Best overflow?

[bill-e]

Hi all,

I'm setting up a seahorse tank and reef tank has a built in overflow so HOB ones are new to me.

Which is the best/most reliable HOB overflow and how do they recover from power failures?

Thanks

 

[fisheebill]

Lifereef makes a great one.
Never worried about mine. I've had running for years.

Here is someone selling one
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1108870

 

[Doug]

The unit that I have been using for many years is by Amiracle. It is a siphon based overflow and you never have to worry about power outages because they never lose siphon and do not need pumps to keep them running like some of the others.

I have also heard that Lifereef, like fisheebill mentioned, is very good.

 

[MattG]

The best i have used is the lifereef. Its expensive though.

 

[sjm817]

Best is Lifereef. Most, but not all U-Tube overflows work well.

 

[kodyboy]

hurricane filters http://www.hurricanefilters.com/index.html make decent overflows, not a nice as the lifereef (the best) but a lot cheaper and they work well. I have heard the amiracles are good, but never had one.

 

[DarG]

Another vote for Lifereef and bump for your Q.
Just got mine last week, a double unit so quite expensive but the best built I have seen with attention to detail like beveled edges. Will not lose siphon with power failure, no worries, the design is failsafe.

 

[nick18tjetta]

I am going to vote for Lifereef.

 

[Jester]

I would have to say the lifereef overflow is the best... I've only had a lifereef and im really impressed with it.. cant go wrong with a lifereef..

 

[manderx]

i would try to drill the tank for a seahorse tank rather than a siphon box. siphon boxes require a minimum flow through them to keep bubbles from accumulating. depending on the size of your setup, this minimum rate may be higher than you'd prefer.

 

[bill-e]

Too late to drill. If bubbles were a problem would a tap and connection to one of those Tom's lift pumps take care of it? Though I'm hoping to set it up with a lot of diffusion which should give me plenty of flow without too much blowing around of the seahorses.

 

[Cozen89]

anyone have a suggestion that's a little cheaper than lifereef?

 

[kodyboy]

hurricanefilters.com

 

[sjm817]

You typically need ~ 200 GPH through a U Tube to keep it bubble free. If you need less flow than that, get a smaller diameter U Tube. Dont use an Aqualifter. You would have an unreliable CPR type setup.

 

[Cozen89]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9890052#post9890052 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kodyboy
hurricanefilters.com

Kody you are using one of these on your tank? How long have u been using it? Do you have to clean those sponges in the overflow?

Anyone else 2nd this brand?

 

[NYReef]

Pay now or pay later, its Lifereef or nothing for overflows, I use it and endorse it.

 

[fisheebill]

I feel the same as NYReef.

 

[kodyboy]

I have been using the hurricane for a while (~9 months) and have had no problems, except making sure I had enough flow at the beginning (needed more to keep the speed up on the u-tubes). This unit works well, but it not built very sturdy, flimsy plastic. Strong enough for most applications, but definitely not cell cast acrylic!

 

[JOSEPHLB]

The Hurricane one is pretty cheap. I don't even think they build it from scratch honestly.

It appears the outer box is just a regular ole cheap acrylic box with removable lid; hole cut out of the bottom for the bulkhead, and a couple of holes in the top.

The inner box appears to be a lid, that is from a larger cheap plastic box... just a few cuts here and there for the teeth..

Only piece that may be fully made is the bracket.. which is nothing more than a piece of acrylic, with some heat applied to bend it..

A few nylon bolts and nuts later..
and you have an HOB overflow..

 

[luke33]

I have a hurricane as well, goin on 6-9mths, have had up to 8hr outages and no loss of syphon, it isn't a lifereef, but it works well. They aren't as thick as a lifereef but they are half to a third of the cost. There are some decent utube's on ebay as well that are around 45ish, and there are always utube's for sale on the used equipment forum.

Josephlb.....you cracked the code! lol, thats how all hot overflows are manufactured my friend. You could easily build your own, but it would pry cost around 40 bux. And it wouldn't be as pretty(not if i were building it anyhow).