overflow boxes

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
bbortko

bbortko

Polypterus
MFK Member
Mar 3, 2010
3,167
222
96
Northwest, Indiana
I'm trying to learn sumps and want to confirm I understand something. Water goes over the top, hence the name, if power goes out water level drops and stops going to sump. The actual overflows are lower than the box so if there is no overflow box you need significantly more room in the sump to accommodate the water level drop?
 
The water in the tank will drop to the level of the box. The problem is when the power back up the pump will pumping the water back to the tank causing over fill the tank.

Sent from my HTC One using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
kiep said:
The water in the tank will drop to the level of the box. The problem is when the power back up the pump will pumping the water back to the tank causing over fill the tank.

Sent from my HTC One using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Click to expand...

What do you mean by this?
 
kiep said:
The water in the tank will drop to the level of the box. The problem is when the power back up the pump will pumping the water back to the tank causing over fill the tank.

Sent from my HTC One using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm lost on this one....

If you aren't using overflow boxes then the water will only drop to the height of your drain/standpipe. If you don't use boxes, just lengthen your standpipe so its closer to the top.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
ElectricBlueSeanBurch said:
What do you mean by this?
Click to expand...

Overflow boxes are notorius for having issues. Here is where the issues of things are......

So you have a sump running and tank set up running with an overflow box. Utube style, Or any style wont matter. You also have your return to the tank. When the power shuts off the water in the tank will drain down into the sump. It will drain to the lowest point that has a syphon in the tank. Weather that is the overflow or the return. This is why drilling a hole into the return just below the water line as a syphon break is important. it will make it to the return doesnt suck water down lower and flood your sump onto the floor. The overflow box will quit taking on water once its below the overflow. If your overflow is set right and your using a syphon break it wont over flow the sump onto the floor.

BUT... What happens when the power comes back on? The pump starts pumping the water back into the tank from the sump. Its POSSIBLE, in fact it happens to alot of people that use overflow boxes of any design that the siphon breaks in the utube or in some cases the lift pump quits, or some other error with the overflow box happens and it doenst start sucking the water back into the sump. NOW the tank is going to overflow onto the floor because the rest of the water in the sump will be pumped up into it and its not draining back into the sump.

These are the reasons I will NEVER use any kind of overflow box. I drill any and all my tanks I want to have a sump/wetdry used on. No ifs, and or buts. Then I use a bean animal overflow style design. As well as install all the safety features I can like siphon break onj the return, emergency over flow tube part of the bean animal. secondary open chanle flow pipe that is tube actuated. As well as I use over sized sumps that can handle the water from the tank and the bean animal overflow with a quality in tank overflow box that keeps debris from plugging anything.
 
BTW.. I know there are people that havent had a issue with their overflow box set up.. BUT they and anyone should rememebr this about Overflow style hang on boxes.

There are only 2 kinds of people with hang on overflow boxes. Those that HAVE had a issue and flooded their floor cause it failed and created an overflow of the tank or sump, and those that WILL have an issue and flood their floor cause it failed and created an overflow of the tank or sump.
 
Jc1119 said:
Yeah I'm lost on this one....

If you aren't using overflow boxes then the water will only drop to the height of your drain/standpipe. If you don't use boxes, just lengthen your standpipe so its closer to the top.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Click to expand...

I believe he is speaking in terms of hang on style overflow boxes that use utubes or other designs. Not PVC or drilled tanks with internally attached overflow boxes.
 
Aquaticfan said:
I believe he is speaking in terms of hang on style overflow boxes that use utubes or other designs. Not PVC or drilled tanks with internally attached overflow boxes.
Click to expand...

Oh I see... But then what does the op mean by " if there's no overflow box".

Not sure how you'd run a hang on without the box.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Op never stated hob overflow box, Why did we just assume this? I would never use a hob overflow however drilled tanks with standard overflows are almost flawless and not prone to failure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom