Turning old power filters into overflow boxes?

[goalieman392]

well i want to do a sump, but the person who owns the tank with me thinks its too risky to drill a hole. is it possible for me to cut out a hole in the bottom of an old penguin filter, and hook it up to a hose that goes down to the sump and then pumps it back up? This way if the power goes out, both pumps shut off so water wont overflow everywhere, and if the power filter fills up with any excess water it dumps it back into the aquarium. pleas share your thoughts or ideas .. btw i was gonna use a mag pump for the return

[Avi]

This, unfortunately, is not a good idea. Having two pumps is a formula for problems since they'd never run at the precisely same rate so a flood in either the sump or the tank itself is a constant danger with that configuration.

[goalieman392]

well the one coming out of the tank wont really be powered by the pump per se, the pump just brings it into the little power filter container, where it can either go down the drain to the sump or back into the main display like it normally would

[xtrstangx]

It won't work. You are still relying on 2 pumps to do your flow. It is impossible to get the 2 pumps to match perfectly.. either the tank will overflow or the sump will overflow. Even if you do get them to match, any difference in water level (in the display or the sump) will do create different pressure on the pump thus raising or lowering the amount of flow.

Why not use an external overflow box? As long as you stay away from the CPR-style, they work fine and are reasonably safe.

[Avi]

CPR's are a bit controversial from what I've read here in RC. I can't vouch for them since I have no personal experience with them. Seems like you'd need some kind of air pump to use with them so that the flow doesn't break. I can, on the other hand, vouch for the kind of hang-on overflow that uses a U-tube. They're thoroughly reliable and you'd be better off, IMO, if you just bag the powerfilter idea and get a hang-on overflow and use the Mag Drive for the circulation.

[sjm817]

Yeah, just get a decent U Tube based overflow and a return pump. A little plumbing work and you are good to go.

[ste6168]

lol... this thread has me thinking back to when i started in this hobby and i was thinking to myself, man whats up with overflow boxes- just use two of the same pumps and get them to match... needless to say i am glad that i found RC before setting up my system.

Mike

[goalieman392]

lol the whole point of the pump in the filter would just to be to get the water over the rim of the aquarium.. and by shortening the intake of the filter you could safeguard from pump failure or whatever... the drain would still work exactly like a hang on back overflow, or even like a bulkhead... the pump would have nothing to do with getting it to the sump, except to get it into the little bin where itw ould be gravity fed down tot he sump... whats the difference between this and an 80 dollar unit..and if i cut the feed neck down some, so if my sump drain failed it could only suck up so much water out of the main display.. and put the sump pump in an overflow to protect against display tank flooding...

[Avi]

Goalie...I see your point. I wonder if you could just explain what you mean about putting "the sump pump in an overflow to protect against display tank flooding..." in more detail.