Overflow box, safe or risky?
- Thread starter LiveRoker
- Start date
Actual GPH not measured. Tough to get three return lines into a bucket while holding a stopwatch.
Blueline 100 rating of 1900gph and calculation of number of feet added per elbow 90's and 45's puts me at ~20ft height perceived by pump.
http://www.bluelineaquatics.com/images/BLHDPumpChart.gif
Top blue trace on chart shows ~25gpminute at 25ft. I can't be this fast or two overflows could not survive the failure of the third. Or maybe it's the "a" factor at work. I'm betting the 600's can actually handle more than 600gph because some "a" is bound to try it.
Blueline 100 rating of 1900gph and calculation of number of feet added per elbow 90's and 45's puts me at ~20ft height perceived by pump.
http://www.bluelineaquatics.com/images/BLHDPumpChart.gif
Top blue trace on chart shows ~25gpminute at 25ft. I can't be this fast or two overflows could not survive the failure of the third. Or maybe it's the "a" factor at work. I'm betting the 600's can actually handle more than 600gph because some "a" is bound to try it.
fullkontact
New member
isn't there a way to avoid a flood even if you do lose siphon? maybe plumb the return pump pick up close to the top of the water level in the sump. that way maybe the pump will run dry but at least the floor is no wet. What are the challenges with that, and are there any more ways?
fullkontact,
I think your plumbing idea can work. I know someone who does just that. I also have the uptake a little high. The pump is supposed to have thermal protection in case it gets starved so it should work but probably risks the pump (If you have hardwood floors it's better to lose the pump)
I think your plumbing idea can work. I know someone who does just that. I also have the uptake a little high. The pump is supposed to have thermal protection in case it gets starved so it should work but probably risks the pump (If you have hardwood floors it's better to lose the pump)
fullkontact
New member
Well, I really want to install a sump, but I live on the 2nd floor in an apartment and I absolutely cannot risk a flood. Even with the best overflows I can't help thinking 'what if' ya know?
sorry to threadjack
sorry to threadjack
Something else I'm curious about.
If the sump gets its water from the overflows
And, the overflows stop because some water goes missing from the tank
The final section, and only the final section of the sump gets pumped out (plus anything over the wall height of the final section).
Then in theory, if you run your overflow at its lowest height in the tank, you can't really pump anthing onto the floor because you have some capacity in the main tank.
If the sump gets its water from the overflows
And, the overflows stop because some water goes missing from the tank
The final section, and only the final section of the sump gets pumped out (plus anything over the wall height of the final section).
Then in theory, if you run your overflow at its lowest height in the tank, you can't really pump anthing onto the floor because you have some capacity in the main tank.
Actually, now that I think about it the main tank is not the problem.
You need to break the siphon caused by your feed line to the main tank otherwise, if your pump fails, you will siphon the main tank into the sump until the siphon of your feed line at the main tank is broken.
Make sure your sump is deeeeeeep and the walls separating the chambers are low enough to give you some capacity
You need to break the siphon caused by your feed line to the main tank otherwise, if your pump fails, you will siphon the main tank into the sump until the siphon of your feed line at the main tank is broken.
Make sure your sump is deeeeeeep and the walls separating the chambers are low enough to give you some capacity
fullkontact
New member
I have read to drill holes in the return line just below the display tank water line, that way when it all backs up down the return line it'll break siphon when the water level reaches the drilled holes.
fullkontact
New member
so it seems as though there is no way of flooding if we use these ideas. And if that's the case, why are so many poeple telling horror stories about floods. Why aren't they useing these ideas? what are the challenges?
Beats me.
I maintain that for one, many people don't understand how a siphon overflow works. I can t tell how many times Ive seen posts like
There is no reason a properly designed, properly setup U Tube siphon overflow will ever lose siphon. I power mine off every day while feeding. Never a problem.
The other issue of designing your sump setup so that the display cant overflow the the sump or vice versa applies to both internal and external overflows. Some people just haven't seen the info.
Avi
Premium Member
I have to agree with sjm, here. Horror stories have to be the result from a mishap that was not accounted for in the plumbing configuration or, possibly from not covering the "inside" box of the hang-on overflow. I also turn my overflows off every day...many times more than once a day for some kind of maintenance or another, and the flow through the U-tubes are never...ever...interfered with.
roader247
New member
I've used CPR for years with no problems I have also used U tubes type. You need to have a sump that will handle the water that will drain from the tank if your power goes out mine goes out often a 20 gallon tank will handle a 55 gallon tank or a 75 gallon tank. Now you need an over flow that will restart U-Tube type will not. Hope this helps.
