Return pump for a fug

Discussion in 'Refugium' started by dpandkevin, Jan 29, 2008.

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  1. dpandkevin

    dpandkevin Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    I need some help. On our 30 gallon tank we wanted to set it up for a coral tank. We bought an overflow box for it and the issue i am having is what if the siphon stops and the pump still pumps the water it will overflow. On the 120 it was predrilled for the sump so there was no worries there. We are puttin the 30 gallon on the second floor in my home office and I do not want to take any chances of flooding to occur. I though that if I bought a sump pump for a basement and read the schematics that i could rewire the internal stopping mechanism to kick on when the water is low and kick off when the water raises to a certain point. Has anyone ever tried this or know if they make a pump that will do this automatically?
     
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  3. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    If its a properly designed overflow there is less chance of it loosing a siphon .. But on the 2nd fl. I'd drill the 30 and put a internal overflow into the box
     
  4. reef_guru

    reef_guru Humpback Whale

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    what your talking about is a float switch. if your tanks not up yet, you could make an internal or external overflow. the bottom is probably tempered so the holes should be made on the back wall. an external overflow will allow more room inside the tank. if you find a local glass shop they may help.
     
  5. dpandkevin

    dpandkevin Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    The tank is set up, we just moved it from his old house this weekend to mine. We made a fuge out of an old tank. We cannot drill the tank at all. Should I just try to find a 30 gallon that is predrilled for the overflow that way there will never be a risk of this happening?
     
  6. kFAMOUSK

    kFAMOUSK Skunk Shrimp

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    ive tried the over flow refuge under tank with a float switch nothing but trouble dont even bother with trying it ive tried evrything it will work for about a week then ur water will evap and the the siphon dosent work as well then it just stops working and the noise the float switch make every minit is so annoying
     
  7. reef_guru

    reef_guru Humpback Whale

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    it will help in the long run
     
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  9. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    What type of overflow do you have ? I have ran my design overflows for yrs never a siphon problem and I have build many last on was for a 200 gal tank it had 3 1.5 inch bulkhead and 8 1, inch J tube it never lost siphon and or overflowed If drilling is not possible then if you can post a picture of your overflow and or tell the brand name and we can help a bit more as to what can be done. A well designed HOB overflow is fine to use but I see some I would not have..
    Water if sump level is set properly will not overflow and if it did not that much.. Pumps go off water drains to sump about 3 gallons in a 30 gal tank pumps come back on water just started to circulate again As I said if overflow is made correctly loosing siphon seldom happens .. if at all I have all style of tank overflows to leak or sump to leak at times though as all of use have if it is holding water it will leak .. Hot water heaters toilets tubs boilers LOL everything can and does leak or flood at some point if left un managed or inspected.. This goes for fish tanks also..