Table of Contents
How does an overflow box work?
An overflow box is a device that sits on the lip of your aquarium. As water is siphoned from the aquarium, it is delivered by gravity to the sump underneath, where it is filtered. Then, a large return pump in the sump delivers water back to the aquarium.
Can you have a sump without drilling the tank?
No. You can get an overflow box that draws a siphon up and over the edge of your tank. You will need a pump to push the return back up to your display tank.
Is a sump a filter?
The sump sits below the main tank, and is used as a filter, as well as a holding place for unsightly, miscellaneous equipment such as protein skimmers, calcium reactors, and heaters.
What is a ghost overflow?
The Ghost Overflow arguably features the highest level of craftsmanship of any of these slim overflow boxes, all being hand made from acrylic with very tight quality control. The Ghost overflow has an easily accessible and removable comb screen to make it easier to clean this important part of the draining process.
Can you use a sump for a freshwater aquarium?
What is a “sump?” In the aquarium world, a “sump” refers to an external reservoir that cycles in between the tank and usually holds additional filtration components. It is a staple of most marine and reef tanks, but can be used on freshwater tanks as well.
How big should my overflow box be?
When it comes to sizing an overflow, you just need one that is large enough to handle the capacity of the return pump you plan to get. Because the overflow is self-regulating, it won’t drain more than flows into it, if you have say a 500gph return pump; just get an overflow that is rated larger than 500gph.
Can I put fish in my sump?
Fish will not live long in the sump. The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. No one is born with intellect and age guarantees wisdom to no one. Fish will not live long in the sump.
Is canister filter better than sump?
If used correctly, canister filters are a great tool for your tank. Canister filters usually have a lower maintenance need than power filters and sumps because the water is being forced through the media as opposed to flowing over or around the media. Most of these filters also return water to the tank via spray bar.
Can I use a sump for tropical fish?
A marine sump can serve a skimmer, calcium reactor, heater, chiller, chemical media, other filter media, automatic top up, water change water, a refugium, a drain, and much more. It can also be used to hold fish and raise young marine fish.
What is a Herbie style overflow?
The Herbie Overflow Method is a simple, proven plumbing setup that’s been around for many years. At it’s most basic, it consists of 2 standpipes in an overflow; a main drain regulated by a valve that runs as a siphon, and a separate unrestricted “emergency standpipe”.
Is Herbie overflow quiet?
One of the biggest draws to this design of overflow is that the Herbie style can run near-silent, unlike the Durso. The reason is that the Durso only has one pipe, which allows both water and air to force their way through, causing the obnoxious gurgling sound.
How do you quiet a Durso standpipe?
Water/air mix exiting the drain can cause noise. This can be reduced by use of filter socks or a “bubble box”. If all of this has been done and it still makes “toilet” flushing sound, reduce the return pump flow to the DT till the sound is gone. Hope this helps, but remember durso’s are never completely quite.
How does a Maggie muffler work?
The Maggie Muffler is placed on top of overflow standpipe to reduce the “gurgling noise”. This model fits 1.5″ or 1.25″ stand pipes. The Maggie Muffler is placed on top of overflow standpipe to reduce the “gurgling noise”. This model fits 1.5″ stand pipes.
What is fire standpipe?
Standpipe systems are a series of pipes which connect a water supply to hose connections, basically an extension of the fire hydrant system. They are designed to provide a pre-piped water system for building occupants or the fire department.
How do you size a pond overflow pipe?
Ponds smaller than eight acres should have 6-inch diameter drain pipes. Ponds from eight to 12 acres require 8-inch pipe, and larger ponds generally require 12-inch diameter drain lines for responsive water control. Drain pipes should extend at least 2 feet beyond the toe of the levee on both sides.
What is the difference between a standpipe and a riser?
A “wet” standpipe is filled with water and is pressurized at all times. A dry riser is a main vertical pipe intended to distribute water to multiple levels of a building or structure as a component of the fire suppression systems. The pipe is maintained empty of water.
Do you need to vent a standpipe?
Venting the Standpipe Whenever you install a P-trap, the plumbing code requires that you vent it, or negative pressure in the pipes can pull out the water and render the trap useless. Moreover, omitting the vent is a recipe for an overflowing drain.
Can you over filter an aquarium?
You can’t really over-filter an aquarium, but it’s fairly easy to under-filter one. This rating system works well for the most part, however, heavily populated aquariums, or those with large predatory fish or fish that generate large amounts of waste should be fitted with oversized or multiple filters.
How big should my sump be?
The typical pit is 30 inches in depth and 18 to 24 inches across. The standard sump pit insert available in home improvement centers is 26 gallons and 18 inches diameter. In many cases the pit needs to be a minimum of 24 inches and up to a depth of 36 inches. But some builders just use a common 5-gallon bucket.
