What is the most FAIL SAFE type of Overflow and Drainage Set-Up ???

[J-West]

I have undrilled 75 and 90 gallon tanks.
I'm ready to build out the 90 gallon. I didn't want to drill and do a sump, but it's looking more and more like that's what I'm gonna have to do. BUT I'm having nightmares about coming home to a flooded sump with 90 gallons of water flowing thru my family room.
So if I have it drilled, and install an overflow and sump, what is the most FAIL SAFE option and method ??? PLEASE HELP !

 

[redfishbluefish]

I don't believe there is any one drilled overflow that stands out. Simply drill versus hang on the back is a major leap in avoiding a flood. I started with hang on the back and ended up having two floods. I am not aware of any drilled setup where the overflow was the cause of a flood.

That all being said, I have a 1500 gph Glass-Holes overflow that has the typical sawtooth and two 1 1/2 inch drains. There is nothing that could get through the sawtooth and block those drains. I've been running this since 2008 and never flooded for reasons of this overflow.

For any floods I've had, the reasons have been my stupidity......as an example, put new water into the sump without turning on the return pump, and now stepping out to the kitchen to get a coffee. Then you hear that waterfall sound.......

 

[Fin]

I would recommend using a "Ghost style" overflow, which requires drilling the back glass. Synergy makes the Shadow Overflow and you can find similar overflows in other places. Use the Bean Animal style drain set-up (3 drains - 1 full siphon, 1 open channel to handle full siphon overflow and 1 emergency drain). Put the biggest sump you can fit in your stand. Make sure your return line back into the tank is not too far under water, to limit the amount of water back-siphoning into your sump when the power goes off. No need to bother with check valves on the return line, they are not dependable. Just make sure you have plenty room in your sump to handle the water that will drain from your system when the power goes off.

 

[J-West]

@Fin Thanks for the suggestion. I just checked the Synergy Shadow Box out on YouTube. Looks promising!

What does "Ghost" mean ?

 

[Fin]

@Fin Thanks for the suggestion. I just checked the Synergy Shadow Box out on YouTube. Looks promising!

What does "Ghost" mean ?

The "Ghost Overflow" was the original name of the combined effort design by Reef Savvy and Synergy. So, the overflow has a pretty good pedigree.

 

[USMC4Life]

Take a look at HOB as well. I have had this one for some time. Just got one that auto primes without a lifter pump. I never had a flood. It has a fail safe that prevents it from back siphoning if power is out and it auto primes when power comes back.

KollerCraft TOM RP3 Overflow Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LYTE4Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_c3dSybGX5T473

 

[JOKER]

The ghost or shadow are awesome. 3 drains with 2 staying completely open. It would take a lot of something to cause a flood with them, and they are ssuper quiet when you get them set. I am running a lot of flow through mine, and hardly any noise. My fan on lights is louder than my overflow.

 

[Fin]

And this shows you how easy they are to install...

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-drill-your-aquarium-and-install-a-shadow-overflow.289285/

 

[mcarroll]

A classic U-tube over-the-back is proven and bullet proof.

But test your brand new installation in a power-off scenario before leaving for coffee. In seriousness, the first overflow I set up on my current tank was an Eshopps and it failed the power-off test – turned out there was a hair-line crack somewhere in the U tube. Had to return it....got a pair of overflow boxes from a now-defunct company called Hurricane Filters and have never had a single issue. Same for the Amiracle overflows I ran on my old Oscar tank though the 90's. SO IT'S WORTH TESTING ANY DRAIN SYSTEM YOU PUT IN.....manufacturer defects are always possible.

Aqueon, Eshopps, Tunze, Lifereef and a few others make them. I don't like the square-channel type that require a $12 pump to restart. I haven't used the Tunze (yet) but I really like that it has a little draw-tube built in so you can prime the U tubes the first time without so much bother.

 

[J-West]

And this shows you how easy they are to install...

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-drill-your-aquarium-and-install-a-shadow-overflow.289285/

Hey @Fin : are these Shadow Boxes able to auto shut-off AND auto-prime (without human intervention) if you loose power, and then power is later restored.

 

[mcarroll]

Don't think there is any priming since it's a through-wall gravity drain, so shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Fin]

Hey @Fin : are these Shadow Boxes able to auto shut-off AND auto-prime (without human intervention) if you loose power, and then power is later restored.

Absolutely. That's because the water does not have to go up and over the side of the tank. If flows out the backside of the tank, through the bulkheads that connect the inner overflow to the outside box. From that box, there are three drain lines down to the sump.

 

[Fin]

Another option that some people use is the Anthony Calfo Coast to Coast in-tank overflow. I built one for my old 75. In 1999 (when I built this) I had never heard of Anthony Calfo or Coast to Coast overflows. Just something I wanted to try, instead of the corner overflows.

 

[J-West]

Thanks Everyone !
After having several conversations with several people today, I think I have decided to have the tank drilled, install a Synergy Shadow Box Overflow, and a Sump.

Now I will start researching different Sumps. All recommendations are welcome !

 

[mcarroll]

A plain, open glass tank.

 

[tgp4274]

make sure 3 pipes

1 full siphon using a valve
1 over flow
and 1 emergency

what size sump??
a 30gal prob big enough but full half while running
then when pump is off should add about another 4 inches of water leaveing plenty of room for extra

 

[J-West]

make sure 3 pipes

1 full siphon using a valve
1 over flow
and 1 emergency

what size sump??
a 30gal prob big enough but full half while running
then when pump is off should add about another 4 inches of water leaveing plenty of room for extra

I believe the Synergy Shadow Box only requires two drilled holes in the glass, but it does have 3 pipes coming out of the external box.

I was advised to get the largest sump I could fit inside my stand, so I'm hoping a 40 Breeder will be able to fit under there.

 

[Fin]

Keep an eye out at Petco. They often run the $1 per gallon sale and you can get a 40B for only $40. Make sure it will fit in your stand before you buy it.

Don't know if you want to spend this much money on your sump, but these kits really make a nice looking sump.

http://www.exoticmarinesystems.com/collections/sump-kits/products/diy-40b-sump-kit

 

[Vaughn17]

Keep an eye out at Petco. They often run the $1 per gallon sale and you can get a 40B for only $40. Make sure it will fit in your stand before you buy it.

Don't know if you want to spend this much money on your sump, but these kits really make a nice looking sump.

http://www.exoticmarinesystems.com/collections/sump-kits/products/diy-40b-sump-kit

No, don't buy a Petco tank for a sump! I just did that, and it turned out that the tank was not quite square and it cracked when my extremely trustworthy LFS inserted the acrylic sump thingy (that compartmentalizes the sump). He thinks that perhaps Petco gets those tanks cheap because they are imperfect. They seem to be fine for use as a standard tank, though, as I have used 2 for four years with no problems. Just no good for a sump.

 

[J-West]

Keep an eye out at Petco. They often run the $1 per gallon sale and you can get a 40B for only $40. Make sure it will fit in your stand before you buy it.

Don't know if you want to spend this much money on your sump, but these kits really make a nice looking sump.

http://www.exoticmarinesystems.com/collections/sump-kits/products/diy-40b-sump-kit

Will do... or I may look into some of the all-in-one kits that are out now.