Anyone seen these Turbo Overflows?

[seaturtle1255]

I'm trying to improve the flow in my 240 (with lots of SPS) tank and at the same time I am tired of the powerhead propellor pumps inside the tank. They are a distraction and don't look that nice. I've seen something called a Turbo Overflow at http://www.austinoceans.com/turbo-overflows.html that combine a nice looking overflow with an eductor coming out of the bottom. You run your return sump output up the back of the tank and over the top and down to the bottom of the overflow and it comes out the bottom using an eductor, giving an increase of 3-5X in overall flow in your tank. I am thinking about getting 2 of these turbo overflows and pointing the eductors at each other and letting the flow crash into the other one. Should create a lot of different currents and random flow. Anyone have an opinion on this? I really like how clean this looks but I want it to work well too. Any advice is welcome.

 

[hahnmeister]

Wow, sounds like quite a sales pitch there...

 

[seaturtle1255]

I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying I'm falling for a sales pitch or I'm giving a sales pitch? There isn't any fundamental new technology here - it's just packaging. I'm interested in opinions on whether 2 eductors pointed at each other works well and whether putting eductors close to the back wall of your tank (like if they are coming out of the bottom of your overflows) works well.

 

[seaturtle1255]

Or are you saying eductors don't work? That's the "new technology" here but it isn't that new. Do you not buy the 3-5X flow increase? I've seen some people talking about eductors (or sometimes called penductors) and they seem to think they work well.

 

[klasiksb]

Do they have a syphon break? I don't see that mentioned.

 

[Dholmblad]

I dont understand....

they should have a picture with one on a tank.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

Looks like a simple DIY. Or just add eductors to your current returns like I did.

 

[hahnmeister]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9606854#post9606854 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seaturtle1255
I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying I'm falling for a sales pitch or I'm giving a sales pitch? There isn't any fundamental new technology here - it's just packaging. I'm interested in opinions on whether 2 eductors pointed at each other works well and whether putting eductors close to the back wall of your tank (like if they are coming out of the bottom of your overflows) works well.

Nah, Im just saying that you're post sounds like an advertisement, like you work for Austin Oceans or something and you are making an Guerilla Marketing Post.

 

[seaturtle1255]

Yes, it should be a simple DIY but I don't have the tools or inclination. What I'm trying to get feedback on is will this thing work well or is it just a gimmick?

Blown63chevy, you say you put eductors on your overflows too? Did you get a 3-5X increase in flow in your tank? Would you recommend this approach?

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

On my 72G bowfront, I have my ehiem 1260 return pump flowing thru a SCWD with each output connected to some lockline and a eductor connected to the end of that.

My overflow box was already set up with a 3/4" return hole in the bottom of the tank so I just used a bulkhead and plumbed it that way. The SCWD sits in the overflow box and the the loc-line comes out thru a notch in the top of the box on either side. That is the only flow I have in the tank and it seems to be doing well.

The 3 - 5X increase will all depend on the pump used. Any pump used with a euctor will get some increase. It mainly depends on the pressure output of the pump as to what the actual increase will be.

I see that you have a 240G tank with SPS. You may want to look at adding a Closed loop to increase your flow. In my 400G tank, I have a barracuda pump with a OM 4 way set up as a closed loop. I have 4 returns on the tank. They are all 1 1/2" bulkheads. Two are on the right end of the tank near the top. The other two are on the left end near the bottom and have a 45 degree elbow on them so that's the only black pipe that's seen in the tank.

When the system is running, I get a clockwise rotation in the tank from the bottom returns. When it switches to the upper returns, I get a counter clockwise rotation with a nice wave action across the top of the tank.

So with a good design, you may not need any eductors. Also the placement of your returns can be done in such a manner that they can not be seen but can still give you a good flow in the tank. It just takes time to think it thru and design it.

My 400G tank uses a Dart as the return pump which comes up and over the back of the tank pointing towards each back corner. I have the C/L described above and another C/L with a Hammerhead pump set up with a swimming pool canister filter in line with it. The intakes are on the back wall behind my rocks and teh returns are from the bottom, again covered by my rock work.

HTH.

 

[seaturtle1255]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9607364#post9607364 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
Nah, Im just saying that you're post sounds like an advertisement, like you work for Austin Oceans or something and you are making an Guerilla Marketing Post.

No, I don't work for them. I found this thing on a google ad. I'm really trying to get feedback on whether this kind of eductor setup works well or not.

Just curious. What part of my post sounded like an ad to you?

 

[Jeremy Blaze]

I don't see the point in the boxes.

Why not just put the enductors on the return lines, that would take up less space.

 

[Waxxiemann]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9607072#post9607072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by klasiksb
Do they have a syphon break? I don't see that mentioned.

Yeah, you'd have to have a huge sump to drain your display down like 6" to reach the mouth of the penductors.

 

[Waxxiemann]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9608080#post9608080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jeremy Blaze
I don't see the point in the boxes.

Why not just put the enductors on the return lines, that would take up less space.

The box is supposed to double as an overflow AND return. It's a pretty good idea in principle. You could never have your tank flush to the wall cause the return plumbing has to run out of the back of the tank with this type of setup. I guess it's also a long way down to the sump from the top of the display as well.

 

[seaturtle1255]

So do you think I would need check valves on the return lines from the sump to the eductors? That would solve the draining the tank issue. Or should I have them drill the front of the overflow and put the eductor on the front, closer to the water surface. How far below the surface does the eductor have to be to prevent it from making sucking noises? The real solution will be phase 2 when I stop running the water from these 2 overflows through the sump and have them plumbed as a more conventional closed loop. With an overflow to pump back to eductor I won't have to worry about siphoning the tank.

Waxxiemann, my tank is flush with the back wall. I'm actually mounting these in the back corners with the overflow drains coming out the side of the tank near the back. My tank cabinet hides the side plumbing at the back so there is nothing to see.

blown63chevy, I am planning this as a closed loop. It's just that initially I am setting it up with the water flowing through the sump and in phase 2 I plan to have another pump just driving the eductors. I still want to use the overflows so I don't have to worry too much about animals getting caught in the CL input. I've killed a few fish in the past as well as at least one BTA when they got caught in the pump intake screen.

So, it sounds like the feedback from eductor users out there is positive and that they are worth while to use, assuming you have some pressure to your closed loop pump. Has anyone done the "two eductors pointed at each other to create random flow" approach? Do you get good random flow or is it mostly still linear?