Tank without filling holes?

[at11ok]

Is there a way have an sump without having to drill holes in my tank? I have a 60 gal but I personally don’t have the tools or experience to drill holes in the tank. So I was wondering is anyone knew if there was a way to still have water be taken out and into a sump?

 

[World Citizen]

Yes. You can make a external overflow.

Google for "PVC Overlflow".

I did it for years, works great and is completely safe when power fails.

 

[G Santana]

You can use an overflow box like I do, BUT if you get one make sure that you get one that has a bleed nipple on it, what you do is attach a small pump to it and what the pump does it pulls a small amount of water out of the overflow box as well as any air bubble that accumulates in the box, if you don't have that you run the risk of losing syphon and then you will have a small flood, and if your sump runs dry you lose your pump.

Ideally you'd like to have the tank drilled and you avoid all these issues, the reason I didn't drill my tank is because it is very old and had been sitting dry for 25 years so I didn't want to risk it.

Hope this helps

 

[at11ok]

Yes. You can make a external overflow.

Google for "PVC Overlflow".

I did it for years, works great and is completely safe when power fails.

Thank you I’ll look into this and try it

 

[All_talk]

I believe the HOB overflows with "U" tubes are more reliable than the channel type with (or without) the bleed fitting. I have been running one similar to this eshopp's model for 10+ years and it has never lost syphon.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pf-800-hob-overflow-eshopps.html

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

I believe the HOB overflows with "U" tubes are more reliable than the channel type with (or without) the bleed fitting. I have been running one similar to this eshopp's model for 10+ years and it has never lost syphon.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pf-800-hob-overflow-eshopps.html

Have same on my tank. Spent lots of time, effort, and about $50 on “DIY OVERFLOW” YouTube videos….

Advice -
spend the $100 on the eshoppes - DIY works but the 3-4 overflows out of PVC I made successfully weren’t as fast and looked ugly. Now I have a lot of spare PVC parts and an overflow bono drilling.

 

[piranhaman00]

never run an overflow that requires a pump.

 

[World Citizen]

I know it all sounds scary, but it was a succes.

I don't have great pics, but this was it.

Here you see the PVC overflow with airvalve on the right and the crown is the surface skimmer of the overflow.
The long pipe upwards is buffer.. Google it.

Total view

 

[Homers]

Ran one if these for several years and had no issues with it

 

[bblumberg]

Lifereef makes an overflow box that does not require a pump to maintain the siphon. I have never used it, but the design looks solid.

 

[World Citizen]

Just make sure the water from your returnpump chaimber can fit in your tank.

 

[Homers]

Just make sure the water from your returnpump chaimber can fit in your tank.

And vice versa, if pump stops, sump should hold all the water to where the drains stop working