[mocker]

Hey I am about to start my tank and it is really narrow so i am putting on a small sump to put my skimmer, UV, heater etc. And i don't know what i should to get the water there. Hang on overflow and drill my tank and an internal overflow. I need advice/plans/comments thanks.

[pogodzib]

I HATE hang on overflows. Definitely get the tank drilled and use and internal overflow. External overflows are notorious for failing.

[mocker]

Is there a risk of drilling my tank or what cause i do not want it to crack a few days after water is in it. And dose anyone know of a good place to get glass cut in Atlanta.

[pogodzib]

Yes, there are always risks involved with any tank. IMO, once the hole is drilled, there is much less risk in having a problem with the drilled hole than there is with an overflow box. The biggest risk involved with the hole is the actual drilling of the hole itself and no over-tightening the bulkhead. Over-tightening the bulkhead can cause the glass to get stressed and break, but you shouldn't run into that problem if you use common sense with tightening your bulkhead. As far as drilling the tank goes, the thinner the glass the tougher it is to drill. Also, you can not drill through tempered glass or the glass will shatter. Most newer(90%+) tanks have tempered glass on the bottom, but not on the sides or ends. If you are unsure, you can as the tank's manufacturer.

Someone in the Atlanta Reef Club Atlanta Reef Club probably knows how to drill tanks or could point you in the right direction.

[bri74]

Hey whats all the hubub about external overflows? I was just getting ready to make a sump for my 55 and was gonna do a external overflow as my tank is already up and going

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I agree with pogo on the hob overflow.As far as I am concerned they are a recipe for disaster.But if you have a shop vac or concrete floors it shouldnt be a problem lol.

[e_baer]

i have an external overflow, and it works great!

i got mine from Aquatraders

[bri74]

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

I agree with pogo on the hob overflow.As far as I am concerned they are a recipe for disaster.But if you have a shop vac or concrete floors it shouldnt be a problem lol.

Whats the problem with em though?

[NATIVEVAMAN]

The most important thing is that they will lose siphon about 5 minutes after you leave for the day.In most places it only cost 75$'s to drill a tank and get the overflow installed.To me an hob overflow is something people use when they didnt do the research and discover they need a sump when the tank is full of water.

[mocker]

Yeah i still don't know what to do no thing about using a pump for the input as well as the output. If i do that both pumps need the same GPH right or what.

[401jas]

If you setup a HOB overflow correctley they won't lose suction. The small clear "U" tube that most HOB come with are too small. I Have a HOB and i use 2" pool hosing for my "U". If you setup the level correctley and put the hose end 1/4" off the botton of the in tank part of the overflow it won't lose it suction....ever. You also have to put some bio balls in there so the air bubles don't collect in the "U" and cause it to lose suction. I have 5 years of experiance with HOB's and once i figured them out they have never let me down.

But for large tanks like 75G and up...you should get an internal overflow...having two HOB's is getting crazy.

[e_baer]

there is something called an aqualifter pump to keepo the suction. 12$

and you can get a HOB overflow for a 75g. Hang-on Continuous Siphon Overflow 1400 gph w/ 2 Bulkheads - 704009

I see nothing wrong with a HOB overflow, infact, you can buy them and the pvc piping and aqualifter for cheaper than to drill a tank and then buy all the necessary parts.

I will say that in order to get the flow to match the return pump, it takes about an hour, and a lot of fine tuning.

[sgarron]

I have 2 HON overflows from Lifereef and have not had any problems. The way this overflow is designed there are no pumps to worry about and they are gauranteed not to loose siphon.

Lifereef Filter Systems

[e_baer]

mine wont lose suction, but i added the pump just to be on the safe side. plus, when you first get it set up, all you need to do it turn the pump on, no dipping the entire set up in the water and whatnot.

[xrock06x]

once you go drilled you wont go back TRUST ME the goods outweigh the bads on drilled

[e_baer]

I completely agree, but in my case, like native had said, I didnt do my research and then wanted to get a sump. so I did it and instead of taking everyhting out of my tank and doing this and that, I just got an overflow and went from there.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

You will have to admit that there a lot of things that can go wrong with siphon.And not so many things that can go wrong with drilled tank.Wether you get it drilled or not all depends on wether you believe in Murphy's law.

[Rainman69]

I use a hob overflow. I hate,it sucks,it's failed me. In my case the tank was converted from fresh water and i was to scared to try to drill 1/2in glass. I've added a vertical float installed upside down and clean the primer more than my skimmer. drill drill drill!!!!

[e_baer]

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

You will have to admit that there a lot of things that can go wrong with siphon.And not so many things that can go wrong with drilled tank.Wether you get it drilled or not all depends on wether you believe in Murphy's law.

Dont get me wrong, I think drilled is much better, but HOB are not as bas as most people are saying (with the exceptio of the above post).

There can be a lot that goes wrong in both methods. The only way I see a problem with a HOB is if there is some kind of large chunk of debris that cloggs the aqualifter pump.

[Waterlogged]

Another idea:
Saltwaterfish.com Message Boards - DIY Sump

[NATIVEVAMAN]

First of all I dont see a lot of sense to go to all that trouble just to put a skimmer in a sump.The guy sounds like he is trying to reinvent the cannister filter as a wet dry and he already has a canister.If someone was going to replace an overflow with two pumps I suugest the purchase of a shop vac or a large mop.As for the idea of useing the pvc internal overflow.I really dont want 5 feet of pvc pipe in my tank, I can make it ugly without it.