instruction for a sump without drilling the tank

[DingyDamsel]

Does anyone have any instructions, a parts list, and the type of material I need to build a sump without drilling my tank.I have a 48 gallon bowfront with corals and fish. I am probably going to have a 40 gallon glass tank for the sump/refugium, but I can change that if need be.I have no idea what to get,what size,pvc, or any other parts I need, or how to do it. I need some help right down to the glue that is appropriate.Sure would apprecitae the help.That includes the pump of course.
Thanks.

[wabio]

If you don't want to drill, you'll probably have to use a HOB overflow like the ones by CPR Aquatics. I'd just get a 20 gallon tank and mod it into a sump unless you want to buy a pre-made acrylic one. Then connect the overflow box to the sump using PVC; with a return pump on the other end.

[DingyDamsel]

I will look into what you suggested...Thanks

[dzeadow]

Check the LifeReef overflows, there's like a 99% approval rating by the people that have them vs. the others. They're probably a little more spendy, but if i was going to do this I'd want to be dang sure I wasn't going to flood anything by going cheap.

[bbyatv]

I have an overflow with a U-Tube.

My tank sits on hardwood floors so I am very paranoid about water spilling out of the tank.

I have gone to extremes to keep this from happening.

I have redundant float switches installed in the overflow box that cut power to the return pump. These switches make it so that if during a power outage I lose my siphon and then the power comes back on, the water from the sump does not end up overflowing the main tank and on the floor. I have two switches in off chance a snail has one stuck closed the other will cut the power.

At the top of the u-tube, I have drilled a hole and connected a piece of air line from it to a venturi on a pump that is in the tank. This venturi sucks up any bubbles that might form in the u-tube.

I have also set up a bubble trap in the overflow box to reduce the amount of bubbles that make it into the u-tube.

In the return lines from the sump to the main tank, I have drilled small holes very near the surface of the water so if power cuts off a siphon will not take out the first 2 inches of water from the main tank back down into the sump and overflow it.

Here is a picture of the overflow box where all of the work is done.



Bruce

[sjm817]

Get a good U Tube overflow such as a Lifereef. A good overflow has no need for an air nipple and a vacuum pump. That is just a liability and is more likely to cause a failure than prevent one. No mods of any kind are needed. There are no active parts to fail, nothing to "plug in". A good, properly set up U Tube overflow will run indefinitely without losing siphon. People have had them running 6 - 7 years and longer without issue. I ran one for 2 years before I got the new 180RR. Never even the slightest hint of an issue.

[RONCGIZMO]

I've been running for almost a year now and never had anything go wrong.



The only thing I changed was the check valve I use 3/16 hard air line and stick a flex air line on it...tie it off and tuck it in the tank.