Slim, Silent, & Safe Aquarium Overflow Boxes - Eshopps Eclipse Overflow

Categories: Plumbing, Product Spotlight & Reviews

Last updated: Dec 17, 2021

The days of bulky overflow towers and noisy drain pipes are gone thanks to slim-profile overflows like the Eshopps Eclipse. The easy-to-install overflows will work on any tank, glass or acrylic, and include everything need to drill your tank and mount the box securely except for the power drill itself!

Features

Silent operation
Easy to install
Very Low-profile internal surface skimmer
External overflow with acrylic lid
Primary and secondary drain pipe - Setup for Herbie or Bean Animal style drain depending on the model
Includes diamond-coated hole-saw drill bit
Includes plastic drilling template
Includes all necessary bulkheads and gaskets
Accepts standard size PVC
Step-by-step drilling and installation guide

There are three different models which should be chosen based on tank size and desired flow rate through the sump.

Eclipse S	Eclipse M	Eclipse L
600 gallons per hour maximum Up to 75-gallon tanks 2 bulkheads- Herbie style drain External drain box dimensions: 6" x 6" x 3" Internal surface skimmer dimensions: 6" x 6" x 1.25"	800 gallons per hour maximum Up to 100-gallon tanks 2 bulkheads - Herbie style drain External drain box dimensions: 8" x 6" x 3" Internal surface skimmer dimensions: 8" x 6" x 1.25"	1000 gallons per hour maximum Up to 150-gallon tanks 3 bulkheads - Bean Animal style drain External drain box dimensions: 12" x 6" x 3" Internal surface skimmer dimensions: 12" x 6" x 1.25"

Mounting

Arguably the coolest benefit of the Eshopps overflows is the included drilling template and diamond-coated bit. It makes drilling your tank super easy because you won't have to search for the right size bit and you won't be guessing where you should drill your holes in the glass. As long as you follow the template correctly, you will achieve the exact water height you desire.

Drill the tank.
Slide bulkhead #1 through the surface skimmer on the inside of your tank.
Attach gasket #1 and slide through the hole in your tank wall.
Slide on the external overflow box with drain bulkheads attached as well as gasket #2.
Hand-tighten main bulkhead nut.

It's best to use a gate valve on your primary drain to adjust water height in the external overflow box and create a full siphon-style drain. Leave the secondary drain pipes open which should only be used in the event the primary drain becomes clogged.

The end of your primary drains should be submersed 4-6" under the water down in your sump. Cutting the end of the secondary drain pipe roughly 6" above the surface of the water in your sump creates a sort of emergency drain audible alarm. When you hear the secondary drain engage, you know something is wrong.

Eshopps Prodigy vs Eclipse Overflow Box

Eshopps manufactures two different series of overflow boxes, both of which look almost identical. While the installation and operation are exactly the same between the two, the Prodigy series does have a couple of special features which may or may not persuade your buying decision.

The internal surface skimmer of the Prodigy is much slimmer measuring only 5/8" wide compared to the Eclipse at 1.25" wide. The Prodigy also has a removable weir that has two unique benefits. You can remove the weir only from the internal surface skimmer box for cleaning without having to drain the tank or remove any bulkheads. You can also invert the weir which gives you roughly a 1/2" drop to the internal water level in your tank which can come in nice if you like to create considerable wave action in your reef tank.