HOB overflow / sump setup reviews ?

[mudbuttjones]

Overflows work but I would not be able to sleep at night or rest easy while I was away from the house.

I know they work great when set up PROPERLY.. I'd just assume not have to worry about a crucial component like that. Even with drilled bulkheads im running 3 on my 90g for the sake of redundancy and safety. I am not comfortable with the prospect of water damage.

I would only recommend an doing an overflow box if drilling was out of the question, like the tanks construction prohibited it. Even then your probably better off with a canister.

Drilling glass is just too easy not to do. If my dumbass can do it, im sure anyone can.

Drain the tank, remove the substrate, put the fish/filters in a large holding container, flip the tank on its side, build a dam out of clay or putty, fill the dam with water, drill the tank, and your done. It'll cost less than buying an overflow box. Probably less than $20 for a bulkhead and hole saw.

That is if your glass isnt tempered. You can always practice on spare glass or tanks.

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[Jc1119]

I would drill it, I HATE those HOB box's... you can never get them to flow right the first 300 tries and you have to go through all the BS every time you do a water change!!! Not for me..

if the tank does not have a built in over flow it will not have a sump on it for me.... FX5 or 405 depending on the size of the tank!!!

Weird. I too prefer drilled tanks and run several but I also run a few tanks on Eshopps boxes and have never had an issue losing siphon. Not once.....I literally just plug the pump back in and that's it. Not sure how I could even adjust the flow ...

They are all in the garage so a flood wouldn't be the end of the world anyways, but I've yet to have an issue.


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[rob1984]

ya im not sure if im tempered glass though all I know is that it is a hagen tank and the glass is about 1/2" thick.... and im in a basement apartment im renting so flooding would be bad news for me lol.... maybe I should just hold out on building a sump and getting a overflow box and just save some money for a slightly larger tank that already drilled with a sump and etc on it.... atm 72x19x24 maybe upgrade to a 72x24x30 just a real PITA to move my tank out and a new one in very difficult process for how this is setup here for moving in and out

and yea ive online from people with eshopps they have no siphon issues once turned off and restarting

 

[MilitantPotato]

A well designed HOB overflow will hold its siphon even after power failure. It will also have an attachment for an airline, to hook to a powerhead with venturi (set in the sump) to remove air bubbles that accumulate.
I had a nice HOB overflow on a 75 gallon for years. The only issue I had was the fitting the airline was hooked to got clogged sometimes, a paper clip once every few weeks kept it sucking the trapped air just fine. This never caused a flood, since I oversized the overflow by 3-400 gallons an hour.

This seems to be a newer model of the one I used.
http://www.marinedepot.com/CPR_CS_O...Boxes_for_Aquariums-CPR-CR1511-FIOFEB-vi.html

Also, building a miniature stockman overflow for the box will make them very quiet. I never tried a durso style, but it may work as well.

 

[rob1984]

How did you oversize the overflow by 300-400gph ? I do have 4 maxijet 1200 powerheads here doing doing anything but was told there not strong enough to suck the air out during a startup after power been shut off

Ya I like the design of the. One you linked compared to the eshopps with that loop over, seem that one is less likely to get air trapped in the top breaking the siphon and all

 

[Jc1119]

Our hobs are 1800 gph models with around 1100-1200 being pumped through them.

Not sure if that has anything to do with it but it's worked for several years and I **** down pumps fairly often for maintenance, etc


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[softturtle]

I have had good luck with eshoppes too and have had no problems at all once set up. I do modify them slightly be bonding the inner box to the outer box with weld-on. Not the best looking equipment, but for the price, you really can't beat it. Ive spent more money DIY'in many times.

 

[rob1984]

well this is one of the options I had in my head, plus it only 5 mins from me http://www.kijiji.ca/v-pets-other-i...mp/1027239460?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true I figured If I can find someone in need of larger tank that go half on it with me, then im all set

The model of the sump is 150WD made by Strictly Fish The pump is a Sedra KSP 9000 http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/wp-sd09000/Sedra+KSP-9000+Water+pump.html

 

[MilitantPotato]

Looks like you'll be flowing 3000lph at 2m of head, make sure you have an overflow that can handle 4000lph or more than that and you'd be alright i think.

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[Fishwhore]

Matching the return pump to your overflows is everything. Not enough flow and you accumulate air bubbles in the u tube. Best to have a good flow and that in turns pushes all bubbles past the u tube.

I've ran hob overflows since I got my sea clear one back in 97'. Finally bought a tank w/ overflows and ended up not like them since it took so much space in the tank. Made my 125g a 100g. Tank space wise. That was an aqueon reef ready. Just buy a quality hob overflow like eshopps. I currently run 2 pf-800 w/ 500 gph and it super quite. A fast flow w/ a small overflow will make lots of noise. Gurgle sounds. Gl buddy!