I have a 65 gallon tank and I'm in the process of setting up a sump. I need an overflow box, should I go with 600GPH or 800GPH? The overflow boxes I'm looking at are made by CPR. The two are Continuous Siphon Overflow (1" Bulkhead, 600 gph) or Continuous Siphon Overflow (1" Bulkhead, 800 gph). Plus, this is kinda stupid, does the return pump need to have the same GPH?
Need some help on overflow box
- Thread starter Oceans Ferevh
- Start date
First I have to ask how big your sump is going to be...are you looking at one that's pre-made, or are you looking at perhaps another tank to be used as a sump? Make sure it is big enough that if your return pump fails, you don't have a mess on the floor. 
I've never used an overflow box, but I'm wondering how a 1" bulkhead can deliver 600gph on one box and 800gph on another. In any case, I think a general rule of thumb (and I stress "general") for full blown reef tanks (SPS, LPS, the works) is turning the water over about 10 times in an hour. You are at 9x with the 600gph box, and I think most would agree that's pretty darn good. I am at about 6x on mine.
As for return pumps, you want to be somewhere in the same area as what your overflow box can do. I like to go a little higher myself, because you can always scale it back. Take a look at Mag drives...they're very reliable and reasonably priced.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
I've never used an overflow box, but I'm wondering how a 1" bulkhead can deliver 600gph on one box and 800gph on another. In any case, I think a general rule of thumb (and I stress "general") for full blown reef tanks (SPS, LPS, the works) is turning the water over about 10 times in an hour. You are at 9x with the 600gph box, and I think most would agree that's pretty darn good. I am at about 6x on mine.
As for return pumps, you want to be somewhere in the same area as what your overflow box can do. I like to go a little higher myself, because you can always scale it back. Take a look at Mag drives...they're very reliable and reasonably priced.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
I use a mag drive in mine and they rock. I would go with one oversized and throttle it down with a ball valve or gate to the desired flow rate. It cant hurt to have a higher turn over rate, so I would go ahead and get the bigger overflow, but I would also get the biggest freakin sump you can get your hands on. Will save you alot of PITA in the long run.
Yeh I would like to go with more GPH just in case I upgrade to a bigger tank I've had a really good experience with CPR's refugium and would like a reliable way of skimming and carrying surface water to the sump. I was thinking about using a couple of Rubbermaid’s or one of those really heavy-duty storage units (think tank Rubbermaid’s). Do I really need to create a baffle system to eliminate bubbles? I'm going to put my protein skimmer and heater in it. Is there anything that would be really necessary to add, building-wise to it? I was also thinking of using one of those shower organizers with the suction cups to keep chemical media in. Maybe have the water flowing in dup into it. After the sump's set up I plan on discontinuing my use of a canister filter so I'd like to have the water flow through the media like in my Magnum filter. What do you think? If you have any good sump ideas please feel free to share
I've had a really good experience with CPR's refugium and would like a reliable way of skimming and carrying surface water to the sump. I was thinking about using a couple of Rubbermaid’s or one of those really heavy-duty storage units (think tank Rubbermaid’s). Do I really need to create a baffle system to eliminate bubbles? I'm going to put my protein skimmer and heater in it. Is there anything that would be really necessary to add, building-wise to it? I was also thinking of using one of those shower organizers with the suction cups to keep chemical media in. Maybe have the water flowing in dup into it. After the sump's set up I plan on discontinuing my use of a canister filter so I'd like to have the water flow through the media like in my Magnum filter. What do you think? If you have any good sump ideas please feel free to share Attachments
I would add some bulkheads to the sump on both sides. An acrylic divider on the left, not as tall as the sump, but about 4 or 5 inches shorter, have your outflow from your box run into this section. Then on the far side from your box outflow I would put another bulkhead shorter than the one on the other side. (this will be your water level of your sump) or you can make the divider the same height as your first one and drill holes where you want you water level to be. You will wind up with a waterfull that spills over into the main section of the sump from the box outflow. If that makes any sense at all. You can put your skimmer and heater away from the main part of the sump in one of the bulkhead dividers and put live rock and other critters in your sump If needed.
I was considering that option. It would be a pain to try and fit acrylic deviders to a rubbermaid though. Talk about a custom job. Your right though, I know that in the future I'm going to need to throw some kritter in there What do you think about the organizer though? Stupid, feasable, etc? Ideas?
What do you think about the organizer though? Stupid, feasable, etc? Ideas?There are just so many options Come Monday I'll be dancing in the containers isle looking like an idiot :wink: You should have seen the look one lady was giving me as I was trying out various shower organizers and kitchen colanders in large Rubbermaid containers.
Come Monday I'll be dancing in the containers isle looking like an idiot :wink: You should have seen the look one lady was giving me as I was trying out various shower organizers and kitchen colanders in large Rubbermaid containers.Those CPR overflow boxes are seriously flawed. I promise you, at some point it will flood your house with saltwater. If it were me, I would get a overflow box with a siphon tube, such as a Amiracle, or Lifereef. These are a better choice. I would also use a small external return pump, such as a Iwaki. Externals don't add unwanted heat to the water.
The water velocity is much faster through a siphon tube than a tubeless design. Therefore, any bubbles generated get sucked through the siphon tube and are deposited harmlessly into the sump. This can't happen in the tubeless design. Bubbles will at some point build and build, which is why CPR recommends the use of a small pump to keep them operating. The pump helps remove the tiny bubbles. Guess what happens if the pump becomes clogged and stops working? Your tank overflows! Of course this always happens in the middle of the night, or when you're not at home, and only after it has worked flawlessly for what seems like forever. It's just not worth the risk when they are better designs out there. They are pages of unhappy CPR overflow box owners over on RC. Just do a search. Drilling the tank is still by far the best way, even if you have to tear it down to do it. I have. Cheers!
Drilling the tank is still by far the best way, even if you have to tear it down to do it. I have. Cheers!My tank had sooooooo much calcfication going on that the air siphon hole at the top of my cpr overflow gets clogged and that caused mine to loose siphon and kill my tank while on vacation. I still use it but won't take another vacation until I drill my tank. I check the overflow daily, everyday the waterlevel in the overflow gets higher and higher and needs an adjustment of some sort every week.
It works but I won't trust it.
I check the overflow daily, everyday the waterlevel in the overflow gets higher and higher and needs an adjustment of some sort every week.It works but I won't trust it.
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