Safest HOB Overflow

Jeremy K.A. · Oct 24, 2017

Hey R2R members I'm going to set up a 40 gallon breeder tank for frogfish and have a few other tanks, none of which have sumps etc, that being said I'd really like to do this one "right". I'd prefer not to drill the tank, and would rather use a HOB overflow, but have heard of them being a key cause to flooding if they get clogged or during a power outage. That being said does anyone know of a good one i can put on my 40 breeder? Would it be safer to have 2 on to reduce flooding risks or would that increase chances due to more water being sucked in? Thank you

Crabs McJones · Oct 24, 2017

I have a 40 breeder and have been using the eshopps pf300 for the past two years with not a single issue. I do however have a 40 breeder drilled with the eshopps eclipse small that I'll be switching over to in the near future. But for now the HOB one has worked just fine for me. A little noisy but that's fixed with a piece of airline tubing.

JoshH · Oct 24, 2017

Lifereef is where you want to be looking. Jeff has been making his overflows for decades and I dare you to find a story where one has failed. Before I decided to take the plunge and drill my tank his overflow was what I was set on buying. However even the best overflow requires cleaning from time to time so if you do go on the HOB route make sure to maintain your overflow properly.

ChiCity · Oct 24, 2017

mame overflow, if your tank is rimless...
combined with an APC, you’ll have no worries.
plus it’ll look great!

Carter o51 · Oct 24, 2017

Ran a lifereef for a while through multiple outages. Never a single problem

Jeremy K.A. · Oct 24, 2017

Excellent, thank you all for the replies, i'll look into all of them!

Be102 · Oct 24, 2017

I purchased a lifereef and am installing it very soon! Amazing customer service and nothing but great reviews over the years.

Jeremy K.A. · Oct 24, 2017

That Mame overflow is super sexy, but i have a rimmed tank. Looking at the Lifereef and the Eshopps now, will very likely be one of those two! Now because i've never used an overflow, is it better to have more than one drain in an overflow box or would it be overkill on a 40 breeder? Not sure if i've worded it right so for an example, the Eshopps PF-1000. Finally do i need to worry about flooding with any of these during the case of a power outage? Where i live we usually get at least one to 4 power outages a year

Be102 · Oct 24, 2017

I would also like to hear some advice regarding two drain outputs on an overflow... I have a single output overflow from lifereef I havent installed yet, however recently purchased a sump with 3 inputs and 1 input for a refugium.. was thinking of T'ing off my drain line to go to the fuge... but now thinking it might be better to get the overflow with two output drains..

paphater · Oct 25, 2017

I'd go life reef. I had the double overflow set up and admittedly was awful about cleaning it and that sucker just kept going and going.

Be102 · Oct 25, 2017

paphater said:
I'd go life reef. I had the double overflow set up and admittedly was awful about cleaning it and that sucker just kept going and going.

How do you exactly set up the siphon and stuff? I was thinking about ordering a double rather than the single one I have now but Jeff suggested I just add another single. The instructions just seem a little freaky especially since I’ve never set up a sump.

paphater · Oct 25, 2017

Be102 said:
How do you exactly set up the siphon and stuff? I was thinking about ordering a double rather than the single one I have now but Jeff suggested I just add another single. The instructions just seem a little freaky especially since I’ve never set up a sump.

To start the siphons you get some air line tubing and run it up to the very top of the bend, and then suck for all your worth. From that point on air won't enter the tube unless you lift it up out of the box. At first I was pretty paranoid about bubbles and what not making it in there but it never did. I bumped them quite a bit and it never became an issue.

Sent you a PM.

jd371 · Oct 25, 2017

I'm using a Eshopps Pf800 now for 2 years on my 75g, no issues at all. I heard about the flooding so I tested both the scenarios ( power outage and broken siphon ) when I first set it up. If there is a power outage the siphon starts right back up again when the power comes on again, and if the siphon breaks the return section gets low and the pump sucks air. The ATO will continue to pump water into the sump if the level is low in the return. My ATO tank only holds just enough water so if it did happen to keep pumping it wouldn't flood, but just in case I set up a float switch to shut everything down ( ATO, Pump ) if the water level gets low in the return.

Jeremy K.A. · Oct 25, 2017

would the pf800 be suitable for a 40G breeder?

JoshH · Oct 25, 2017

jd371 said:
I'm using a Eshopps Pf800 now for 2 years on my 75g, no issues at all. I heard about the flooding so I tested both the scenarios ( power outage and broken siphon ) when I first set it up. If there is a power outage the siphon starts right back up again when the power comes on again, and if the siphon breaks the return section gets low and the pump sucks air. The ATO will continue to pump water into the sump if the level is low in the return. My ATO tank only holds just enough water so if it did happen to keep pumping it wouldn't flood, but just in case I set up a float switch to shut everything down ( ATO, Pump ) if the water level gets low in the return.

Eshopps essentially used the same design as lifereef so it does work very similar in that it shouldn't break the siphon even with a power outage.

Best Fish-Jake · Oct 25, 2017

I’d check out the PokPo Siphon system

jd371 · Oct 26, 2017

Jeremy K.A. said:
would the pf800 be suitable for a 40G breeder?

It's rated for tanks 75-125g. I think the pf 300 would be better suited for a 4og.

jefra · Oct 26, 2017

JoshH said:
Lifereef is where you want to be looking. Jeff has been making his overflows for decades and I dare you to find a story where one has failed. Before I decided to take the plunge and drill my tank his overflow was what I was set on buying. However even the best overflow requires cleaning from time to time so if you do go on the HOB route make sure to maintain your overflow properly.

I agree that LiteReef has some of the highest quality overflows.

reefwiser · Oct 26, 2017

Best Fish-Jake said:
I’d check out the PokPo Siphon system

Like these but where do you get them>

radiata · Oct 26, 2017

Jeremy K.A. said:
Hey R2R members I'm going to set up a 40 gallon breeder tank for frogfish and have a few other tanks, none of which have sumps etc, that being said I'd really like to do this one "right". I'd prefer not to drill the tank, and would rather use a HOB overflow, but have heard of them being a key cause to flooding if they get clogged or during a power outage. That being said does anyone know of a good one i can put on my 40 breeder? Would it be safer to have 2 on to reduce flooding risks or would that increase chances due to more water being sucked in? Thank you

How do you plan to prevent your frogfish from eating each other?