DIY plumbing

[fyrfytr]

Looking ahead, want to plumb my tank for a sump/fuge. Since it is already in operation drilling is not an option. Looking at the eShopps overflow, but I saw a YouTube video where someone used an old HOB filter and drilled a hole in the back for the water to drain to the sump/fuge.

[keithhays]

If you have to go with this type of overflow, I would go with one that has a way to start the siphon via a small pump which also keeps air out of the siphon.
Before my first reef ready tank, I tried all sorts of diy stuff and it never works out, you always end with something that doesn't work quite right.

You could, maybe, drill the back of the tank while it is in operation, a little risky, but, you would then be able to silicone a new internal or external overflow in and plumb from there.

[Kawi9_cf]

Double post

[Kawi9_cf]

You could, maybe, drill the back of the tank while it is in operation, a little risky, but, you would then be able to silicone a new internal or external overflow in and plumb from there.

You get lots of glass dust when you drill this wouldn't be the wisest idea.

[keithhays]

You get lots of glass dust when you drill this wouldn't be the wisest idea.

Definitely true, also many tanks have tempered glass that will shatter when you try to drill it...not the wisest of suggestions. Forget I said it. :)

[mr.maroonsalty]

Dont do it; it's not worth it. I don't see anyway to install a safety drain. The hob overflows to the tank after it lifts the water out. A backup drain would have to be in the hob too and for it to work water would never overflow to the tank. If this is your best option for right now you will need to weigh the risk of placing the pump high enough in the sump so that the tank can handle all the water the pump will send it before it starts sucking air. Ive had maxijets run for a long time this way. I would save my money for a hob overflow and use the same precaution with the pump; used they a quite inexpensive. The crap shoot for a flood is the same because it doesn't have a backup drain, but the overflows don't rely so heavily on a pump to keep flow slowing air out of the syphon; most say that the Lifereef product purges the air out by itself and is perhaps the better one to get.

[fyrfytr]

Since the tank is in use drilling was not an option that ever crossed my mind.

@mr.maroonsalty - not quite sure what you are getting at. Lot of information compressed into the post, and all running together on little sleep is not adding up in my brain.

I guess my question was more of would it be better to have an overflow like the eShops one that just pulls water out as a syphon and therefore you are going to suck water down till you get below the intake level or try and modify an HOB filter that has a pump that pulls water in and if there is a power loss the pump stopps. Benifit to me is the HOB filter mod has its own pump and therefore doesnt rely on the syphon effect to get water and if the power cuts off you lose the intake as well as the return pump in the sump at the same time. Also, with the HOB mod, it is designed to spill out back into the tank so if you have a clog or something it just harmlessly spills back into the tank without having gone through the sump

[Kawi9_cf]

The thing with the hang on the back mod is that you will constantly be trying to balance the pump on the hob filter and the return pump together. Even if you get the best valve in the world and get them perfectly balanced if the flow through one of the pumps gets even a little off you will end up with a wet floor after a couple of hours or days.

As far as what your saying about it spilling back into the tank that is true but only untill the return pumps up enough water to overflow the tank.

If you want a hob overflow its better just to buy one. Hob overflows aren't ideal but its a lot safer than your other idea.