Anyone Using a CPR Overflow with CPR's "Airlift Pump&qu

[mokujin22]

Hey all,

I'm converting over to an under-tank refugium setup and have purchased a CPR CS50 overflow box for my 29G reef setup. I've also purchased their "air-lifter pump" in hopes that this will help avoid the potential catastrophy of the power going out, box losing syphon, pump turning back on and main tank overflowing....yikes (sorry for the run-in sentence).

Anyway, this unit is supposed to remove any air from the syphon section to cut down on noise and (hopefully) restart the syphon should power go out.

Does anyone have this setup? Does it work? After poking around here, I'm starting to wish I got the "Lifereef" box.

Thanks in advance,
tony

 

[Anonymous]

Any good overflow can handle power failures


guess that sums up how I feel about cpr overflows


personally, on just a 29g tank, I would buy another, drill/bulkhead it, and toss the original

 

[melas]

i have two of them. . . i'm NOT using the airlift pump but i AM using a powerhead on each to keep the siphon from breaking (using aquaclear - run the airtubing to the venturi valve on the output). it works well in the case of a powerfailure. when the power goes off the powerhead goes off but so does the pump. . . and the reverse is true when the power returns. i am less than thrilled that these REQUIRE a powered device to keep them running. . . i bought them at the same time. the directions say that you could just run a piece of air tubing into your sump but that is WRONG WRONG WRONG! i flooded my fish room twice trying that! You MUST use a powerhead or the pump(though i can't verify that the air pump works). Forgiving the need for a powerhead they do work very well and are very quiet. They are also easy to restart and can move a LOT of water. Good luck!

 

[mokujin22]

uhhh...

thanks, guys. i already have a powerhead in the corner that the overflow will be installed, so it shouldn't be a big deal. i figure that when i get everything setup, i'll pull a couple of tests to see what happens when the power flickers and the syphon is lost. for that matter, i figure i'll test every so often to make sure nothing's clogged.

thanks,
tony.

 

[Anonymous]

Just be warned, people have these things fail and flood ALL the time

some are lucky, most end up with a flood at some point

 

[mokujin22]

yeah, but the tank's been set up for about two years now and in order to drill the tank, i'd have to drain it, move everything out, etc. is there a way to drill a hole without draining the tank?

thanks man,

tony

 

[Anonymous]

no way without draining, none that's safe at least

it's only a 29g, I would seriously consider setting up a new 29g, if you have ita ll ready to go, you can drain and swap in a few hours, I just did it last night, from a 65g display, into a 60g prop tank

 

[jlneng]

I use an aqua lifter with the CPR overlflow. I keep my pump in a basement sump high enough in the sump to prevent a power outage catastrophy so even if the aqualifter fails to regain suction, the pump can not pump enough water from the sump to overflow the tank upstairs. It means keeping the system water level high enough at all times though, otherwise the sump pump will suck air. The aqualifter CPR overflow has worked great for me though! Hope this helps! I do keep a spare aqualifter, spare filter, and diaphragm replacement kit just in case. As the protein skimmer is in the basement sump as well, I would not want the system down very long!