like to not let the shrimp get that far even because they are impossible to get out! At one point I had 6 in there


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## AoxomoxoA (Apr 22, 2010)

lol mordalphus, Mine would be the cleanest overflow ever :red_mouth Also coarse works much better as said.

What i don't understand is, if your overflow gets clogged, causing your sump to run "dry", why doesn't your display tank overflow?


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Try looking at the AC filter sponges and make the pre-filter yourself. I use AC 10s and 20s on all my shrimp tanks.

Soak them in water, freeze, drill 1/2 hole (or simliar for your tubing), fits like a glove. The only time flow is impacted is when it's time to squeeze it out.


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## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

All four of my tanks here at the shop are drilled. But using anything on the overflow that could stop water from flowing back to the sump scares me so each is run individually. 

Window screen might work if you have enough surface area. But in my case it's not an overflow box but just a standpipe that wouldn't have much wiggle room if a few stems got stuck to it.


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## efface (Aug 27, 2010)

What is an AC filter?

Also my tank doesn't spill over because i made sure that if the overflow fails I won't spill over!

I'm thinking of switching to a canister filter but I was looking at the Fluvals and the intake looks like it would just suck shrimp up. Also not sure how it would tie in to my external reactor.


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## efface (Aug 27, 2010)

Just as a follow up in case anyone else runs into this issue.

Local guy suggested i cut up a fish net and wrap that around the hard plastic net barrier thing that came with the overflow. I actually bought one of those sacks you can place your peat or carbon in as it had the exact same size net holes and it worked like a charm.

Did not disturb my flow rate and doesn't seem to be clogging


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

look for one more like this:

(note from the Management: please contact the poster for the link to the item)

with the bigger hole size... Or use the filter bag


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