Looking for overflow ideas

[33w_fish_guy]

Im in the process of upgrading from a 29gal to a 50gal tank that I picked up used. My plan was to have it drilled but I found out that I was tempered and it could not be done. So I am stuck with a siphon for the overflow. I was wondering if anyone has plans or idea on how to keep the siphon in case of a power outage once the overflow becomes empty. My crude ideas are not even worth mentioning. I am trying to come up with something good so my wife wont kill me next time I have my sump overflow all over the dinning room.

 

[BillyZ]

are you sure ALL sides of the galss are tempered? Most tanks only have the bottom pane tempered glass. If your not sure then what you want is to find a HOB overflow. It's basically two square boxes with 1 or 2 U shaped tubes that go over the wall of the tank. The boxes are built in such a way that when the power goees out the water stays in the tubes to maintain the siphon effect.

Something along the lines of this: http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...PROD&Product_Code=MLA-PFB-1&Category_Code=MLA

HTH

 

[jsoong]

Try this for a schematic DIY overflow using 2 plastic boxes:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~conquest/andy/maswa/siphon.html

 

[RandyStacyE]

Here is a diagram of the overflow I built. Cheaper than dirt and works flawlessly. It may not be pretty as the prefab. acrylic overflows, but this on is being used in my wife's turtle tank. Now this tank is only 2/3 the way full so it seemed like it was going to be a real challenge to make a successful overflow, but it was easy. You wouldn't believe the ammount of water flow this thing will take too.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2130057870&idx=1

 

[ercnan]

Overflow

I'm with BillyZ. Try to find out if the entire tank is tempered. If only the bottom is, have the back of it drilled up at the top. Install bulkheads with 90 degree elbows on the inside to adjust the level, and plumb as a normal bottom drilled tank. I'm not a big fan of overflow siphon boxes myself. To many issues with flooding if the siphon stops for me. Besides that, if you have a glass company that can drill it, or you want to try it yourself, It will be cheaper. Even if breaks while being drilled, a new 75g is pretty cheap. Good overflow boxes are expensive, and just don't have the reliability to suit me. I've tried them on my 125g for awhile, but just could not get past always wondering when they might draining while the return pump kept filling. My tank is built into a wall in my basement and can't be removed for drilling so I finally chickened out after 2 months of worrying and went back to using 2 Emperor 400"s and 2 AQ 70 powerheads.
I now have 2 600gph overflow boxes @ $65.00 each, 1 1000gph pump @ $100.00, and gobs of misc. plumbing stuff boxed up and not being used.
That's how much I didn't trust the stuff.
Just my 2 cents though, Good Luck.

 

[zacdl]

Is there such a thing as a small overflow that only sticks out about 3"????

 

[greenmaji]

zacdl you can use a back box that is wider and narrower to get it under 3"...

 

[greenmaji]

if you look into how it is made it cant keep syponing your water after the power goes out by the way.. thats why there are 2 boxes.. the water comes to level between the boxes before it drains.. it should never be a problem unless your sump isnt big enough for the extra water thats in the lines going down to the sump.. if you put a break in the syphon on the line coming back into the tank, just below the water line, the system is power failure proof...

 

[IndyReefMan]

As an alternative, check out the CPR CS (continuous siphon) series of overflow boxes. It has a built in siphon that can be adjusted with screws to set the water level in your tank (no u-tube to mess with). You can also purchase an aqua lifter pump that quickly and easily attaches to the top of the siphon to prevent any siphon breaks. Even if the power goes out and the siphon breaks, when the power comes back on the pump quickly sucks the air out of the top and you're back in business. As an additional plus, you don't have a large box hanging there on the inside of your display tank. In the sump, you can position the return pump high up near the max water level (with suction cups or some other means). That will work as a fail safe...that way, if the siphon were to break during an electrical outage and the aqualifter pump were to fail at the same time, the return pump is limited to how much water it could pump back into the display tank. The worst that would happen is you could lose your return pump if it runs dry too long. I'd rather this happen than a flood. Also, be sure to place the outlet of your return line high enough in the display tank to prevent a large volume of siphoning back into the sump if your return pump were to fail. That way your sump won't overflow. I have this set-up on my 72 gal bowfront and it works perfectly every day. Best of luck to you.