overflow box?

[vanzea]

I have just completed making my sump and refrigium(drying right now) and my question is.....what is the purpose of the overflow box? i was thinking about running a U-tube pvc pipe with screen on the end right in the tank with no overflow box...what can go wrong if i do this?

 

[Dubbin1]

Re: overflow box?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10292430#post10292430 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vanzea
what can go wrong if i do this?

Simply put, a flood.

 

[vanzea]

the u-tube would only be placed in about an inch and 3/4 which would allow my sump to handle the water till the siphen would break

 

[Dubbin1]

How do you plan on keeping the screen from getting plugged? What are you going to do when a snail decides to park over the hole? All in all its just a bad idea.

 

[vanzea]

ok but just say that noting gets stuck or a piece of mesh foam is placed over the end........would this idea be possible

 

[Toddrtrex]

How would the siphon restart?

(( the answer -- it wouldn't ))

 

[vanzea]

how does running a hang on overflowbox allow for a siphon to restart.........i am basically trying to figure out what exacally a hang on overflow box does? (also i have drilled and attached a small tube in which when sucked on like a straw will start a new siphon

 

[Toddrtrex]

I am awful at explaining things, but hopefully this link will help.

http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html

 

[jaymz101]

The overflow box allows you to control the water level (among other things) If there is no box, the U tube will siphon water down untill it loses suction and will stop sucking (literally...figuratively that really sucks)

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

if you notice on most overflow boxes there are 2 chambers, 1 for the U tube and one for the water to stay above the bottom of the U tube to that way your U tube never looses syphon after it has started.

but as stated just the U tube will not work. well it will work till you loose syphon then overflow. just not safe

 

[sjm817]

Simply put, to break a siphon, you need to introduce air into the siphon tube. An overflow has a box on each end of the U Tube to prevent air from entering. Without it, once the power goes off, it will suck air and the siphon is broken.

 

[Wett Hands]

Any overflow box worth it's salt (I've always wanted to say that) will not loose siphon and restart when the return pump kicks in with no priming "sucking on tubes".

Also the overflow box helps with skimming the surface of the water. Why is that important you ask?

Here's your answer

HTH

 

[Hypertek99]

The overflow also keeps the oily film on top of the water from happening.

 

[vanzea]

thanks everyone for all the responces.......i will be posting pictures of the sump and OVERFLOW BOX (now soon to be made ) soon