HOB Overflow V. Drilled Overflow (Advice For 40B)

[Harry g]

Hey everyone, I’m planning an upgrade from my 20G high to a 40 gallon breeder and I want to use the 20G high as the sump, but I think that my 40 gallon breeder uses tempered glass, because of the sticker on the bottom, however I’m not sure if it implies that just the bottom is tempered, or if all of it is tempered.

Anyways, what’s the difference between an HOB overflow box and a drilled one, I went to my LFS and they told me I should rethink my decision of using a HOB overflow because it can flood if power goes out, I do have a UPS, so I’m not sure if that would help or not, I also did some research online/R2R and some people said that as long as you got just the right gph for the HOB overflow to match the return pump, that it would keep the siphon even when power went out, I also read that an aqualifter pump would help in case power does go out, I’m not sure why.

If anybody has any advice for me or a similar setup that the DIY’d I would really appreciate it, I’m sort of lost now.

 

[Bbio]

I use an eShoppes hob overflow and don’t have any problems. It’s designed to hold siphon when the power goes off. I turn off my return pump when feeding every day and things start right back up

Yes. Match the return to the size of the overflow. I have a PF-1200 and I am putting about 900gph through the system. Higher was too noisy and too turbulent. Bubbles go right through the tubes and out the other side and don’t get stuck.

Also my return section of my sump is only 6 gallons, which is not enough to overflow my 150 gallon tank if the overflown fails. The water in the display also does not fall enough to overflow my sump when i cut off the return pump.

Pick up an extra set of tubes so you can swap them and clean them periodically as algae accumulates in them and check them periodically for bubbles and algae.

Get an oversized return pump and dial it back where it needs to be. Put a gate valve on the drain to adjust the flow and water height in the back chamber and maybe a ball valve for the return. I have my return pump set on 20% and the overflow was just a little too noisy so I dialed it back a hair with the ball valve.

Or avoid all that headache and just drill.

 

[Harry g]

I use an eShoppes hob overflow and don’t have any problems. It’s designed to hold siphon when the power goes off. I turn off my return pump when feeding every day and things start right back up

Yes. Match the return to the size of the overflow. I have a PF-1200 and I am putting about 900gph through the system. Higher was too noisy and too turbulent. Bubbles go right through the tubes and out the other side and don’t get stuck.

Pick up an extra set of tubes so you can swap them and clean them periodically as algae accumulates in them and check them periodically for bubbles and algae.

Get an oversized return pump and dial it back where it needs to be. Put a gate valve on the drain to adjust the flow and water height in the back chamber and maybe a ball valve for the return. I have my return pump set on 20% and the overflow was just a little too noisy so I dialed it back a hair with the ball valve.

Or avoid all that headache and just drill.

Yeah, that sounds like a major headache, I’m thinking about just putting in an AIO if it turns out to be tempered, do you think putting in an AIO would get rid of some of the fish I’m able to put in there? I wanted a mandarin, and some people where recommending me some angelfish.

 

[Harry g]

This is what it says on the aquarium, I think I saw another post a couple years back with the same problem.

 

[HappyFm]

Using an overflow is still quite common in the aquarium hobby. However, I would recommend drilling the tank because:

• A saltwater overflow accident is far more disastrous
• Marine livestock is harder to keep → the consequences are much worse if the system fails
• The system is more prone to failure due to many things growing inside (coralline algae, sponges, anemones crawling in, etc.)
• It also looks worse :))

If you’re okay with those trade-offs, then you can use it. As for using an Aqualifter pump, it’s meant to help remove trapped air so the flow can restart.
Reference:
to understand how it works.

 

[ReefMagicMan]

Hey everyone, I’m planning an upgrade from my 20G high to a 40 gallon breeder and I want to use the 20G high as the sump, but I think that my 40 gallon breeder uses tempered glass, because of the sticker on the bottom, however I’m not sure if it implies that just the bottom is tempered, or if all of it is tempered.

Anyways, what’s the difference between an HOB overflow box and a drilled one, I went to my LFS and they told me I should rethink my decision of using a HOB overflow because it can flood if power goes out, I do have a UPS, so I’m not sure if that would help or not, I also did some research online/R2R and some people said that as long as you got just the right gph for the HOB overflow to match the return pump, that it would keep the siphon even when power went out, I also read that an aqualifter pump would help in case power does go out, I’m not sure why.

If anybody has any advice for me or a similar setup that the DIY’d I would really appreciate it, I’m sort of lost now.

Hey I just did the same thing for a quarantine tank and only the bottom is tempered we even called up the factory and found out

 

[Isaac Alves]

HOB sounds very sketchy to me. I’ve drilled my 40 breeders from both Aqeoun and whatever brand PetSmart uses.

Or an AIO setup. I don’t think you would have issues with an AIO and and a mandarin once the system is established and thriving with pods and stuff.

 

[Harry g]

Hey everyone, I’m planning an upgrade from my 20G high to a 40 gallon breeder and I want to use the 20G high as the sump, but I think that my 40 gallon breeder uses tempered glass, because of the sticker on the bottom, however I’m not sure if it implies that just the bottom is tempered, or if all of it is tempered.

Anyways, what’s the difference between an HOB overflow box and a drilled one, I went to my LFS and they told me I should rethink my decision of using a HOB overflow because it can flood if power goes out, I do have a UPS, so I’m not sure if that would help or not, I also did some research online/R2R and some people said that as long as you got just the right gph for the HOB overflow to match the return pump, that it would keep the siphon even when power went out, I also read that an aqualifter pump would help in case power does go out, I’m not sure why.

If anybody has any advice for me or a similar setup that the DIY’d I would really appreciate it, I’m sort of lost now.

Hey I just did the same thing for a quarantine tank and only the bottom is tempered we even called up the factory and found out

Does it look like/ have the same sticker like in the picture I posted?

 

[Harry g]

Also, I would like to ask if it’s better to drill from the bottom of the tank or the sides/back.

 

[exnisstech]

This tank ran for 6 years running two eshopps hob overflows. Never had a flood or lost syphon even with power off. Most people that say they cause floods have probably never ran one.

 

[ReefMagicMan]

Does it look like/ have the same sticker like in the picture I posted?

I'll put a picture in there similar it's very possible it's the same
We were wondering too if it's OK to drill the sides in the back and they told us only the bottom was tempered

 

[fishface NJ]

The sticker is referring to the bottom panel. I would suggest you do a simple test with polarized sunglasses to test for tempered glass. Aqueon told me that they usually use non-tempered glass on the sides but if the non-tempered glass is not available they would use tempered.

 

[Harry g]

The sticker is referring to the bottom panel. I would suggest you do a simple test with polarized sunglasses to test for tempered glass. Aqueon told me that they usually use non-tempered glass on the sides but if the non-tempered glass is not available they would use tempered.

Does this look like tempered glass? That’s the screen that’s used on the laptop.



13.3 inches FHD 16:9 (1920 x 1080) WVA Touch with Corning Gorilla Glass 4, Active Pen Support, Anti-Reflective and Anti-Smudge, 255 nits

 

[ReefMagicMan]

Also, I would like to ask if it’s better to drill from the bottom of the tank or the sides/back.

Here's a picture of the sticker kinda hard to see but it does give an idea
I just looked at the picture of yours and it does look the same

 

[Harry g]

Also, I would like to ask if it’s better to drill from the bottom of the tank or the sides/back.

Here's a picture of the sticker kinda hard to see but it does give an idea

It looks exactly like mine, I did hear that when making these tanks that they use whatever they have if regular is not available, I posted the polarized test so maybe I’ll get some definitive answers, but it’s look good so far.