new overflow

Ok guys, I've officially had my vacation adventure from hell where my aquarium is concerned. ( I feel the cringing from those of you who know what I'm talking about)

My overflow pipe cracked after a friend tried to restart the siphon that stopped while I was away. No fancy continuous overflows here, just an upended u-tube. So anywho I'm looking into getting a continuous overflow to make sure this doesn't happen again. (Right now a flexible plastic tube is doing the job)

Now you're saying that's sensible right? Only one problem. I have no idea what my return pump flow rate is. I don't know what the pump even is (what type?) and there is no sticker or engraving. I'm pretty sure that it is less than 600 gph (like 99.9% sure) so if I get an overflow rated for 600 gph, how do I help the return pump and overflow (aquatraders anyone?) to reach equilibrium with each other?

Oh, and Merry Christmas! Thanks all!!!!

 

The return pump and overflow should work together ie. lets say the return pump will pump 500gph and your overflow is rated at 600gph the tank is only filling up at 500gph therefor it should never overflow. you just need a larger overflow then pump.

 

k thanks

 

I am confused about something. Do you have a real overflow box with a u-tube or just a u-tube?

 

It's an overflow box with a u-tube in it

 

i have the aquatraders overflow and it works like most of the other overflows of its kind. I have a pump (JEBO i think [came with it], but is being replaced by a MJ tomorrow) that has the venturi adapter on it, and i run a air line to the nipple in the top, its almost failproof in my tank, and since my return pump doesnt even get near how much flow my overflow is rated for, i put a bunch of filter floss in my first "Lip" to strain out detritus and stop small bubbles from getting in (which would hopefully buy me more time to find problem if Venturi style suction keeper thingimabbobber fails) It acts as the only form of mechanical filtration on my tank.


Here is the box


The pump i use on my venturi is no longer sold.....Oh well MJ time. Ive got like 170 dollars to spend at LFS tommorow.......man what will i do.....

 

Does that overflow work good and is it fairly queit? I'm looking to replace my DOIT yourself, its to noisy and looses syphon if i play with it at all

 

thanx for the feedback everyone

 

If you want a better way not to flood the house use 2 overflow boxes it has saved me so many times before I got mad and drilled almost everything but I still have a 75gallon tank running 2 a 650 overflow and a 1100 overflow just to be on the safe side I have come home to both of them running because something has restricted the big one I drilled the top of the u tubes and put a airline valve in the top with superglue and then I use a suringe to pull the air out then turn the valve off and it keeps it running good you can also hook it to a maxi jet with air hose to keep it primed.

 

I am using that same overflow and it works great! I put a piece of Needle point Canvas in it to quiet it down and keep the my snails out of it. Although I do have to admit it isn't really all that loud.

I am also using a Tom's Aqua lifter pump to keep the air out of it. It is a really cheap and so far really reliable way to keep things running.