float switch or emergency overflow

[Anthony.Luciano710]

ok so today i came home from school and something go clogged in the overflow box and the 125 gallon tank overflowed. no i want to get either an emergency overflow which will be hard to build on an external overflow box or another float switch for my reef keeper elite to shut off the return pump. which one should i get?

 

[tenMann2]

what did it get clogged by?

 

[fishman1069]

Forget the box and DRILL the tank. Its a no worry situation! I know its full but you do a large WC and drill. I can help, depending on where you are.

 

[beerfish]

Forget the box and DRILL the tank. Its a no worry situation! I know its full but you do a large WC and drill. I can help, depending on where you are.

Unless large is 100%, DO NOT take this advice.

NEVER DRILL A TANK WITH WATER IN IT!

 

[fishman1069]

Why not? If you know what your doin and have a new bit, its not that big of a deal!

 

[Turbovr3six]

Unless large is 100%, DO NOT take this advice.

NEVER DRILL A TANK WITH WATER IN IT!

I second that. The pressure from the remaining water would make cracking a HUGE possibility. Not to mention all the glass shards that would make it into the tank. Also when drilling the bit needs to be wet so stay cool to help prevent cracking so you would have water/glass shavings everywhere.

I say float switch, but it all depends on where your siphon break for your return is. If your return outlets are low in the tank it will most likely flood anyway.

If the overflow box flailed due to a snail or fish getting stuck in it, I'd make a cover for it. If it failed due to algae build up, then ya gotta keep up on the maintenance on it!:splitspin

Good luck!

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

it was a leaf haha i dont know how it got in there but i just let it sit for 2 hours and went back and put a tube down the pipe and ble bubbles then i filled the box to the top and flushed it out and i really dont know how a little leaf can cause that type of flood in the house.

what did it get clogged by?

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

yea i would've loved to drill the tank but yea with water in it i wouldnt trust it anyway i cant even imagine the mess it could make if something went wrong but yea it got clogged by a leaf and it wasnt the box the overflowed it was the tank. the water went over the sides because no water could be drained but the return pump kept going and the water went over the sides. and i have the return pump right at the top and i just drilled a hole in the pipe. its not really a professional set up because im only 15.

I second that. The pressure from the remaining water would make cracking a HUGE possibility. Not to mention all the glass shards that would make it into the tank. Also when drilling the bit needs to be wet so stay cool to help prevent cracking so you would have water/glass shavings everywhere.

I say float switch, but it all depends on where your siphon break for your return is. If your return outlets are low in the tank it will most likely flood anyway.

If the overflow box flailed due to a snail or fish getting stuck in it, I'd make a cover for it. If it failed due to algae build up, then ya gotta keep up on the maintenance on it!:splitspin

Good luck!

 

[Ziggy]

if you have reef keeper already just get the float switch it is easy solution and you can sleep worry free!I have drilled 150 and happened to me too so I know u pain.

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

yea i think im gonna get the float switch i just need to buy another pc4 though because all my plugs are being used

if you have reef keeper already just get the float switch it is easy solution and you can sleep worry free!I have drilled 150 and happened to me too so I know u pain.

 

[Turbovr3six]

Maybe make a little Eggcrate cage aound the tube/float switch, and line the eggcrate with some thicker netting, like from an old larger fishnet or even better a veggie clip. The netting isnt nessesary as it too could get clogged due to algea build up, but the eggcrate will prevent anything major getting stuck in there.

 

[beerfish]

Why not? If you know what your doin and have a new bit, its not that big of a deal!

If you want to risk glass exploding and injuring yourself, then by all means, go for it. Don't suggest it to others that may not understand the risks.

 

[shaun11423]

just curious on how do you plan on connecting your float switch, do you plan on following a schematic, or something, i need details, i want to do one too, parts and etc...

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

well its going to be the digital aquatics float switch so it just has a plug and it connects to my reefkeeper elite and when it goes to high the reefkeeper will just shut of the pump. now as far as mounting it well i might use a suction cup but i think that will make it to low but a better idea is that i made a cover out of thin 10 dollar acrylic sheets from home depot and i just cut 3 of them to fin inside the 125 gallon rim and to fit pipes and stuff so im thinking if i drill a hole into it i can pass the wire through and put the nut from the float switch a=on top so it will be very succure and the water will never be able to go past the top cover.

just curious on how do you plan on connecting your float switch, do you plan on following a schematic, or something, i need details, i want to do one too, parts and etc...

 

[InfernoST]

You don't need another PC4, put the float switch in your tank at the desired height, tie it in to the sl1 and program the return pump to shut off when the switch is activated. However if you really want to fix it correctly reconfigure the water level in the DT to accommodate the volume of water in the return chamber of your sump. If your sump doesn't have any bubble traps and is just a tank with equipment in it maybe you should consider adding bubble traps in your sump to create separate compartments. The sump should have enough spare volume to accommodate the DT overflow volume (return line siphon) should your return pump fail. Just my .02

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

Well I said I need a new pc4 because all the plugged on my current one are being used. But that's also a good idea with the sump thing. I plan on getting a 30 inch sump and refugium next moth so I'll see if that halos before I get another pc4 and float switch.

You don't need another PC4, put the float switch in your tank at the desired height, tie it in to the sl1 and program the return pump to shut off when the switch is activated. However if you really want to fix it correctly reconfigure the water level in the DT to accommodate the volume of water in the return chamber of your sump. If your sump doesn't have any bubble traps and is just a tank with equipment in it maybe you should consider adding bubble traps in your sump to create separate compartments. The sump should have enough spare volume to accommodate the DT overflow volume (return line siphon) should your return pump fail. Just my .02