Overflow Boxes

[floydie83]

I'm looking at overflow boxes for my 72g bowfront.

I would really not like to drill the tank and in the future I am interested in turning it into a reef tank (right now I have brackish fish). I am looking at eshopps rated for 900 gph. Is it worth the $75 or should I just buy some cheap overflow of ebay or even make one out of PVC. I have a spare 1200gph pump and a 29 gallon sump.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Lifereef makes the best overflow boxes on the market - http://www.lifereef.com/siphon.html

[Jstdv8]

I have a standard cheapie and I hate it. The box is not stable and the overflow side doesnt have the partition in it to keep the water from losing siphon during a power outage. My LFS has the e-shopps and they look very nice and are stable on his tanks

[Toddrtrex]

[welcome]

I am currently using the LifeReef one on my 75, and an E-shopps on my 33 cube. If I had to do it all over again I would have bought another LifeReef for the cube. The LifeReef one has worked flawlessly for 7+ years.

[brannock_16]

Tagging along. Looking to add a 90 gallon sump/fuge to my tank and don't like the idea of drilling on a tank full of water!

[wooden_reefer]

If you do not want to drill a tank and you still want gravity flow into a sump, then you must rely on a siphon between the tank and a box never breaking.

Do drill a tank; the risk of the siphon breaking is too great to chance, day in and day out for the years to come.

[Toddrtrex]

With a properly designed over flow box (( like the LifeReef one )) the is little chance of the siphon breaking. I am not the only one that have had them running for years without issue.

[rezaktp]

I have one available here!

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1743784

[wooden_reefer]

With a properly designed over flow box (( like the LifeReef one )) the is little chance of the siphon breaking. I am not the only one that have had them running for years without issue.

I have no doubt that it often works but it is a chance.

How big is the siphon tube or channel?

I tend to think that the siphon thru a big tube breaks more easily than thru a small tubing. But the smaller the tubing the greater the chance of a clog.


Is often enough? This is the question, IMO.

[Toddrtrex]

I have no doubt that it often works but it is a chance.

How big is the siphon tube or channel?

I tend to think that the siphon thru a big tube breaks more easily than thru a small tubing. But the smaller the tubing the greater the chance of a clog.


Is often enough? This is the question, IMO.

I am at work, but want to say the U-tube is 1" in diameter. I would never use one of the C type ones -- that require an aqua-lifter pump.

With the deeper (( then others )) "boxes" of the LifeReef there is little to no chance of the siphon breaking.

Lets just say that I have never had mine lose its siphon (( excluding when I removed the U-tube )) in the 7+ years I have had it running. I have been away from my tanks for over 7 days at a time, and it losing its siphon was never a concern.

[Tomaric]

Drill here, Drill now!

[uslanja]

I run an Eshopps overflow box and have not had a problem. I have simulated power outages as a test and everything works just fine. No siphon break. I would drill my next tank before adding the water though, just because I think it would be a cleaner, sturdier and more compact installation. However, I am still learning on this tank and the Eshopps works great!
Dave

[Tomaric]

"I would drill my next tank before adding the water though" Yea me too!

(sorry couldn't resist) :hmm3:

[uslanja]

Sure would be exciting if you add the water first!!

[gtphale]

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

I am currently using the LifeReef one on my 75, and an E-shopps on my 33 cube. If I had to do it all over again I would have bought another LifeReef for the cube. The LifeReef one has worked flawlessly for 7+ years.

Which one is quieter? I'm looking for one for my 55 gal.

[agreeive?fish]

Which one is quieter? I'm looking for one for my 55 gal.


well i just happen to be reading this thread with no wife or kids at home..shut down the tv..perfectly quiet in the house..i had to get up and go to the tank before i could hear my ehopps overflow within about 8 inches of the tank before i could hear any noise from the overflow on my 30g mini reef


disclaimer.. everbody's hearing is diffrent

[gtphale]

I made some custom overflow boxes for my 125 gal. mbuna tank. They aren't to bad but was hopeing to find quieter for this tank since its going into the tv room.

[gpkozmp]

Well what are the reason's why you don't want to drill the tank?

I am about to drill mine for the simple reason that I don't want my tank sitting a foot away from the wall.

[gtphale]

Bottom of my tank is tempered glass. Not sure about the rest.

[Chris27]

55's are really the only tank that uses tempered glass on all panels -

[AC2020x]

I got a eshopps and although i have not had any major issues with it, I am sure the lifereef is much easier and way more reliable to use. Although my siphon has never broke though my eshopps (including in power outages) I have had issues getting it at a point for rate of drain vs noise. For a while I had issues where the only way I could get it quiet would be if the water wasn't draining though it fast enough. But now I have managed to fix that and it is runnning fine. If you have the money i'd go lifereef for sure, if not- eshopps is a good substitute to drilling