Just got a new hob overflow any good ?

[anttyler453]

just ordered that then was told it was no good but I'm here to ask for help here

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

just ordered that then was told it was no good but I'm here to ask for help here

Many folks don't like that the siphon must be maintained by the lifter pump rather than gravity siphon. Look up an eshopps overflow to compare. And like everything reef, some love em's and hatem's.

 

[Engloid]

The problem you will find is that aqualifters are garbage...absolute trash. It won't take long until it starts clogging up and not working. THen, you will get air start to accumulate in the siphon section. As flow there slows, and water pumping up from the sump remains the same.... eventually, if you don't catch it, you'll have a flood.

 

[Maritimer]

The aqualifters do shut down at around six months or so, even if you keep the prefilter clean ... but running vinegar through them seems to help restore them to usefulness.

I have the same overflow, and the aqualifter is certainly its weakest point. It looked like a great idea at the time, but it has come close to flooding my floor on an occasion or two, as well . . .

~Bruce

 

[domination2580]

The aqualifters do shut down at around six months or so, even if you keep the prefilter clean ... but running vinegar through them seems to help restore them to usefulness.

I have the same overflow, and the aqualifter is certainly its weakest point. It looked like a great idea at the time, but it has come close to flooding my floor on an occasion or two, as well . . .

~Bruce

That's interesting. I have an aqua lifter pump on my ato. Not a single problem. Going on a year

 

[jd371]

I was on the fence between that or the eshopps. I decided with the eshopps because I didn't want to rely on a pump for the siphon and one less cord. I've read that if you get a siphon break you could get a flood so that's why most people opt for the CPR's, but my return section would run dry before that ever happened. I'm going on almost 2 years now without a problem. I pull the overflow to clean twice a year and at that time I replace the U-tube because of the algae and coralline build up instead of cleaning, easier to replace at $8 instead of trying to clean it.

 

[anttyler453]

Thats true and it's more reliable then cleaninh

 

[thabizness]

I had a Eshopps one on a 75g for years. Never clogged, never broke siphon unless I stopped the pump.

 

[Dancingmad]

I use(d) CPRs for years. Aqualifter is prime if anything but for piece of mind. Get the replacement parts for it too- seriously a few bucks and easy to change out. I could probably get a two pack rubber pumping parts with the change burried in my couch.

All gear requires some form of maint..shoot, my gravity based / drilled tank had a rogue mexican turbo get stuck in the main drain pipe just last week...not all solutions are without their unique and surprising risks

 

[happyhourhero]

I am almost 2 years on my eschopps. Never had an issue at all.

 

[3mm3]

just ordered that then was told it was no good but I'm here to ask for help here

I ran the same thing on my old cube tank for 4 years. Had to change out the pump once.
Just make it a normal thing to do a 5 second look at it for air pockets every day when you feed your fish or coral.
If you have an air pocket forming check on the pump.
I found that if you run too little flow through it you can start gathering air pockets. Always try to get close to the flow rating of the actual overflow.

 

[DustyXB9Reefer]

That's interesting. I have an aqua lifter pump on my ato. Not a single problem. Going on a year

Your ATO doesn't run constantly like this one would and it pumps freshwater, not salt. Different application will yield different results.

OP return the CPR stuff and get the Eshopps. I had the Eshopps on my tank till i decided to just drill it and get it over with lol.

 

[3mm3]

Are you referring to the eshopps with the tube?

 

[thabizness]

I had the one with a single tube.

 

[Dancingmad]

I used the eshopps with the single tube for a year but like the CPR better. I didnt like the strainer was adjustable and larger intake basket on the eshopps - in fact its what killed mine (plastic screw broke at the head).

 

[jsker]

Works great, like @Dancingmad suggested get the spear rubber baffles 4.65 for the aqua lifter. I have had my overflow up and running for a year and everything works great. I am going to change out the baffles soon. I like the back cover.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

just ordered that then was told it was no good but I'm here to ask for help here

They're not bad. The aqua lifter will eventually give out, just like every other piece of equipment. I had one for years and ended up hooking it up through a venturi inlet on a powerhead. Worked great.

One other thing to watch is the airline fitting on top can and will get clogged. A pipe cleaner will make short work of it though.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

Oh, and start Googling how to make a durso or stockman standpipe for it.

 

[anttyler453]

They're not bad. The aqua lifter will eventually give out, just like every other piece of equipment. I had one for years and ended up hooking it up through a venturi inlet on a powerhead. Worked great.

One other thing to watch is the airline fitting on top can and will get clogged. A pipe cleaner will make short work of it though.

I was just thinking once a month to replace the air line cheap ya know or maybe even every 2 weeks

 

[Bradley Crocker]

I was just thinking once a month to replace the air line cheap ya know or maybe even every 2 weeks

I'd actually just keep an eye on it. I replaced mine one too many times and the fitting popped right out of the top! Someone mentioned watching for air inside it, which is good advice.

There's a ton of horror stories about hob overflows, from all brands. I found with my cpr that the siphon would reduce, not stop, over time. If you watch for these and other queues, it should be fairly worry free.