Calling all Eshoppes Over Flow box people (pics to help you help me)

[TheSaltySpitoon]

ok well i called the company and they said they would get back to me in 24 hours they never did... so i asked online here and only 2 people answerd thank you boomer and dentoid. BUT this time i got picture (TheSaltySpitoon/125 Gallon Tank - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting) ok this over flow box... how does it work here. I got pvc piping which i dont know where it goes also i couldnt find any pvc that would fit the bulk head of this over flow box. anyone want to help me out. Where do these small pieces of pvc go and what does that bulkhead fit if it doesnt fit pvc? how do i drain the water from my Ovrflwbox? Confusing as it is... heres the picture of the box from the company site Reef Aquarium Filtration: Eshopps Overflow Boxes

Thank you

[BoomerD]

Still can't tell much from your pic...(not the clearest) but as a general rule, the outside threads of bulkhead fittings are just for the nut that tightens the bulkhead into whatever it's going through. Any plumbing, be it threaded or slip-fit (and glue) goes to the inside of the nipple.

Does that make more sense? I don't know what kind of pieces or attachments your overflow box comes with, but I saw on their site that it is supposed to have adapters of some kind, right?

Here's a bulkhead fitting:



The threads on the outside are just for the nut that tightens the bulkhead.

Here's a different view of one showing the internal threads:


Any plumbing would screw into those threads on the inside of the bulkhead.

Some bulkheads don't have internal threads, and are meant to have PVC glued into the inside of the bulkhead nipple. I hope this makes sense...

The overflow you have MAY come with bulkhead adapters for threaded PVC or it may come with adapters to allow "vacuum cleaner" hose. I don't know for sure, and their site really doesn't give much detail.

[mywivestank]

Salty, do you have 1 1/4" drain hoses for this box? I know that our overflow boxes use drain hoses. If your box has bulk heads, and PVC pieces, then the bulkheads go into the box with the long threaded part extending outside the box, and the PVC pieces should fit inside that part that is outside the box. Once those are in place and glued you should be able to fit a drain hose on them. I just read your other post and it sounds like the other guys got it right, so if yours doesn't work like this, you need to mod it or get a different one.

[Dentoid]

Now that I have a better (albeit not the best) photo, this is not a hose barb fitting but, as BoomerD said, is a standard threaded bulkhead. I believe that there is a threaded PVC fitting at Home Depot or Lowes that will convert that to PVC if your kit didn't come with it.

[TheSaltySpitoon]

Originally Posted by BoomerD

Still can't tell much from your pic...(not the clearest) but as a general rule, the outside threads of bulkhead fittings are just for the nut that tightens the bulkhead into whatever it's going through. Any plumbing, be it threaded or slip-fit (and glue) goes to the inside of the nipple.

Does that make more sense? I don't know what kind of pieces or attachments your overflow box comes with, but I saw on their site that it is supposed to have adapters of some kind, right?

Here's a bulkhead fitting:



The threads on the outside are just for the nut that tightens the bulkhead.

Here's a different view of one showing the internal threads:


Any plumbing would screw into those threads on the inside of the bulkhead.

Some bulkheads don't have internal threads, and are meant to have PVC glued into the inside of the bulkhead nipple. I hope this makes sense...

The overflow you have MAY come with bulkhead adapters for threaded PVC or it may come with adapters to allow "vacuum cleaner" hose. I don't know for sure, and their site really doesn't give much detail.

YEa it comes with two 4 inch long PVC pipeing pieces. do those need to be glued into the bulkhead. because i took this box to Home Depot because i thought "o i just need to buy pvc that screws on those threads" but when i got there they didnt have the right size. then they told me "pvc isnt even sold in that size" thats why i was so confused. Ok so lets recap here. I think i got this. The 2 white 4inch. pvc adapters are glued into the outter nipple of the bulk head? then i can fit a drain hose onto those wo adapters and into my sump tank? RIGHT?

[BoomerD]

Can you post pics of the pieces that came with the overflow? That might help.
Have you tried fitting the PVC pieces into the bulkhead?

You MAY be able to attach a hose to those PVC pieces, or you may need to glue PVC adapters to those...hard to say without seeing what you have.

[TheSaltySpitoon]

Originally Posted by BoomerD

Can you post pics of the pieces that came with the overflow? That might help.
Have you tried fitting the PVC pieces into the bulkhead?

You MAY be able to attach a hose to those PVC pieces, or you may need to glue PVC adapters to those...hard to say without seeing what you have.

GOTCHA with pictures here take a look Coasty08 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

[BoomerD]

I THINK you've got it figured out. Depending on how you want to plumb from that point, you'd either glue on PVC threaded adapters to attach hose barb fittings, or just plumb from that point with either hard PVC or PVC flex. (not as flexible as tubing, but more so than hard PVC.)
You COULD add adapters to plumb to a larger size if you choose. Not sure how much it will help, as the overall flow rate will be determined by the bulkheads.

[TheSaltySpitoon]

what kind of hose should i fit onto the pvc adapters? i might just continue the pvc from the adapters though. but just incase what kind of hose should i feed if decide to go hose?

[CMG]

Hey, I can help you as I just set mine up a few weeks ago. Click on my chronicle below for lots of pics!

So there are two boxes, a black on and a clear one. They connect with that little white screw and wing nut thingy. Then the clear U tube goes one end in each box. then you put the bulkhead (black threaded thingy) down inside the clearbox so that the threaded male end sticks out the bottom and you screw on the nut from the outside. Make sure the rubber o ring is on the inside. Then you get some 1" PVC and put it up inside the male end that is sticking down out of the clear box. That 1" PVC is what fit inside mine. Maybe its different if you have a dual one, mine is a single. So after you plumb you PVC from the overflow to the sump via valves, unions and all that you have to stick a piece of small airline tubing up inside the clear U tube. Once the black box inside the tank fills with water you need to manually fill the clear ouside box with water in that first chamber that the U tube is in so there is no way air can get in. Then suck on the airline and if will suck the water out of the U tub and start your syphon. Then turn on the return pump in the sump.

[BoomerD]

Most wet-dry filters are sold with something like this:



Wet/Dry Aquarium Filter Accessories: Wet/Dry Filter Drain Kit by Magnavore

Personally, I'd use PVC, but that's my preference.

[Scouter Steve]

The short pieces of PVC that come with the overflow are spose to be glued in the inside of the box not outside. The foam tubes go over the PVC to quiet it a bit. (I don't use the foam as it gets dirty.) On the outside of the bulkhead you glue PVC starting with 1 inch pipe and going to your sump from there.

[BoomerD]

I'd try contacting them again.

[mywivestank]

Okay, Salty, you have 4 pieces of PVC, 2 go on the inside of the box in those adapters, they do not have to be glued. The other 2 go on the outside of the box in those adapters, and they are glued. Your LFS should have spiral flex hose for sale. Try and get yourself the good stuff with molded cuffs instead of glue on as they can leak a little easier than the molded cuff design. That should do it. Our overflow boxes have all this done for you already, you would just have to buy the hose of course.

[Scouter Steve]

I suggest glueing in the inside pvc so in the case of a long term power outage the water can't drain out and lose siphon.