Overflow "smackdown"

[jer0886]

I am DYING to put together a sump/refugium, but my wife has laid the $$$ "smackdown," so I'm going for as cheap as possible...So...does anyone know of a cheap place to get an overflow that can do about 600+ GPH?

Also...let me tell you my idea - I think it'll work, but please pick it apart if you see fatal flaws:


Steps:

1. Obtain cheap overflow from ... (please fill in the blank)

2. Purchase 2- 10 Gallon tanks from WalMart for 8 bucks each (which fit great under my 55 gallon tank in the cabinet)

3. Run tubing from overflow to first 10 Gallon tank (acting as sump to store protein skimmer/carbon/blah blah)

4. Grab a rio or mag water pump and pipe water from sump to second 10 gallon tank which will be a refugium.

5. Grab a rio or mag water pump and pipe water from refugium back up to tank.

6. Life is good.

Now, this is probably a stupid question, but how can I ensure that the water draining/pumping are equal? What I mean is, if my overflow is dropping say 715 GPH, and my pump is only pumping 500, aren't I headed for disaster? How can I make sure the pump/overflow box are operating at the same rate?


Thanks kindly folks!

[Aegis]

Your overflow will only drop as much as you pump up to it. You can't drop 715GPH displacement if your only filling at 500.

The problem is the 2 pumps. What if your first rio is pumping faster than your second? You would flood the 2nd 10 gallon. And if the first is slower than the second, you will flood the first 10 gln, dry out the 2nd 10 gln, and burn up the 2nd Rio.

Always and only pump in one direction, bottom to top. Lets say you have a 10 gllon sump on the lowest level, which pumps up to your 55. it overflows down to a 10 gallon refugium, which overflows or drains down another level to the 10 gallon sump. Solved! Your 2 10 gallons are no longer side-by-side, they are stacked, one above the other.

[jer0886]

Hmmm...So if I put a stand in my cabinet and propped one 10 gal say...6-10 inches above the other, I could siphon from the sump to the refuge? Would that keep up with the water flow? Would that even work?

[celica]

Originally posted by jer0886
Hmmm...So if I put a stand in my cabinet and propped one 10 gal say...6-10 inches above the other, I could siphon from the sump to the refuge? Would that keep up with the water flow? Would that even work? No, that wouldn't work. You will need to let gravity work on the higher tank, meaning it will also need to "overflow" to get to the bottom tank. You could have a hole drilled in the higher tank and drained to the lower one. Or you could have a hole drilled in each tank, with the tanks being on the same level, and connect the tanks with plumbing going to each hole.

[pbanda]

I have a 55gal as well. I bought a LifeReef slimeline overflow. They are about $90 and it works beautifully!! I have never had a problem and it always starts right up. I orignally has a ball valve on the feed line to the sump so that I could match the flow of the overflow to that of the return pump. I then added a duroso(sp?) to make the overflow guieter and this reduced the flow enough where I don't need the ball valve.

[beyondhelp]

I found an overflow box atwww.aquacorals.com for 43.00 +shipping and it looks like it is identical to the 600gph amiracle one I already have. I'm using a 30gal rubbermaid tub and 2 smaller containers for the bubble trap and refugium but I haven't tested it yet. I need to get a pump. My thought was one mag9.5 for 100.00 from my lfs split with a manifold to provide flow for the tank and skimmer, a cheap powerhead to lift water into the fuge from the sump and later a closed loop for more circ in the tank. HTH

[evolution]

I cant belive it hasnt been said......

never buy a Rio, never.

I would get the tanks drilled. You can DIY with a dremel and some carbide bits.