pick out an overflow box for me.

[RocketSeason]

Hello gang!

I need a very decent overflow box that pushes about 300 gph. pick one out for me!

thanks,
-Matt

 

[morphviper]

www.aqauplumbers.com has a great one for the price. it will do upto 700gph

it all depends on the flow back to the tank.

good luck

 

[RocketSeason]

ahhhh....I see. So a 700 gph overflow wont nessicarily push 700 bph. it depends on whats dumping into the overflow box.

makes sense. would I be running the risk of breaking the syphon if I only push 300 gallons on an overflow rated for 700 gph?

 

[morphviper]

not on the ones from aqua plumbers. I can't speak for all of them. The ones on aqua plumbers once you make the syphon you will not have to worry about it again. won't break syphon for any reason except human intervention.

 

[fishfreek]

For a low flow overflow I would have to suggest a CPR overflow as much as it pains me. I dont think much of them although many folks use them. I have heard to many horror stories about them losing syphon. Most of your "U" tube overflows will process between 600-700GPH with a single tube.

 

[RocketSeason]

so why, If you have heard so many horror stories, would you still recommend it? :?

I need something that will absolutely not loose syphon. I am an apartment dweller.

 

[fishfreek]

Because they are the only overflows that I know of that will do low flow like your needing. U tubes at that slow of flow rate could lose syphon simply due to slow water flowing thru the tube allowing air to collect causing a syphon break. boost the speed of your water flowing thru the overflow to 450gph - 600gph and you can go with a U tube and have nearly no problems.

CPR's with use of a good powerhead are suppsoed to not lose syphon.

 

[RocketSeason]

hmm... Perhaps if I boost my flowrate to 500 gph, I can then remove the extra maxijet and split the sump return in two to direct the water where I want?

I heard that the sump turnover rate should be no more than 10 times the total water volume otherwise there will be problems with micro bubbles. Is this true? Or only true on large systems? I do plan on building a baffle system into my sump to help reduce micro bubbles.

 

[morphviper]

The ones that sell at www.aquaplumbers.com i have tested and tested and have had no problems using low flow high flow or just shutting off. Never lost its syphon! good product.

I have a couple people that run a rather low flow rate with these overflows and they seem to have to problems with bubbles. they do have some noise though. sounds like water runing.

 

[RocketSeason]

they do have some noise though. sounds like water runing.

Kinda like the waterfall in my frog tank sitting riht nect to the SW tank...lol

 

[MarineFlake]

Normally gurgle is caused by the over flow out running the pump. That is the water level on the collection side of the overflow empties out and starts to suck air...heh. There are a couple ways to lower or rid the noise all together. I have an Amiracle U tube overflow with dual bulkheads in it. (1 1/4") In my case I can get 'gurgle' by either starving the overflow or over driving it. I have a Mag 9 so at 4' I am pushing about 1350 GPH. With the addition of a 3rd U tube I should be able to open her wide but for now I use the ball valve on my return line to throttle back until the noise is acceptable or in my case all together gone. I also dropped (literally its just sitting in there..) a 3/4" 90 degree elbow into the 1 1/4" bulkhead and that has helped ALOT.
As for breaking the siphon, I have run my overflow in all kinds of messed up configs and have never seen both tubes loose siphon. In your case if you wanted to be cautious you could use a smaller diameter u tube (Or cut one from a Lee's J tube..etc) This would restrict the flow even further into the overflow.
GL!

 

[Jonathan G.]

go with the U tube, i have slowed the flow in my tank to check that and somehow it just doesn't break the syphon. mine is rated for 600gph and i use a mag seven but once used a maxi jet 1200 to see if the power went out or something if it would break the syphon and it didn't, just make sure the overflow is built right where when the power cuts off the back part of the U tube in the overflow box is still submerged.

 

[RocketSeason]

yeah thats why I am going to buy the overflow instead of build it. the sump I am going to build myself. (accually just Mod a tank.) It will work like the ones at Melvsreef.comreturn Ts and passes through a ball valve to feed the fuge.)

And I want to split the return so that I can get rid of that ugly Maxi-Jet in my tank.

So I am thinking about working with a higher flow rate and getting like a Mag 9.5 or 12 for the return pump. Can anyone suggest a better pump?

 

[MarineFlake]

Just bought a mag 18 for mine (Replaced a RIO 3100 which still kicks but) and its a really quiet and powerful pump. The 9.5 will yeild about 800 GPH @ 4' which is just over 20x turnover/hr if your using it on your 37G tank. You can get a 3/4" y adapter to split the output. I like a nice wide spray instead of the traditional directional nozzle so I went from 3/4" out from the pump into a 3/4" ball valve into a 3/4" y into 1" pvc 90 degree elbows for the out flow. I would not recommend a 90 degree tee for splitting as T's provide a fair amount of push back on your pump. Most folks do use them, I just wanted the most out of my pump. Now I am in need of a 3rd U tube to keep up ! ; )

GL!

 

[RocketSeason]

If I tee the return hose, am I loosing any gph? I think I am going to want about 600 Gallons an hour flowing back into my tank to maintain the current amount of circulation that I have.

 

[Jonathan G.]

if you want 600gph flow and random flow or branched flow then go with like a mag9.5 with the sqwd (squid) or even a 12 depending on height but more then likely the 9. and i would recommend the mag drives, im a first time uses besides using rios and catalina's and im sold on them. very dependable and sturdy.