Please help with run off question....

big tanner · 09-12-2008, 09:49 PM

I just put a new run off box on the back of my 29. My old one broke. It's nice and quiet, the water level is fine, but you know how usually the water level inside the run off box is a little lower than the main level of the aquarium, this one is like the exact same. It's got me nervous as crap. Has anyone else experienced this or is this something I should be concerned with?

brandon · 09-12-2008, 10:31 PM

i got the same problem. Its just part of owning a overflow box

cbrownfish · 09-12-2008, 11:16 PM

It is never a good idea to have your overflow box max'd out. It is all contingent on how much water you are returning to the tank. Most have a ball valve, placed post discharge, on their return pump. This way you can throttle down the return flow. Many pumps run more efficient when they are restricted post discharge.

You are right to be nervous. As algae and precipitation build up in the drain system, it will restrict the drain. If you are max'd out, then you run a big risk of a flood.

big tanner · 09-13-2008, 12:13 PM

I just got the dremel out and went to work on it. Now, the difference in water level from the aquarium into the run off box is about a quarter of an inch instead of dead even. Do you guys think this should be sufficient? Or, should I start carving again? By the way, it's a 29 gallon tank and I am using a Rio 2500 for my return. It's rated at 782 gph, but I've got about three feet vertical, and 10 ninety degree elbows. So, it's probably returning 2-300gph.

cbrownfish · 09-13-2008, 12:44 PM

You are playing with fire. You need a ball valve my friend. You can't carve up the OFB and accomplish anything. It is your drain line that will ultimately not take any more flow. In a gravity drain set up, a 1" drain will max out at 5-600 GPH....best case (assuming that it is 1" PVC inside the outer box).

Do you really have 10 90's in a 3' span? That Rio 2500 would push over 500 GPH at 4' (SEE LINK).

Taam Rio+ 2500 Powerhead UL, Fixed Flowrate Pumps > Powerheads > Saltwater Aquarium Supplies

big tanner · 09-13-2008, 01:05 PM

Yes, I ran it like this. Come up about 1 1/2 ft from return and I put a T fitting. I then ran each piece over and put an elbow so the pipe would then go upward. You have four elbows going into the tank (two on each side). And the last two elbows are inside the tank being used to direct current for my returns. That's ten total. I've been monitoring it. Since I added about six more gaps in the ofb, I also lengthened each one a bit, the water level inside the run off is about a 1/4 inch lower than the main water level and everything looks fine.......

09-12-2008, 09:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
big tanner Serpent Star Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cleveland, Tennessee Posts: 220 View Gallery Karma Komment	Please help with run off question.... I just put a new run off box on the back of my 29. My old one broke. It's nice and quiet, the water level is fine, but you know how usually the water level inside the run off box is a little lower than the main level of the aquarium, this one is like the exact same. It's got me nervous as crap. Has anyone else experienced this or is this something I should be concerned with?

09-12-2008, 10:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
brandon Serpent Star Join Date: May 2008 Location: elk grove Posts: 208 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Please help with run off question.... i got the same problem. Its just part of owning a overflow box __________________ 75g with over flow box, 20 sump. 1 sailfin tang, 1 maroon clown, 1 blue damsel, 1 yellow and white damsel, and 1 mandarian goby. 70 pounds ls and 85pounds lr. (corals) zoas assorted, mushrooms, rainbow monti, orange monti cap, kenya tree, stylophora green, fox coral, green frogspawn, scolymia , green and orange fungia, metamusa, and favio brain. 4 acroporas.

09-12-2008, 11:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
cbrownfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,633 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Please help with run off question.... It is never a good idea to have your overflow box max'd out. It is all contingent on how much water you are returning to the tank. Most have a ball valve, placed post discharge, on their return pump. This way you can throttle down the return flow. Many pumps run more efficient when they are restricted post discharge. You are right to be nervous. As algae and precipitation build up in the drain system, it will restrict the drain. If you are max'd out, then you run a big risk of a flood. __________________ *Confucius Say: "best way to save face, is to keep lower part of face shut".* CURRENT SET UP -- 90 gallon display, 30 gallon refugium, 6 gallon pod breeder, 100 gallon sump (complete with frag rack), 2X250 MH 14K DE HQI, Vortech MP40w and Koralia #4 for flow, 2X Tunze 9010 Skimmers, Sequence Dart return, 2X Ranco Controllers w/Titanium Heaters, 150 lb LR (90 in display, 60 in sump), 5" DSB, Mixed reef - Softies, LPS, SPS, Clams.

09-13-2008, 12:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
big tanner Serpent Star Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cleveland, Tennessee Posts: 220 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Please help with run off question.... I just got the dremel out and went to work on it. Now, the difference in water level from the aquarium into the run off box is about a quarter of an inch instead of dead even. Do you guys think this should be sufficient? Or, should I start carving again? By the way, it's a 29 gallon tank and I am using a Rio 2500 for my return. It's rated at 782 gph, but I've got about three feet vertical, and 10 ninety degree elbows. So, it's probably returning 2-300gph.

09-13-2008, 12:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
cbrownfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,633 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Please help with run off question.... You are playing with fire. You need a ball valve my friend. You can't carve up the OFB and accomplish anything. It is your drain line that will ultimately not take any more flow. In a gravity drain set up, a 1" drain will max out at 5-600 GPH....best case (assuming that it is 1" PVC inside the outer box). Do you really have 10 90's in a 3' span? That Rio 2500 would push over 500 GPH at 4' (SEE LINK). Taam Rio+ 2500 Powerhead UL, Fixed Flowrate Pumps > Powerheads > Saltwater Aquarium Supplies __________________ *Confucius Say: "best way to save face, is to keep lower part of face shut".* CURRENT SET UP -- 90 gallon display, 30 gallon refugium, 6 gallon pod breeder, 100 gallon sump (complete with frag rack), 2X250 MH 14K DE HQI, Vortech MP40w and Koralia #4 for flow, 2X Tunze 9010 Skimmers, Sequence Dart return, 2X Ranco Controllers w/Titanium Heaters, 150 lb LR (90 in display, 60 in sump), 5" DSB, Mixed reef - Softies, LPS, SPS, Clams.

09-13-2008, 01:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
big tanner Serpent Star Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cleveland, Tennessee Posts: 220 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Please help with run off question.... Yes, I ran it like this. Come up about 1 1/2 ft from return and I put a T fitting. I then ran each piece over and put an elbow so the pipe would then go upward. You have four elbows going into the tank (two on each side). And the last two elbows are inside the tank being used to direct current for my returns. That's ten total. I've been monitoring it. Since I added about six more gaps in the ofb, I also lengthened each one a bit, the water level inside the run off is about a 1/4 inch lower than the main water level and everything looks fine.......

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