Ehopps Eclipes S Internal Overflow Series

A little history before the review...
I've been out of the hobby for nearly 3 years now. It was time for a return. Circumstances have caused changes in life that will not allow me to make my come back on the grand gallon scale I would like, however I'm happy with the little 20 Long drilled I've been cycling for the past one and one half month.
I am the type that is set in my ways and the only system I would set up had to be drilled for an overflow and the return. I've ran weir boxes as well as tubed overflow boxes and even though those set-ups do their job, they are not what I like when it comes to the appearance of my aquariums.
I was on the fence about purchasing a manufactured internal overflow, having one built to my specifications or settling for a Eshopps Nano Overflow. I had an internal nano box with a Spanish sounding name in the cart on a well known manufacturer's site but hadn't committed to the purchase because I'd used one before and frankly, I was happy with it at all.
One last search, one last look at over the glass boxes and I stumbled on the Eclipse series internal.


I've used Eshopps products all of my reefing life and was excited to see that they had finally put out an overflow system designed for drilled aquariums.
This system had many selling points jumping out at me as I read the page on the site which I'd discovered it.

• Price. As always Eshopps makes quality affordable. Everything I needed for $99.99
• Internal box measures 6" x 1.25" x 6". The 1.5" bulk-head is included
• External box "6 x 3" x 6" and is drilled for two 1" bulk-heads which are included. It also has a lid.
• The kit also includes the 60mm diamond coated bit needed to drill and a nice acrylic hole template.

I was sold. I ordered the kit and considering I'm lazy, I also added on The Eshopps Pro Valve kit to save myself a trip to the home improvement store.
The valve kit consists of two 1" TrueUnion ball valves, two 1" schedule 40 elbows and one 1" TrueUnion connection. It retails for $59.99 and is molded in grey. I later discovered I really would not have saved much had I purchased the same items at a home improvement store.

The kit arrived packed safely and securely. All of the contents were present. Even though I'd put in a very long day at work, I set up to drill. I was to excited not to. If you're reading this and have never drilled a glass aquarium before, do not be intimidated by the thought of doing so and keep you from purchasing kits such as this. There are many informative sites on-line and many videos demonstrating the correct way to accomplish installing bulk-heads in glass. For example, Eshopps has a demonstration video on YouTube. There are a few simple rules to follow, i.e. make sure the glass isn't tempered, etc.
I had the kit installed within an hours time.

As I stated before the system has been running for 6 weeks. I've had time to become familiar with this over-flow. In the video I discuss what I like and what I don't like about this system. I'll list them here as well.

Pros

• Price
• Quality built product
• Slim design
• Dual drains make it quiet when pro kit is utilized to control air flow into drains
• Lid on external box helps noise reduction
• The template is the same height and width as the internal box and has an directional arrow routed into it. Hole placement is a no brainer.
• Kit includes everything needed for installation except a cordless drill and aquarium.
• Complete set of drilling instructions and warnings are printed within the installation pamphlet.

Cons
I really wouldn't consider what I feel is wrong as "cons" but more like details in the design I would change.

1. The skimming slots routed into the internal box are 2" long.* This puts the water line in the tank at least 2" below the rim. I like water to the rim personally so this was modified. I cut a dam out of the acrylic template and glued it inside the internal box, over the slots. I would like to see Eshopps change from the slots to a raised cap.
2. The red 1" PVC inserted into one drain bulk-head inside of the external box is described as a saftey feature. I'm sure this is true on the Eshopps Eclipse L (large) which has 3 1" drains and I assume be tuned similar to a Bean Animal set up. However on the M (medium) and S (small) models there are but two 1" drains. Both drains are needed to make this system as quiet as possible, one drain valve choked down and the other wide open, so I see some confusion and frustration arising when users attempt to quiet the overflow simply with a single drain valve. So my point is that I completely understand the theory of air intake into the drain but with a single ball valve that is nearly impossible. Some water must rise above the red PVC and drain or the system sounds like a running river.
3. Finally, one last issue concerning the internal box. (I feel that a raised lid would alleviate this issue as well as that of the the low water line.) I will run an MP10 in this tank and I'll run it mainly in Nutrient Transport mode. When the mode changes to pulse and creates visible waves, the water sloshes into the box and is quite loud. Now would this occur if I had not modified the box by covering the slots? I don't know and frankly I don't care to find out. To me the noisy sloshing is an easy fix compared to the visually unacceptable low water line. Especially considering this set up is a mere 12" deep to begin with.

In closing I'd like to state that I am happy with this system. It serves it's function well and was affordable. I don't mind that I've had to make a couple small modifications to bend the product to my exact liking, I've had to do that with most every other piece of reef equipment I've ever purchased, no matter the manufacturer. If I'm ever to set up another system, I'd purchase this overflow kit again. Overall, I'd give it 7 stars out of 10.


* In the video I claim the slots in the internal box to be routed at 3" inches long. My bad, I should've measured them before stating that instead of after uploading the video.