need recommendations on good HOB overflows...

[guitarded]

i would like to add another overflow to my tank or, perhaps, upgrade my overflow.

when i go to my favorite online stores, i only see CPR overflows. after reading posts about the CPR units on this site, i have decided to steer clear of them.

so what kind of overflows do you flolks use and what online seller has them?

 

[loganj]

I can get you a standard U tube overflow. I expect Darin at Captivereefs can as well. They are available in different flow ratings and aren't terribly expensive. What flow rating were you looking for?

 

[guitarded]

around 800 or 900

 

[Brad]

I've never had a problem with my CPR. I like the fact that it self starts no matter what I do to mess up the siphon. Sometimes, I have to clean out the air line to make sure it continues to work like it should.

I know everyone seems to hate them, but it works fine for me.

 

[skennelly]

Agree I have 2 CPR100 overflows on my 90 gallon for about a year now and I never had a problem except for the occasional maintenance of keeping the airline tubing clear of algae buildup.

The are great if you ask me.

my .02

 

[guitarded]

don't get me wrong. i don't have any personal experience with CPR overflows. however, due to the poor stock at my local LFS (not to mention that they really jack up the prices here in honolulu), i have to go online to purchase a lot of my stuff. so its like a crap shoot if i don't go by the majority advice from the forum. otherwise, i am either stuck with something for which i should've done more research or i gotta send it back if i am not satisfied. i am sure for each person not happy with the CPR overflow, there are a dozen people that are happy! again, just researching.

 

[captivereefs]

CPR overflows are not bad you just have to keep an eye on the pump that removes the air from the elbow!

 

[guitarded]

i guess that is what concerns me. by the posts from others, they seem to feel that the u-tube is more reliable. again, i am not making any judgements based upon any personal experience, however, as a newbie i place a lot of value on the comments made by experienced SW tank keepers and there have more than a few negative posts about the CPR overflows. when one is researching, one takes note of these comments. to be fair, however, i have taken note of the comments of the CPR owners on this thread and i will give consideration to the CPR.

i really don't want this thread to become a defensive battle for CPR. as my original post, i would like to get recommendations on other brands of overflows.

 

[loganj]

The CPR overflow has a good concept. I have actually modified a couple of U tube overflows to operate in a similar fashion. The biggest problem with the CPR is that, IMO, people have used powerheads that aren't reliable. I wouldn't have a problem with a CPR overflow as long as the powerhead was a MJ1200. There is also a small diaphram pump on the market called an "Aqualifter". It is supposedly designed to pump the air out of the siphon tube and keep it out. I have no idea of the quality of this product...Darin may have had some experience with them though. The problem with the CPR design is if your power goes out, and you lose the siphon (which shouldn't happen), and the PH doesn't restart...water in the floor. This can happen with a U tube as well though. If a U tube is set up properly though, it won't lose siphon. Where you can run into problems with either unit is if you have air bubbles in the tank. These will be sucked into the siphon tube and will build up until there is enough air in the tube to affect the operation of the siphon. The advantage to the CPR design is that, if it's working properly, it will evacuate the air from the siphon before it can build up enough to cause problems. I wouldn't be afraid of either style, but I would make sure they were set up properly. If I got a CPR, I wouldn't trust anything other than a MJ1200 for a PH. JMHO.