please..feedback on Continous siphon overflow box

wild fin · #1 12/05/2006, 05:09 PM

the tank i purchased..too scared to drill so was looking into this idea with the continous siphon overflow. will this work fine with my wet dry filter. thank you everyone

reefkeeper1 · #2 12/05/2006, 05:11 PM

Take a look at the LifeReef siphon overflow instead. The CPR ones can break siphon pretty easily IME.

wild fin · #3 12/05/2006, 05:25 PM

thank you, where would i find that piticular one? thanks reefkeeper1

netboy · #4 12/05/2006, 05:26 PM

I have one made by amiracle, but it looks similar to any of the ones off of ebay. Just get a U tube one. Mine has never broken siphon in over a year and I do not see how it ever could. works great.

wild fin · #5 12/05/2006, 05:39 PM

loving the feed back guys but where do i purchase these,lol. im sorry.

sjm817 · #6 12/05/2006, 05:43 PM

Stay away from the CPR.
Lifereef
Amiracle
I've owned all three of the above products. Without going into detail, the CPR was terrible. The Amiracle is very good, but has low flow capacity. The Lifereef was the best.

wild fin · #7 12/05/2006, 05:44 PM

ok just found the miracle, but its just a tube how would that work, im guessing i would have to start the siphon myself

sjm817 · #8 12/05/2006, 05:46 PM

You have to start it when you first set it up, but then you dont have to mess with it unless you remove the U Tube.

jeffgp · #9 12/05/2006, 05:56 PM

look at aquatraders ive had one for over two years . good flow easy to use . just use a small power head for the suction to pull all the air out

wild fin · #10 12/05/2006, 05:56 PM

ok im gonna order the life reef, but couple of things upon set up, im guessing i have to use a a power head to get the water to go into the pvc pipe which will siphon it into the box witch will then go from the box down to the wet dry. am i correct, cause im trying to figure this out. thank you.

wild fin · #11 12/05/2006, 05:59 PM

o ok jeffgp i will look into that one too, but can someone explain how these are set up and used correctly

reefkeeper1 · #12 12/05/2006, 06:01 PM

Actually, if you just put a piece of airline tubing in the u-siphon and suck out the air to start things out, your u-siphon should stay clear of air due to the velocity of the water flow through it.

sjm817 · #13 12/05/2006, 06:02 PM

The overflow does not need a pump.
Read this article
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/index.php

HornetMech242 · #14 12/05/2006, 06:04 PM

I dont understand why people continue to bash the CPR. The only thing i can think is they were ones that did not get the aqualifter pump with it. If you get the pump with it the CPR is just as good as any other overflow out there and IMO looks alot better. I had a CPR running for 8 months before i had to break down the tank for me to deploy. I ended up dropping the overflow off the truck and it broke but i would buy that one over any other overflow out there. Mainly because i have used it and liked it that much.

One thing i have been wondering, if there is not enough flow through those U tubes, what keeps air bubbles from collecting and breaking the cyphone?
Chris

sjm817 · #15 12/05/2006, 06:12 PM

People "bash" them because they are a poor design, and/or experienced first hand the well known problems they have. They can not maintain a siphon on their own and require a pump to do so. A U tube overflow has no "moving parts", nothing that needs to be plugged in. It works totally on the laws of physics.

And FWIW, I had one with the required Aqualifter, and the prefilter. It failed twice in 3 months form an air nipple clog, which is a common type of failure. I verified proper installation with CPR tech support. Their answer was to check it regularly and poke out the clog with a paperclip.

No thanks.

CPR and Lifereef both earned their reputations.

wild fin · #16 12/05/2006, 06:14 PM

ok after reading your article i understand a little better. so when you purchase this product theres actually a box that hangs inside the tank and outside the tank. now one thing if this siphon was to ever stop would this cause my tank to over flow???

sjm817 · #17 12/05/2006, 06:18 PM

Yes. If the siphon is broken it is a problem. That is why IF you use a HOB overflow, dont skimp. Get the best. Its is well worth it. A good overflow, properly set up will run indefinatly and should never lose siphon.

All that being said, I would always recommend drilling a tank that is not up and running and established. Its not all that hard to do. A HOB overflow is more for adding one to an established system or a tank that can not be drilled.

HornetMech242 · #18 12/05/2006, 06:24 PM

sjm817 it is exactly that, personal experience. I dont know anyone that does not do a equipment check regularly. Whats the big deal to check the nipple? The box you are suggesting can fail just as easily. I like the CPR because it comes with the option to use the pump, the others do not and must be drilled yourself to use them. The fact is any box can fail if the flow is slow enough for air to accumulate. I had mine running for 8 months no problems, i guess i just did not have as much junk floating around in the tank to clogg the airline tubing?

I am planning my 180 right now and i am going to drill from the beginning and avoid all overflow boxes.

Chris

keto · #19 12/05/2006, 06:27 PM

I have heard horror stories about cpr but I have been running one for 2 years and have never had a prob, knock on wood....

wild fin · #20 12/05/2006, 06:30 PM

i have a all glass fish tank, how much work would go into drilling. it wouldnt crack upon drilling. and if i was to find a glass shop to do it. what size bulkheads would i have to get in order for him to drill the holes

HornetMech242 · #21 12/05/2006, 06:35 PM

Call LFS and ask if they drill. It is not expensive and they will be able to recommend the drain sizes based on the amount of flow that you need.

Chris

Tombsy · #22 12/05/2006, 06:37 PM

Ok Qualified: If you can't drill
I'll second the Lifereef, no pump, no holes to clog, never failed once in three years.

Waxxiemann · #23 12/05/2006, 06:49 PM

I second the drilling plan.

HornetMech242 · #24 12/05/2006, 06:53 PM

I would also highly recommend the drilling. It will avoid a over flow related to a HOB overflow.

Chris

sjm817 · #25 12/05/2006, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shannahan14
sjm817 it is exactly that, personal experience. I dont know anyone that does not do a equipment check regularly. Whats the big deal to check the nipple?

I travel and go on 2 week vacations. I'd rather enjoy my vacation than have to worry about daily checks of a poorly designed piece of equipment.

Quote:

The box you are suggesting can fail just as easily.

Not true. It is far more reliable. LR has no reported failures in 18 years. [quote] I like the CPR because it comes with the option to use the pump, the others do not and must be drilled yourself to use them. [quote]Its not an option on the CPR. Its required. A U Tube overflow does not need one.

Quote:

The fact is any box can fail if the flow is slow enough for air to accumulate.

Thats is why you use a big enough pump. 200 GPH or so.

Quote:

I had mine running for 8 months no problems, i guess i just did not have as much junk floating around in the tank to clog the airline tubing?

Not the airline tubing. The nipple fitting in the box itself. It is tiny. A small speck of food is all it takes to clog it.

Quote:

I am planning my 180 right now and i am going to drill from the beginning and avoid all overflow boxes.
Chris

Good idea! I just tore down my 90G this weekend. I have an AGA 180RR with dual corner overflows and a basement sump. Loving it!