Choosing a external overflow box.

J

Jackie Blue

Member
Today was the day. We have all read about people who just walk over to their tank and to their horror realize that there is water where water should not be. Everything is in buckets and a tote now. I have found and bought another 75 gal fish tank already and it is sitting in my garage (craigs list is a god send). However this tank does not have an internal overflow so I need an external overflow.

Here is what I have found so far, if it sucks please let me know.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18358

I am looking to get the PF-1000 since it is not on backorder and has to outlets, it's cheap, and it can get here in 2 days with express shipping and I would still pay under 100 dollars.

If there is anything better that won't cost an arm and a let, and that can get here in a short amount of time please let me know.

Thanks in advance,

Jack
 
BTW if anybody has any good ideas or if there are any proven ways to go about plumbing a 75 gall. that is not reef ready feel free to chime in. Pictures would be most lovely.
 
I believe there is an install video on glass-holes website. They're kit is pretty popular & I'd buy one in a second if needed.
 
That second has come and gone, I have the 1500 gph one that should show up thursday, thanks everybody this whole bit would of been much more unpleasant without you guys.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14911506#post14911506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Uncle Salty 05
I like these personally.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~overflow_boxes_cpr.html

They cost more but are ready for an aqualifter and are very quiet and never fail.
Click to expand...

Yeah ... they never fail unless/until the aqualifter or whatever other means you use to keep the air from accumulating fails. Because of the design, the water velocity alone is not sufficient to keep air from accumulating and therefore you have to use an aqualifter or other suitable means to keep the air from accumulating and the unit from losing siphon.

Properly designed U-tube overflow is the way to go if one is going to use a HOB overflow. They do not require a secondary pump or means to clear air from the U-tubes, the water velocity through the U-tubes takes care of it. No secondary device to rely on, less chance of failure. Personally, I think Lifereef is the best built overflow on the market and they are properly designed, period.
 
Yeah ... they never fail unless/until the aqualifter or whatever other means you use to keep the air from accumulating fails. Because of the design, the water velocity alone is not sufficient to keep air from accumulating and therefore you have to use an aqualifter or other suitable means to keep the air from accumulating and the unit from losing siphon.
Click to expand...

Malarki!
A U tube is just as likely if not more so to accumulate air bubbles.
The CPR's are quieter, better looking and can move more water.
An aqualifter with a check valve should be used on a U tube just like the CPR's or eventually you will lose siphon.
 
A U Tube will never accumulate air if the overflow is designed properly and adequate flow moves through it. If will run indefinitely without failure. You will not eventually lose siphon. People have used them for many years on end without an issue.

A CPR on the other hand ALWAYS accumulates air and must use an external pump to remove it. A failed pump is just one of several failure scenarios. A clogged air nipple is another very common one.

The Lifereef U Tube overflows have a reputation for being incredibly reliable. The CPRs have a reputation for high failure. They both earned the respective reputations from user experience.
 
Well I must just be incredibly lucky on the CPR's and incredibly unlucky with the U tubes because my CPR has been running for over 10 years without a single failure and my tank with a U tube has to have the siphon re-started about every week or two.

Believe half of what you see and none of what you "hear".
 
You have been very lucky with your CPR. Glad to see it has worked for you. Many are not so fortunate. Your U tube is either a poor unit or has inadequate flow thought it.

My CPR failed twice in 3 months. My Lifreef was flawless in the 2 years I ran it and would have stayed that way If I still ran it.

Use experience and opinion will obviously vary. Design principles and the physics of a siphon do not.
 
You have been very lucky with your CPR. Your U tube is either a poor unit or has inadequate flow thought it.
Click to expand...
My CPR failed twice in 3 months. My Lifreef was flawless in the 2 years I ran it and would have stayed that way If I still ran it.
Click to expand...
Use experience and opinion will obviously vary. Design principles and the physics of a siphon do not.
Click to expand...

Conversely perhaps your CPR problems were due to operator error or an undersized unit?
Both types are still available, if the CPR were as flawed as you claim I doubt that would still be the case.
I am not trying to be argumentative but I hate to see newbies told to avoid what I see as an excellent product.
Both work about the same in my opinion but I prefer the look, volume and reliability of the CPR.
 
The failure both times was a clog in the air nipple in the inside of the box. This is a very common failure scenario.
 
Make your own overflow---I did for 30 bucks: the price of an hob filter body replacement and a 3/4 inch u tube.

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DSC_0606.jpg
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14917905#post14917905 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Uncle Salty 05
Well I must just be incredibly lucky on the CPR's and incredibly unlucky with the U tubes because my CPR has been running for over 10 years without a single failure and my tank with a U tube has to have the siphon re-started about every week or two.

Click to expand...

NOT ALL U-TUBE BASED OVERFLOWS ARE THE SAME.

AGAIN, a properly designed U-Tube overflow, properly applied, will retain siphon while running and when power fails. I dont understand why you would continue to use your U-Tube overflow if it loses siphon every week or two but that's another subject.
Its either not designed properly or your flow rate is too low.

A properly designed U-Tube overflows only requirement to keep air from accumulating is a minimum flow rate through the U-tube, depending on the diameter of the U-tube. Water velocity, on its own, keeps air bubbles from accumulating in the tubes.

Using the Lifereef overflows as an example ... I highly doubt that you would find one user report a failure of the unit to retain siphon that was not due to user error (too low a flow rate through a dual unit for example). On the other hand, there have been more than a few reports of tank overflows with the C-channel (weir) style overflows in this forum alone ... either due to failed secondary pump (ie aqualifter) or clogged air fitting.

And your closing comment ... "Believe half of what you see and none of what you "hear" ... would be fair if it werent for the fact that it assumes an awful lot. I have a CPR overflow in the garage collecting dust.

The fact of the matter is that an overflow that relies on a secondary pump to retain siphon adds another variable that can cause failure. And failures of this style overflow are not uncommon because of that fact (as well as the potential for the air fitting clogging from buildup or a blockage). It is simply common sense.

A properly designed and applied U-Tube style overflow requires NO secondary pump or other device to clear the air from the U-tubes, no air fitting to potentially clog and far less chance of failure. I use the Lifereef and that is all I will use for several reasons but there are other, less expensive, U-Tube type overflows that are also reliable ... they wont lose siphon during operation or when the pump is shut down, they dont need secondary pump to clear air ... no secondary device needed to operate properly, no air nipple to clog = much less chance of failure. It's common sense and its proven in application based on the reports of failures by users of the weir style overflows.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14918249#post14918249 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DarG
NOT ALL U-TUBE BASED OVERFLOWS ARE THE SAME.

AGAIN, a properly designed U-Tube overflow, properly applied, will retain siphon while running and when power fails. I dont understand why you would continue to use your U-Tube overflow if it loses siphon every week or two but that's another subject.
Its either not designed properly or your flow rate is too low.

A properly designed U-Tube overflows only requirement to keep air from accumulating is a minimum flow rate through the U-tube, depending on the diameter of the U-tube. Water velocity, on its own, keeps air bubbles from accumulating in the tubes.

Using the Lifereef overflows as an example ... I highly doubt that you would find one user report a failure of the unit to retain siphon that was not due to user error (too low a flow rate through a dual unit for example). On the other hand, there have been more than a few reports of tank overflows with the C-channel (weir) style overflows in this forum alone ... either due to failed secondary pump (ie aqualifter) or clogged air fitting.

And your closing comment ... "Believe half of what you see and none of what you "hear" ... would be fair if it werent for the fact that it assumes an awful lot. I have a CPR overflow in the garage collecting dust.

The fact of the matter is that an overflow that relies on a secondary pump to retain siphon adds another variable that can cause failure. And failures of this style overflow are not uncommon because of that fact (as well as the potential for the air fitting clogging from buildup or a blockage). It is simply common sense.

A properly designed and applied U-Tube style overflow requires NO secondary pump or other device to clear the air from the U-tubes, no air fitting to potentially clog and far less chance of failure. I use the Lifereef and that is all I will use for several reasons but there are other, less expensive, U-Tube type overflows that are also reliable ... they wont lose siphon during operation or when the pump is shut down, they dont need secondary pump to clear air ... no secondary device needed to operate properly, no air nipple to clog = much less chance of failure. It's common sense and its proven in application based on the reports of failures by users of the weir style overflows.
Click to expand...

Darg--in my particular diy setup if there is a power failure the siphon will continue to drain the tank since the drain is gravity fed.
It will drain the tank to a pre determined level I measured so it doesn't overflow the sump

However once the tank gets down to the set level won't the siphon break in the u-tube?
If so what would you suggest I could add to the design.
 
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