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10/06/2007, 10:27 AM | #1 |
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How safe are hang on Overflows?
Just how safe are hang on overflows? I have read mixed reviews about flooding and clogging. Seems kind of scary, leave the house come back 1 hour later your floors flooded with water. So are they safe ?
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10/06/2007, 10:33 AM | #2 |
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Get the tank drilled for a bulkhead! Most shops can drill for you or it's easy to do yourself with a cheap ebay diamond holesaw. You won't regret it.
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10/06/2007, 10:43 AM | #3 |
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They aren't safe at all, do it right get your tank drilled!
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10/06/2007, 10:44 AM | #4 |
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What are the chances I am going to get flooded if I attempted to get a hang on?
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10/06/2007, 10:49 AM | #5 |
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depends how often your power goes out and how big your sump is. if you have a big sump with plenty of extra space, then using an overflow isnt bad at all. an overflow box works on a syphon principle, so once water in your display tank drops below the overflowbox, the syphone stop. if your power goes out, the return pump will stop working which is the biggest issue. if that stops working, then the sump will fill up. as long as its big enough to hold the extra syphoned water...you should be good.
i hope i explained it good :P but yeah...getting the tank drilled, from what ive heard is the way to go.
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10/06/2007, 10:53 AM | #6 |
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what about the ones that run on a pump? I have also read some of them say they are flood proof and know how to autoshut off. Which sounds like crap to me.
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10/06/2007, 11:29 AM | #7 | |
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Drilling the tank would be cheaper also. |
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10/06/2007, 11:39 AM | #8 |
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There is probably more misinformation and misunderstanding about this subject that most.
A good HOB overflow, properly setup is perfectly reliable. It should run indefinitely without failing. Many people have run them for many years without an issue. By design, they do not lose siphon when power is out. A reliable overflow has a U Tube, not an integrated C-Siphon, and does not need a vacuum pump to operate. Not all U Tube overflows are created equal either. Some are much better than others. That being said, there is no reason not to drill a tank that is not yet set up unless all sides are tempered which can not be drilled. A (good) HOB overflow added to an established tank to add a sump is perfectly fine.
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10/06/2007, 11:43 AM | #9 |
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What brand is considered good?
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10/06/2007, 11:50 AM | #10 |
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Not a complete list, but here are a few:
Best: Lifereef Good:Amiracle, Hurricane Bad: Eshoppes Really bad: CPR (and clones)
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10/06/2007, 12:44 PM | #11 |
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I've never had probs with mine. But its set up properly and my sump can take he extra water if it needs to (and has....alot of times) Like sjm said. Just get a utube.
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10/06/2007, 03:21 PM | #12 |
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I have an amiracle on my 40 breeder, never had in trouble. As long as I flow around 250-300 gph through it, there is no bubble accumulation at all. It always restarts after I flip the pump back on.
I actually decided on a HOB over drilling my tank even though I'm fully capable of drilling myself (drilled my 90 and my 37 before that). I just could not find a good solution for the overflow box inside the tank that didn't either take up a ton of room, or need to be stuck in a corner where I would see the side of the overflow. The box for the amiracle is nice and compact. I'm moving soon and need to tear the tank down and move it and I'm considering drilling it if I can find a pre-made box the same size as the internal box of the amiracle.
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10/06/2007, 03:45 PM | #13 |
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I have a Lifereef overflow and have not had one problem. I would highly recommend.
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10/06/2007, 03:54 PM | #14 | |
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Quote:
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10/07/2007, 05:39 PM | #15 | |
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Quote:
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SCOTT42 Current Tank Info: 135gallon reef tank mostly lps, and a few leathers, 3x175mh 440vho, 50gallon refuge, auto top off system corallife220 skimmer, (calcium reactor in process of being putt together) |
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10/07/2007, 07:02 PM | #16 |
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The lifereef is the best, but I did have a snail get into the overflow, and I was @ home to catch it, on my old tank.
first is reef-ready tank Lifereef is the best next option |
10/07/2007, 07:22 PM | #17 |
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A snail in a U Tube, Durso standpipe or any plumbing could spell trouble. Take precautions to keep snails out of your overflows. Astrea snails make perfect pipe plugs!
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10/07/2007, 07:32 PM | #18 |
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The only time i get performance issues is when i need to clean the utubes out. But the syphon doesn't lose they just get small air bubbles at the top. But thats like once a month maybe...if that.
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10/07/2007, 07:36 PM | #19 | |
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Leo Click on my red house to see my 90g RR tank :) Tons of pictures, tons... Click!!! Current Tank Info: 90g AGA Reef Ready, 6x54w T5s w/ SLRs, 29g Sump/fuge, OR 2500 Return, Octopus NW150, 2 x TLF Phosban Reactor, Koralia #1, #4, MJ Modded |
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10/07/2007, 07:41 PM | #20 |
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I have had u tube style for a year and have never lost syphon. Even when the power was off for 8 hrs. And just make sure that your returns are high enough in the tank that they break sipon shortly after power is lost.
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10/07/2007, 07:54 PM | #21 |
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There have been a few people with odd Eshoppe problems that I haven't seen with other U Tube overflows. Apparently, not everyone has the same issues. Not sure if they changed something or what the deal is.
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10/07/2007, 10:28 PM | #22 | |
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the problem you are describing of overflowing a sump in a power outage is not specific to systems that use hang on overflows... |
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10/07/2007, 11:32 PM | #23 | |
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Quote:
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Daniel Current Tank Info: 90g reef |
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10/08/2007, 12:07 AM | #24 |
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I thought about getting a overflow myself, but the problem is not the overflow its the fact that my stand cant even fit a 10gallon tank.... And if I removed the centerbrace for the stand it might break.
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10/08/2007, 12:17 AM | #25 |
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I have a CPR 100 use if anyone intrested let me know.
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