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View Full Version : Need opinions regarding HOB overflows


rachelcb80
08/17/2007, 02:00 PM
I've been keeping my eyes open for a deal on a bigger tank. I've found a tank with stand that I really like but the tank isn't drilled. Assuming that drilling it is not an option, what would you do;

A: Get the tank and go with a Lifereef prefilter box.
B: Pass it by and keep looking for a reef ready tank.

If you would go with "A", how many Lifereefs would I need for a 240 gallon tank? Just one of the 1400 gph ones? I'm asking all this because I don't have any experience with the HOB overflows. I've read negatives things about them but I see a lot of people still using them also.

Thanks!

pass1over
08/17/2007, 02:23 PM
I cant say how many you would need on a tank that size. But I have used a HOB overflow ever since I started a reef tank and they work just fine.
Im sure a drilled tank might be easier n stuff, but both tanks ive had fell into my lap at an awesome price, so I couldnt pass em up.

I have a 1100gph on my 75gal tank with a mag 9.5 return, my mag outflows the overflow easily. Im thinking of adding another overflow so I can open up my mag more than the 50% it is now.

AquaKnight
08/17/2007, 02:43 PM
There was just a thread on this a few weeks ago. There's a good bit of negative hype out there, but a lot of us really like them. As long as you have a pump able to put out 85% of the overflow rating you're good to go. Only choose quality U-tube overflows as well. I have 600gph on my 29 w/a Mag 9.5 and a 1200gph on my 125 w/a Mag18. The 29's feeds the fuge and the 125's has really long return piping, over 7'. Still throttling both back (good thing, room for extra).

I have very frequent power failures here in central Florida and have had zero problems.

rachelcb80
08/17/2007, 02:55 PM
When y'all say you have the pump throttled back, is that just with a ball valve in the return line? I'm assuming then that I would need PVC pipe for my return line?

We have power outages ALL the time here so I definitely have to keep that in mind.

AquaKnight
08/17/2007, 03:07 PM
Yep, ball valve on the return piping.