Innovative Marine's 15 Gallon Cube - Emergency Overflow

[RaymondL]

Ok, 'stupid' question - the IM 15G cube has a built in Emergency Overflow spout built into the back chamber, so that water will flow out there if necessary - exactly what scenario would need to happen for this to happen? Ie. Assuming there's a blockage, wouldn't water flow back into the aquarium anyways through the first chamber?

 

[dmsc2fs]

If you ignore your filter sock long enough the water could backup an not flow through the sock. At that point it needs to go up until it finds a new path to take. If your tank is not level and 1/1000th" tilted towards the glass side the water could flow over the side leaving the tank vice the side into the 2nd chamber. The emergency overflow is lower than the glass enough to prevent that scenario.

Same could happen with the overflow from the main tank into the 1st chamber. A large nem could climb the wall and get sucked into the overflow making for a nice bathtub stopper.

 

[Amber.]

If you are ever curious if it will work if you truly have an emergency and you need to test if it’s level enough to work - take a credit card and block the intake grate. I’m talking completely block it. Watch the water flow up and over the emergency overflow. It’s a pretty nice system.

 

[RaymondL]

If you ignore your filter sock long enough the water could backup an not flow through the sock. At that point it needs to go up until it finds a new path to take. If your tank is not level and 1/1000th" tilted towards the glass side the water could flow over the side leaving the tank vice the side into the 2nd chamber. The emergency overflow is lower than the glass enough to prevent that scenario.

Same could happen with the overflow from the main tank into the 1st chamber. A large nem could climb the wall and get sucked into the overflow making for a nice bathtub stopper.

Thanks for the explanation - makes sense. I'm assuming if using floss rather than a sock it would pose the same issue?

What do people do when they go on vacation I wonder - take the sock or filter floss out to be on the safe side to ensure the risk of blockage at least from the filter media is eliminated?

 

[RaymondL]

If you are ever curious if it will work if you truly have an emergency and you need to test if it’s level enough to work - take a credit card and block the intake grate. I’m talking completely block it. Watch the water flow up and over the emergency overflow. It’s a pretty nice system.

Thanks - interesting that IM is the only AIO tank that is incorporating this emergency flow. I guess the other manufacturers look at this possibility as very slim

 

[Amber.]

Thanks - interesting that IM is the only AIO tank that is incorporating this emergency flow. I guess the other manufacturers look at this possibility as very slim

It depends on what you have in the system or if a freak accident happens and a fish dies, anemone decides to float and block the grate - it’s peace of mind. You will know right off the bat too if your floors or tanks are unlevel and you clog it with a card. I learned the fun way when I first got these tanks a few weeks ago when testing out the overflow myself. Pretty thankful the return pump is only 130GPH or else I’d have water over my floor. It came ALL the way up to the lip of the tank for me - because I’m stupid and forgot to level my stand. Problem fixed now! Haha

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

I ran my IM Fusion 15 in my backyard and tried to block the inlet to see what happens, since it was in the backyard it was not perfectly level with a slight forward lean, there is the other issue is how much water volume do you want in your tank? Do the power shut off and see what happens, playing around outside helps to familiarize yourself on how it works exactly.
So if your sucks get clogged how do you do your ATO?