need some help guys

ok, thanks. I live in a mobile home, that's the main reason why I don't want a flood. I would drill the tank, but I don't want to take the risk of cracking it, and if I take it somewhere and they crack it, they will not pay for it.

 

lfs overflow box, and mag3 pump.

 

Here's a few pictures one of the hole before power loss, one after "power loss", and one of the "U" tube during the "power loss".
Before

After

U tube


When I plugged in my return pump everything went back to working like normal.

 

Here's the before..

 

Here's a few of the over flow, I hate salt creep.

 

I kind of understand what you are doing. I just want to be sure that if the overflow box loses siphon, that when the power cuts back on, the overflow box will start back up.

 

I've turned my system off probably close to ten times and never had a problem. I will say this, I've never had the power go out for a long period of time. So idk how that will effect it.

 

so with a 40g breeder and a 20g long refug, what size overflow box and what size pump will I need? Thanks again nightster

 

I have the eshopps pf-300 overflow box (good up to a 75g tank) , and a maxi jet 1800 pump rated @ 474gph. If I could do it again id get one size bigger pump, if I were you id get the maxi jet 3000 or something comparable. Its rated @ 775gph, I know its more than you need but just put a ball valve on the return to turn it down. I seem to have forgotten the rule of thumb when picking out return pumps. Sorry...

 

I'm changing my thinking on the whole return pump. I don't think you need anything more than 2-3x turnover of your display tank going through the sump. More than that is just a waste of electricity. You don't need massive waterflow going through your sump. Powerheads in the DT will take care of the turnover that is necessary.

I have a 30g with a 10g sump. Right now I'm running a Eheim 1250 rated at 320gph (probably putting 240gph in the DT). To me, that's way too much. I'm going to go down to the Eheim 1048 which is rated at 160gph. That's plenty of turnover for my 30g. I plan on putting Hydor Koralia's to get my turnover going in the DT.

Two other advantages to running slower waterflow through the sump--less bubbles and less heat/evaporation from the larger pump.