Sump on Side of the tank

[Bengals888]

I have an eshopps overflow and it comes with a tube to create the siphon. After that it picks right back up of the power goes out. My sump is a 20 gallon so half full is still 10 g. But since yours would be on a separate stand you could lower it more.

I see. I don’t have seperate stand. Same level setup like yours. Initially what I asked was raise the sump higer than DT.

In your setup, ATO is must have so you don’t lose siphon on the overflow?

 

[garbled]

For a refugium (full to the near-top), you want it above the main tank, by at least 3-5 inches, and side drilled on the refugium near the top. This would be kept full. Water level usually ends up being about the center of the drilled hole, so plan accordingly, I would prefer a bit of wiggle room there so a small overage doesn't end up on the floor.

For the sump style, I think you want it below the main tank, and would want at least a foot of water level difference to keep the siphon going. One trick for these overflow siphons, is to drill and attach a small 1/8" tubing connector at the highest point in the siphon tube. Then use a Tom's aqualifter pump there to pull water out of the siphon and just route it back to the main display. This way if the siphon ever stops due to a power outage or other silliness, when the power returns, it sucks the air back out and auto-restarts the siphon.

I have a CPR overflow with a setup like this, and it works pretty well. I just have to replace the diaphragm in the aqualifter every year or two.

 

[Salt1972]

We run a refugium above our 125g display. We have a pump hidden in the rock work with a 1/2" PVC "U" going over the back and up to the refugium. We drilled the side of the refugium with a 3/4" main overflow and a 1" emergency overflow about 2" higher. The main overflow returns just below the surface and the emergency just above the surface (so we can hear it if active). We had to put a gate valve on the main overflow to dial in the level in the refugium.

 

[Scott Ulrich]

I see. I don’t have seperate stand. Same level setup like yours. Initially what I asked was raise the sump higer than DT.

In your setup, ATO is must have so you don’t lose siphon on the overflow?

I don't have an ato. The eshopps overflows are set up so that once they have siphon they never lose siphon. I stop the return pump every day to feed and the overflow starts back up everyone without a problem. There is another brand that require a pump to create siphon, but that is different.

 

[Victoria M]

So happy to see how folks jump in to share their experience.

 

[Reef-junky]

I would be tempted to use a water bridge.

 

[Victoria M]

I would be tempted to use a water bridge.

Just no! lol. Failure waiting to happen. Looks cool though. Murphy?

 

[Reef-junky]

I can’t say for sure but I haven’t read about a lot failures with water bridges. There have been several of them made.

 

[Scott Ulrich]

I can’t say for sure but I haven’t read about a lot failures with water bridges. There have been several of them made.

LOL

 

[Chrysemys]

This is basically how mine is set up and for the same reason. I couldn’t drill display tank and dislike HOB over flows. I use a canister filter to move water from display to refugium. Then gravity back to display. Look at my other posts you will find the details. And some nifty drawings.
What to watch for. Where does water balance out when the power goes out. Plan that in your design and test it.

 

[Bengals888]

Great stuff. Thanks all

 

[Bengals888]

Hi Scott,

I may just set up like yours. Few questions
if you don’t mind.

Your pump return, is it just hose hanging over
nack into main tank?

No power, the eshoppes over flow box stops siphon?

I did not see any partion in the sump area, adding
1 or 2 should not affect the water flow?

There is still has to be some adjustment in correct flow between overflow and return? The pump could return more water then what the overflow pulls in???

Thank you

 

[Scott Ulrich]

Your pump return, is it just hose hanging over
nack into main tank?

The hose goes into a return nozzle (I got off Amazon) that hangs over and goes right back into the display tank.

No power, the eshoppes over flow box stops siphon?
Correct, power stops, flow stops. Power starts, flow starts. No problems.

I did not see any partion in the sump area, adding
1 or 2 should not affect the water flow?
I don't have any baffles, but you could for sure add some.

There is still has to be some adjustment in correct flow between overflow and return? The pump could return more water then what the overflow pulls in???
The Eshoppes overflows are rated up to a certain flow rate. I have a DC return pump so I can adjust the return flow, but if I turn the pump up or down, the overflow adjusts. Just like a drain, it will drain with a little flow or stronger flow. But at some point if the flow were way to high, it wouldn't be able to keep up and the display tank would overflow. Just size your pump to be less than the rating on your overflow and you will be fine. I run the jebao DC pump about a third to half speed.

Good luck!
Scott