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Sump without Drilling tank

DYIguy

NJRC Member
I've been looking into sumps without drilling the tank- there are several different approaches- any success with members here- care to share details?
 
Asking a clarifying question....are you looking to avoid drilling your sump or drilling your actual fish tank? If it's the fish tank you're trying to avoid, I think the only way to do that is with an overflow box.
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
Drilling is the best practice. It’s not hard to drill a tank.
They have guides and videos online.

If you don’t want to drill then the next best thing is to take the tank to a LFS that drill tanks. I know ACC use to do it and ocean gallery also drill tanks. You can call for pricing.
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
One has a 2" pvc pipe with cuts for an overflow with a 1" inside, over the top with some elbows like a sink to keep water in the line- basic design makes sense to me- just need to check it out more
 

Salted

NJRC Member
One has a 2" pvc pipe with cuts for an overflow with a 1" inside, over the top with some elbows like a sink to keep water in the line- basic design makes sense to me- just need to check it out more
There's people here with way more knowledge than me on this let them tell you if this is a good solution or not. I do know that the hob I run is proven safe.
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
There's people here with way more knowledge than me on this let them tell you if this is a good solution or not. I do know that the hob I run is proven safe.
Why I asked- still a long way off for the tank- stand first lol- the idea intrigues me though
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
Educate me- in my mind a sump is fed by gravity and the size of the pipe determines the downward flow- the return pump has to equal that- so it doesn't matter if the tank is drilled or not- you just don't want to lose flow if there is a power outage
 

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
First off my strongest recommendation is if the tank is drillable (not tempered glass), I'd drill it in a heart beat. First tank wasn't drilled, and after the second flood that snap-crackle-popped right on the powerstrip, I was convinced I'd never have another tank that wasn't drilled.

That said, I believe the Rube Goldberg plumber's nightmare of an overflow Chris is talking about looks something like this:

Rube Goldberg Overflow.jpg

If you wish to go this route, HERE's an article that discusses how these work.
 
I used a hang on back overflow for years on my 75g way back in the nineties, worked fine and as far as flooding goes that can be totally avoided with a sump that has the capacity to take the extra volume of tank water that will fill the sump just until tank water level lowers past the skimmer box and the siphon breaks. only real issue with it is every now and then an air bubble may form in the J tube that moves the water between the skimmer side and the outside overflow side breaking the siphon and you would have to restart the siphon which is not difficult. I still have my old unit and ill post a picture when i get a chance to dig it out. And just to clarify it is not that contraption on the previous post.
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
Educate me- in my mind a sump is fed by gravity and the size of the pipe determines the downward flow- the return pump has to equal that- so it doesn't matter if the tank is drilled or not- you just don't want to lose flow if there is a power outage

On paper that is true in practice it’s a different story. You will lose siphon and get air in the tubes. Every time you lose power you can over flow your tank. It’s adds another point of failure.

Over flow are also louder when you don’t drill the tank.
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
I keep thinking about this, and keep coming up with obstacles/ problems- not that I can't figure a way around / through it- for now I'll just keep to what I do know works for me - an in tank sump
 
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