Drilled or External Overflow?

[GMGQ]

Not really, I can go on forever. But like with my gf, when she's got her opinion about something, I know when to shut up.

You seem very passionate to make your point. I just dont see the need to explain my opinion any further. (i.e. water reaches hole, water goes down hole).

But maybe you're right, maybe I dont have the intellect to properly setup a HOB overflow. I guess that's why me and the majority prefer the brainless drilled method.

Listen, I have one opinion, and you have one opinion.

OP: Please google "drilled vs overflow" to see what turns up, and use that research to make your OWN educated decision. We're just canreef, what do we know, right?

Enough said.


P.S. Off topic, but I bet u the earth is flat.

Originally Posted by gobytron

No worries my friend.
When I am out of intellectal ammo, I often patronize people too.

[cale262]

I have one of each, all with herbies. One with a HOB overflow, one with an internal overflow and one with an external overflow…

• The HOB has never spilt a drop and if set up properly I can’t see how it could**, I turn my return pumps off twice a day every day at feeding times.

• The Internal is nice and fool proof, but it takes allot of realty which doesn’t look very appealing to me.

• The External is my favorite as there as there is no box in the tank, just an overflow cut into the rim of the tank with the box on the back of the tank and nothing more…

** Unless something is plugged none will overflow…IME

[Aquattro]

Thanks Brian, that's probably the most qualified answer! While my internal doesn't take up too much room, an external box would have worked better. Oh well, next tank

[lastlight]

Even if both are considered reliable I'd choose an external (not HOB) overflow anyday. No holes drilled in the tank itself and it's strictly gravity without any reliance on a siphon. Even if both are safe I'd choose the external. Better with resale too since 99% of reefers would prefer a true overflow as opposed to a tank that's not 'reef-ready'.

[cale262]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

... Oh well, next tank

LOL, thinking like this is how I ended up with 3 SW Sytems now,...Picking up number 4 this wkend so I can shut down two of them, the new one is also external overflow with some other niceties incorporated into the build.

[bigbadbrent]

This got a lot of replies, more then i could have hoped for. Thanks for the advice guys.

To get the true 'external' overflow, are they normally custom built?

[Bob]

I have had external overflow for almost 20 years...
The new ones are self priming...so if power go's off..they start atuomatically...
If this is your first tank...you will be moving up...usually a few times...this is where the external one pays for itself...I have seen a couple on here recently...one for 80 the other a 100.
They do not over syphon..overflow your tank...they work almost the same as a built in one....I speak from owning both....I still have my external one

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Bob

...I have seen a couple on here recently...one for 80 the other a 100.

Another one (CPR) for 65...

[fkshiu]

Originally Posted by bigbadbrent

This got a lot of replies, more then i could have hoped for. Thanks for the advice guys.

To get the true 'external' overflow, are they normally custom built?

Yes.

[byee]

I've got the CPR CS 102 for since I started my tank 5 years ago. I've lost count on the number of aqualift pumps!

Each time the pump fails, I have the beginnings of an indoor pool in my basement.

I was told CPR makes on of the 'best' HOB overflows......they may but the weak point is Lee's Aqualift pump! Just flooded by basement again for the 8th time. The rubber diaframs all full of salt. If a standard siphon tube can run forever with NO air bubbles, why does the CPR require a aqualift pump to pull out the air?? Inherent design problem??

$1,000,000 question, is the aqualift used to correct a design flaw in the overflow?

I'm replacing mine with a Lifereef type using good old fashion siphon tubes!!