Best hang on the Back overflow box

[Daddyrawg]

Which is the best one in your opinions? most piece of mind? most failsafe?

[mcgyvr]

None...

[Daddyrawg]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

None...

I knew you were gonna say that lol

[Daddyrawg]

I heard Lifereef is the best one, any comments?

[mcgyvr]

If you twist my arm I will comment that the ones with the "U" tubes (lifereef/eshopps,etc..) can potentially be better than the ones with a rectangular weir section (CPR/skimz,etc..) as far as the ability to clear air bubbles from the flow path thus reducing potential for loss of suction..
This is due to the size of the water path of that based on the flowrate through it.. The U tubes should clear any bubbles on their own where the rectangular type require something like a toms aqualifter or attachment to a siphon on a powerhead to keep it clear..

[Daddyrawg]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

If you twist my arm I will comment that the ones with the "U" tubes (lifereef/eshopps,etc..) can potentially be better than the ones with a rectangular weir section (CPR/skimz,etc..) as far as the ability to clear air bubbles from the flow path thus reducing potential for loss of suction..
This is due to the size of the water path of that based on the flowrate through it.. The U tubes should clear any bubbles on their own where the rectangular type require something like a toms aqualifter or attachment to a siphon on a powerhead to keep it clear..

ya cpr has to rely on a pump which makes me nervous.. I think the Lifereef is easier to clean as well while in position.

wonder if connecting tubes to it is better or going pvc.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

wonder if connecting tubes to it is better or going pvc.

Smooth internal piping will be better than any type of corrugated tube as far as reducing turbulence goes..
That "smooth" could be tube or hard PVC.. "Smooth" is whats important..
Beyond that it doesn't matter much at all..

I prefer hard PVC..

Some systems include this corrugated tube with internal "ridges" that just causes problems/noise,etc..

[Diana A]

Eshopps with two tubes. You can convert it to a herbie

[Sugar Magnolia]

Lifereef.

[bosshog]

I’ve had a Lifereef running for at least 10yrs without issue. I bought it used and the previous owner had no problems with it either. It always restarts, and has never lost siphon. It can be a bit loud, I don’t have the silencer and haven’t built one so it must not be too bad.

[Conchman]

Lifereef. Starts every time after power failure, and does not require an air pump. If I had to go back to HOB, all I would use...

[jd371]

Eshopps and Lifereef use the same design while the CPR relies on a pump for the siphon which means there's another power cord that needs to be plugged in. I've been using an eshopps PF800 on my 75g since august of 2015 without any issues. No siphon breaks from bubbles in the U tube and siphon starts right up again if power goes out. The only thing is the added maintenance of removing and cleaning it a few times a year and out of the box they are noisy until a silencer (Stockman Standpipe) is added to quiet it down.
Having said that if you can drill your tank do it. A drilled tank looks so much more aesthetically pleasing than not drilled. I didn't drill because my tank was brand new and I wasn't sure about the back glass.

[Daddi0]

I run 2 cpr boxes on my garage reefs. In almost 2 years, they have caused floods in the garage a couple times (better the garage than my hardwood floors). The nipples get clogged a lot and sometimes this makes it hard to get the flow restarted. I worry constantly that they wont restart themselves after a power outage.
Cheer! Mark

[Daddyrawg]

Originally Posted by Daddi0

I run 2 cpr boxes on my garage reefs. In almost 2 years, they have caused floods in the garage a couple times (better the garage than my hardwood floors). The nipples get clogged a lot and sometimes this makes it hard to get the flow restarted. I worry constantly that they wont restart themselves after a power outage.
Cheer! Mark

YES!!! that nipple clog is my concern when i have floating dead algae roaming around. My 7 yr old son spotted air bubbles shooting out of the return nozzle
and said dad look and then I immediately noticed water rising in DT and quickly shut off pump.. such a close call for the third time.

Tank is up and running so I dont see drilling it at any point so I may have to go with a lifereef replacement soon.

[Yin_Yang247]

I made sure my sump is baffled correctly and large enough to prevent flooding when I selected my CPR overflow box.
Also like that after power outages the overflow air pump starts the overflow again without having to pour water into it unlike the tubed overflows.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Yin_Yang247

I made sure my sump is baffled correctly and large enough to prevent flooding

Yes.. This is a good point..
You make your return section small enough so that in the event that the box looses siphon and stops returning water to the sump that the return pump runs dry before the display tank overflows..

One could also use a float switch in the display tank to shut off the return pump if the water gets too high..

[Daddi0]

I was thinking of having a float switch just below the water level in my sump so if the water level drops a bit the return would shut off.
Perhaps get a pump that has more pull than an Aqualifter?
Cheers! Mark

[Daddyrawg]

yeah, tbh I think it may overflow justa tad before it runs dry, hence the air bubbles shooting out.. I looked and my sump water level was getting low so I may be ok with flooding after all.. My sump isnt that large

[Daddi0]

A float switch may be the answer for you. Just set it so that if the water level in your sump is a couple inches below normal, the return shuts off. It will save your floors and stop the pump from running dry. Also make sure the return line is barely under water in the display so if the pump turns off you dont back siphon your display tank into the sump.
Cheers! Mark

[mcgyvr]

And add that float to your preventative maintenance schedule...hobs suck

[jd371]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Yes.. This is a good point..
You make your return section small enough so that in the event that the box looses siphon and stops returning water to the sump that the return pump runs dry before the display tank overflows..

One could also use a float switch in the display tank to shut off the return pump if the water gets too high..

Exactly! My return section runs dry way before it's close to overflowing. In addition I have it so the ATO stops pumping water and I get an alarm.

[billwill]

The one in your rubbish pile after you drill your tank and put a real overflow on. That might take your tank overflowing only once before you make that decision.


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[Jamsoury]

Using lifereef and it’s just as good as my plumbed overflow

[sde1500]

Originally Posted by Yin_Yang247

Also like that after power outages the overflow air pump starts the overflow again without having to pour water into it unlike the tubed overflows.

I think you may be mistaken about how the Eshopps or Lifereef utube overflows work. Part of the external overflow is baffled, so it maintains a constant water level that the utube end is submerged in. During a power outage all flow stops. So there will be water left in that baffled section, and water left in the overflow, both ends of the utube submerged and the full siphon maintained. Power starts up again, the return pump starts pumping, water flows into the overflow, and simultaneously down the back of the overflow and it all starts up again, no extra pump needed. And no need to "pour water" as you say.

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

YES!!! that nipple clog is my concern when i have floating dead algae roaming around. My 7 yr old son spotted air bubbles shooting out of the return nozzle
and said dad look and then I immediately noticed water rising in DT and quickly shut off pump.. such a close call for the third time.

Tank is up and running so I dont see drilling it at any point so I may have to go with a lifereef replacement soon.

Absolutely get one, or the eshopps one. I have an eshopps one, 3 years running, and zero concern. I have had multiple power outages, I turn off my return pump for maintenance frequently and there has never been a problem with it restarting. Only thing I've had to watch was I had dialed the flow back too much once and an air bubble formed in the utube. Sped up flow just a bit and it was all good. They are easy to restart if you take the utube out as well, which I do occasionally if coraline starts building up in it. I modified the drain part to quiet it down as well, its on my build. Not silent, but works well.

Originally Posted by billwill

The one in your rubbish pile after you drill your tank and put a real overflow on. That might take your tank overflowing only once before you make that decision.


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3 years and counting, no overflows yet. I think more people like to repeat things they've heard about them, than actually have used them and experienced problems.