siphon overflow box for sump...too much risk for flooding?
I have a 90 gal tank with no holes drilled, don't plan to have it drilled, its already set up. In any case, I got all excited about adding a sump/refugium when I discovered the continuous siphon overflow box that can hang on the back of your aquarium. (made by CPR). It has a "self priming" feature which means if your power goes off and your return pump stops pumping, it keeps siphoning until the water is out of reach but it won't loose siphon once the pump turns back on and water reaches the box again. Well this was great, until I read that "bubbles" can accumulate in the overflow box, risking a loss of siphon. DOH! I don't know how likely this is to happen. Then I read you can buy some sort of venturi air sucking thing to keep the bubbles out.
I am not concerned with my sump overflowing as most people have mentioned, all you do is make enough room in the sump for the extra water...what I am worried about is that my siphon could somehow be broken by air bubbles in this thing and my main tank will overflow when the overflow box fails to drain & sump pump keeps pumping!
Now I am considering ditching the idea of a sump all together because I wonder if this risk of siphon failure can not be completely fixed. I would consider the venturi device to keep air bubbles out of the siphon chamber, but I don't know how reliable that is or how it works.
Anyone had experience with the continuous siphon overflow, any suggestions? This tank will be in a new house on carpet...cant risk floods!!! Worth the risk? I just really want it for the refugium.
Thanks!
I have a 90 gal tank with no holes drilled, don't plan to have it drilled, its already set up. In any case, I got all excited about adding a sump/refugium when I discovered the continuous siphon overflow box that can hang on the back of your aquarium. (made by CPR). It has a "self priming" feature which means if your power goes off and your return pump stops pumping, it keeps siphoning until the water is out of reach but it won't loose siphon once the pump turns back on and water reaches the box again. Well this was great, until I read that "bubbles" can accumulate in the overflow box, risking a loss of siphon. DOH! I don't know how likely this is to happen. Then I read you can buy some sort of venturi air sucking thing to keep the bubbles out.
I am not concerned with my sump overflowing as most people have mentioned, all you do is make enough room in the sump for the extra water...what I am worried about is that my siphon could somehow be broken by air bubbles in this thing and my main tank will overflow when the overflow box fails to drain & sump pump keeps pumping!
Now I am considering ditching the idea of a sump all together because I wonder if this risk of siphon failure can not be completely fixed. I would consider the venturi device to keep air bubbles out of the siphon chamber, but I don't know how reliable that is or how it works.
Anyone had experience with the continuous siphon overflow, any suggestions? This tank will be in a new house on carpet...cant risk floods!!! Worth the risk? I just really want it for the refugium.
Thanks!
Last edited:
