Overflow box
- Thread starter Jose padilla
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pluikens
Valuable Member
Best chance to avoid (while not eliminating) flooding would be to drill the tank and use bulkheads with an overflow box. I have never used an external overflow solution because I don't trust them. I'm sure you can find people that have overflowed tanks with either system but I trust a drilled tank much more.
Tennsquire
Well-Known Member
I've used a lifereef overflow box on my reef tank for 15+ years and never had a problem with it. You do have to clean the U-tube every now and again. I would also suggest putting an overflow protection device on your tank that will stop the pump if the water gets too high inside the tank. It's basically a float switch connected to a solenoid with a bracket to hold it. I use this one: http://www.autotopoff.com/products/st1/
jd371
Valuable Member
Going on 3 years now with an eshopps overflow with no issues. Never lost a siphon and starts right up again when the power is turned on, never have bubbles accumulate in the U-tube over time and never had a flood. I think the thing with these type of overflows is they need to be dialed in perfectly to work without any problems. Using a DC pump that you could adjust the flow helps out a lot. I read about the problems with these overflows and tested after setting up the tank. My tank can't flood after a siphon break because the chamber the return pump is in will run dry long before the tank gets near to the point of flooding, and I have it set so if it does happen the controller shuts off the return pump so it doesn't burn out, the ATO shuts off and I get an alarm.
You do need to clean the U-tube occasionally and out of the box the overflow is very noisy which can be corrected with a diy Stockman Standpipe ( Youtube for instructions), once the Stockman is installed it's super quiet. I have my tank next to where I watch TV and don't hear it at all.
That being said if the glass isn't tempered then drill. A drilled tank looks so much cleaner without all the hardware hanging off of it, also easier to cover with a screen top. The only reason I never drilled my tank was I wasn't 100% sure the back glass wasn't tempered.
You do need to clean the U-tube occasionally and out of the box the overflow is very noisy which can be corrected with a diy Stockman Standpipe ( Youtube for instructions), once the Stockman is installed it's super quiet. I have my tank next to where I watch TV and don't hear it at all.
That being said if the glass isn't tempered then drill. A drilled tank looks so much cleaner without all the hardware hanging off of it, also easier to cover with a screen top. The only reason I never drilled my tank was I wasn't 100% sure the back glass wasn't tempered.
