how to stop sump from over flowing?????

[sharpimage]

10g is useless. A sump is not required

 

[Reefing_Engineer]

Here is a youtube link to a type of overflow I use on my 10g tank, I have been using it for 9 months with no problems, it has a really small profile but if you’re using it on a 55 gallon tank it would have to be upsized considerably, also having the gate valves is a real game changer for fine tuning which took me a while to learn and lots of flooding!

 

[landlubber]

only problem is that the only thing that could really fit in the stand I have now is a basic 10g and 10g for a 55??? almost useless.

dang. It sounds like the display was meant for freshwater applications and put to use for salt. i agree with the previous post, a canister or hob isn't as luxurious and might require a bit more maintenance but plenty of nice tanks are sump-less.
The only other solution i can think of is remotely locating the sump so it isn't under the stand. it would allow you to upsize it and as a bonus cuts the noise considerably. The downside is it takes up more space, might require making holes in walls or making a little cabinet along side the tank itself.

 

[CollectOyster04]

Another option to try is to drill a small hole (+/- ⅛") in your overflow and return pipes just below the water surface. So at least if/when the tank drains, those small holes will break the siphon closer to the surface negating having so much water flow to the sump. Still would have to periodically check those holes to be sure they don't clog.
As others have stated, a gate valve (not ball valve) is a must to fine tune the flow back to the tank. Without an overflow box, your task can be difficult to achieve. If for some reason you lose your siphon to the sump, your tank will overflow from water being pushed from the sump. There are ways to set up a tank like you have, but it will require always keeping an eye on it. More traditional reef style tanks with overflows (with a herbie, or bean animal setup) are more of a set and forget ( for the most part).
It's a matter of your risk tolerance and time to dedicate to your tank. Maybe keep with a canister/hob with this tank and eventually find a deal on a similar (or larger lol) drilled tank for peace of mind and less stress of flooding. Just some food for thought.

 

[Waboss]

Ok, so here's my thoughts on this:

-If you can fit 2, 10Gal tanks in your sump, you can just use 2, to give you 20 Gal of "sump space". You can drill one or both of them, and either have them connected or have one gravity feed to the other. I've done it many time, works like a champ.

-If you want to just run on a single 10 Gal, it would be tough and you'd have minimal margin for error, so while I'd suggest against this, I think it is possible. It would require some changes and I'm thinking it may not be the quietest.

-There's no problem with running HOB gear, folks do it all the time. If you have a canopy for the tank, you probably won't even see the gear. You will likely be a bit limited, but you can have a very successful tank with HOB gear.

-And of course, you could just drill the tank and install an overflow box OR pick up a siphon overflow box, but that wouldn't solve the small sump concern.

 

[FishyThings]

Another option to try is to drill a small hole (+/- ⅛") in your overflow and return pipes just below the water surface. So at least if/when the tank drains, those small holes will break the siphon closer to the surface negating having so much water flow to the sump. Still would have to periodically check those holes to be sure they don't clog.
As others have stated, a gate valve (not ball valve) is a must to fine tune the flow back to the tank. Without an overflow box, your task can be difficult to achieve. If for some reason you lose your siphon to the sump, your tank will overflow from water being pushed from the sump. There are ways to set up a tank like you have, but it will require always keeping an eye on it. More traditional reef style tanks with overflows (with a herbie, or bean animal setup) are more of a set and forget ( for the most part).
It's a matter of your risk tolerance and time to dedicate to your tank. Maybe keep with a canister/hob with this tank and eventually find a deal on a similar (or larger lol) drilled tank for peace of mind and less stress of flooding. Just some food for thought.

yeah that's what I have been thinking about maybe in 5 or so years when I can have a tank in my own house (because i'm only 14) to get around a 120 to even a 180 or 200 cube style. My biggest problem was not planning on going with a sump in the beginning and now that its been a month with the tank running I feel like drilling or adding sump should be out of the picture. So I feel like a hob protein skimmer possibly some stronger lights and a canister filter are the last things I will buy for this tank filtration wise.

 

[ca1ore]

heres the basic sketch

Based on that picture, it isn't ever going to work. Too much water will siphon out of the tank when you turn off the pump and the 'overflow' wont automatically start when you pump water back up.

 

[1guydude]

You need to T off your main drain and raise it above the tank. Cap it. Drill a hole and some airline. U just made a purge. That way the air suction wont siphon your display to your sump.

I agree that the sump should have more than enough available volume to hold whatever water siphons down or back so no worry of overflowing.
Maybe put your sump next to your stand? Get a 40B? Idk if that matters to you or not.

I always recomment the kits with bulkheads. Hole saw. Template. Overflow box with prefered lid or waterfall in box.
D

 

[Montiman]

You should never ever ever use a single full siphon drain on a sump. Nothing you do will stop the flooding.

You need to invest in an overflow box from someone like CPR or build a PVC overflow like mentioned earlier in the thread. A canister filter intake will always result in a flood if you try to use it the way you are.

 

[CollectOyster04]

There's no shame in the canister filter/hob skimmer game ! I bought a running 65 gallon full of fish and coral that was running with that setup for years. I cleaned the canister filters about once a month and ran it that way for well over a year until I upgraded to a different tank. With a hob skimmer, just be sure to stay on top of the tanks too off requirements. Letting the tank level drop due to evaporation will effect how well the skimmer works.
Don't get me wrong, I love having a sump setup now, but with your age and most likely available income, keep it simple. You can still have a great tank with that kind of setup and take the time to plan for any future upgrades. Your parents will probably appreciate the canister filter approach as well lol. I know in my youth, my dad was upset with me more than once with my fish tank(s) mishaps.