Overflows

PBearslax36 · 06-17-2005, 08:52 AM

Anyone have any ideas/opinions on a good overflow box?

Rothie · 06-17-2005, 07:19 PM

I just bought a dual overfow(1200G) from this seller on eBay.It's a really nice unit.I paid 44 plus shipping.I would recommend his products.

tims · 06-17-2005, 09:35 PM

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_...pr.asp?CartId=

these are nice!, look for one that has the double chamber.the " U " tube will sit in water before it flows to the drain. if you lose power only a certain amount of water will go to the sump and then stop. as long as the tube is not lifted out of hte water , when power comes back on flow start right away.

Rothie · 06-17-2005, 11:26 PM

Sorry,I forgot to tell you which seller.It's salt-solutions.

PBearslax36 · 06-18-2005, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tims

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_...pr.asp?CartId=

these are nice!, look for one that has the double chamber.the " U " tube will sit in water before it flows to the drain. if you lose power only a certain amount of water will go to the sump and then stop. as long as the tube is not lifted out of hte water , when power comes back on flow start right away.

I was origanally thinking of a CPR overflow. Do all the models have the double chamber u tube that you are talking about? Please leave an answer.

Also, I thought you said if I was doing a fuge, to have the flow low like 300gph. Other people have said high like 600 gph. I need a concrete answer in your opinion. For my 55 gal display tank with 20 gallon long fuge, what gph do I need. Please tell me what you would have. I need to get in this, and I have not had any real concrete answers so far. I hear different things. I only trust what you and Vince say. Dont mean to down play anyone's info, but I have dealt mainly with you 2, and I like what you have said. So basically if you guys say something, I will do it. Please let me know. Thanks.

craigGP · 06-18-2005, 02:38 AM

my understanding of the cpr design is that the broad "U-chamber" is a design weakness. if you run 300 gph thru that large cross-sectional area, the rate of flow per area is slow. this can allow bubbles to build up in the top of the U and without the fast flow rate to push them out, it can cause problems.

i have a lifereef that i believe is rated up to 700 gph. there are many knockoffs which might save some $, but the design uses a "U-tube". if you run the 300 gph thru that, its the same amount of water as above, but moving thru a more constricted area, which means that the velocity of the water will be much faster. bubbles don't build up in this case, making it much more reliable.

search RC and you will find a lot of people unhappy with their cpr and a lot of threads with modifications to try and make them more reliable. i know my name is not tim or vince, but i figured i'd throw that out there for consideration

. don't mean to poopoo anyone's ideas, but i've been down the road you are travelling, and i figured i'd let you know the results of my homework.

craig

Loverotties · 06-18-2005, 09:00 AM

Not just the bubbles but hard to clean like regular tubes!

PBearslax36 · 06-18-2005, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigGP

search RC and you will find a lot of people unhappy with their cpr and a lot of threads with modifications to try and make them more reliable.
What is RC?
i know my name is not tim or vince, but i figured i'd throw that out there for consideration

. don't mean to poopoo anyone's ideas, but i've been down the road you are travelling, and i figured i'd let you know the results of my homework.

craig

To Craig and everyone else:
I apologize for my ignorance and bad choice of words. I do not think Tim and Vince are the only 2 people that know anything on here. On the contrary, I believe that more than half of TRT members are brillant when it comes to this stuff, where as I am definately not. But if you think about making pancakes, everyone has their different styles, but in the end you get the same results. Same holds true for this. I here different people telling me different things and it's hard for me to figure it all out. It gets very frustrating for me. I have dealt with certain people more than others, and I understand their pancakes better. In the end, I am just a ding-dong who knows nothing about this hobby, trying to learn a lot in a short amount of time. Sometimes I wish things were more concrete and easier. I really do welcome all suggestions, ideas, opinions, etc. Once again I apologize if I ruffled anyone's feathers.

PB

craigGP · 06-18-2005, 12:11 PM

i know you meant no insult, just thought i'd have a little fun with ya! that is why the

is there. that is one nice thing about TRT compared to a lot of the other sites. everybody here is really laid back, making friends, wanting to learn, and don't have the bad attitude common elsewhere. i like your pancake analogy and understand completely. no hurt feelings on my end. i was actually more concerned about stepping on tim's toes for poopooing the cpr he posted about...

RC is reefcentral.com. IMO, it is one of the sites where the bad attitudes prevail. lots of flame wars and arguments. that said, there is a lot of traffic there and lots of ideas are tossed around. its a good place to look for answers and ideas, just like here. i just don't participate there much. if there is a product you are wondering about, it has probably been discussed there a hundred times.

i'm glad to see you doing so much work to get things right initially instead of making all the mistakes first, then fixing them. wish we all had that kind of foresight.

craig

BTW- i don't consider myself an expert on anything. i have fought the same fights you are and will be. i just have 20/20 hindsight.

PBearslax36 · 06-18-2005, 12:49 PM

Thanks for being cool. I will look into the lifereef overflow. By the way, what gph pump and overflow would you get if you were in my shoes? I have a 55 gal with 20 fuge. Thanks again.

craigGP · 06-18-2005, 01:19 PM

if you were running a sump just to hide your equipment, i'd kick up the gph to whatever the overflow can handle, like 600-700 gph. you can use your return pump to significantly increase your circulation. if you are doing a fuge to grow macro and export nutrients, then slower rates allow the fuge to cleanse the water best, more in the 300-400 gph range or even slower. you would want to increase circulation in this case within the tank via powerheads or closed loop. either way, i'd put a valve in the return line so you can fine tune your return rate. buy the pump you want and hold it back with the valve. with this setup, you can always increase flow, but you couldn't if you buy a small pump to start with.

as you have been told before in other posts, the amount of circulation is dependent on what you expect to keep in your tank. you might think about buying Aquarium Corals by borneman to get a real world, common sense reference book for types of corals.

a word of advice though, design your setup for "a step above" what you think you want to keep now. inevitably, you will want to "take the next step up" in the reef hobby, and you can save yourself money by preparing now for that to happen. skimmer and lighting especially come to mind for this. trust me, it happens...

craig

wharyat · 06-18-2005, 07:02 PM

Thanks for trusting us so much; but I am glad to see that you are willing to take others advice, I've learned most of what I know from around the 'net and this forum.

Craig is right about 20/20 hindsight; that's what this forum is for, to gather ideas and husbandry techniques to help newbies and even experienced reefers have great success in this hobby.

PBearslax36 · 06-18-2005, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigGP

if you were running a sump just to hide your equipment, i'd kick up the gph to whatever the overflow can handle, like 600-700 gph. you can use your return pump to significantly increase your circulation. if you are doing a fuge to grow macro and export nutrients, then slower rates allow the fuge to cleanse the water best, more in the 300-400 gph range or even slower.
Essentially I want to do a fuge, but also put a skimmer and heater in the beginning part where the overflow tube drops in.
you would want to increase circulation in this case within the tank via powerheads or closed loop.
I have 2 maxi jet 900 in the top back corners of the tank. Is this ok? I do not know what a closed loop is.
either way, i'd put a valve in the return line so you can fine tune your return rate. buy the pump you want and hold it back with the valve. with this setup, you can always increase flow, but you couldn't if you buy a small pump to start with.
I was thinking of an oveflow at 300gph, a pump at 250gph, and the skimmer will be 350gph. What do you think of these numbers?
as you have been told before in other posts, the amount of circulation is dependent on what you expect to keep in your tank. you might think about buying Aquarium Corals by borneman to get a real world, common sense reference book for types of corals.
I plan on keeping polyps and LPS.

Also I put my plans on here. Will you check them out? I believe it is the link below. If it doesnt work by clicking on it, it is under my post called "Fuge Schematic." Thanks.

http://thereeftank.com/forums/showth...762#post465762

craig

craigGP · 06-18-2005, 09:37 PM

that is much better. i'd do a bigger pump than you are talking about, but put a ball valve on it like i described above. maybe a mag 7 or mag 9.5 as seen here.

i'd be inclined to get an overflow that will do 700 gph. it still works fine at 300 gph, but you have the capability to do more.

PBearslax36 · 06-18-2005, 10:58 PM

I am thinking about doing the Y in the returns like u were saying above.
I will also go bigger on the pump w/ a ball valve. But if my pump is 900gph and i have a valve making it do 300gph, will that make it overworked?
Also, I might get an overflow for 600gph. So if it is rated for 600gph, but the pump is only pumping 300gph, does that mean the 600gph overflow will only be at 300gph?
And one last one. On my return hoses, what kind of set up should i have putting the water in the tank? by this i mean a long pvc pipe drilled w/ little holes or a spray nozzle type thing. have a look at the pic below, and tell if ya like A, B, or C. Thanks.

Overflows

Sorry!!