Overflow boxes and freshwater

[Mark Wolek <mwolek at omiintl_com>]

Good afternoon.  Does anyone have any ideas or tips to keeping fish out of
your filter?   I glued a screen around the teeth on the overflow box, to
keep the fish out.  The problem now is that the screen clogs with gunk and
plant matter daily and needs to be cleaned, I've already pulled 2 dead fish
and saw one of my new amano shrimp in my sump this morning, from when the
screen clogs and the water level raises and goes over the teeth of the
overflow, instead of through them!   If I take the screen off, it will stop
my clogging and water level changing issue (tank fills, sump emptys and
blows air til I unclog the screen once or twice a day), but then some of my
smaller fish or shrimp will get sucked down for sure.  
 
Anyone have any ideas?  or things they use?    Also concerend about backflow
if the power goes out, the tanks return is 6, 1/2" pvc outlets from a
manifold around the top of the tank...Some fish can get sucked up through
there too, maybe the outlet of the return is a better choice for the screen,
but then I still have to deal with the overflow box :/
 
PS - The BDA (or light green slimey algae I had that was 5" long in spots)
is gone, and the staghorn type is quickly receding, the 5 SAE I got mail
order yesterday are already eating and doing great, I didn't know SAEs were
such a schooling fish.
 
Thanks!
Mark


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