Overflow Box/Sump/Refugium Set-Up

SaltwaterNoob17

Reefing newb
Here's the deal:

Right now I have my 46 gallon equipped with an Octopus BH-2000 HOB skimmer and a Aquaclear 110 filter that I converted into a makeshift refugium. I set it up this way (with everything hanging on the back) because my aquarium sits on a tv stand that has no room to set up a proper sump and fuge. However, I want to do things right, and so I'm thinking about either giving the tv stand a major makeover or buying an aquarium stand and trying to swap it out for the tv stand so that I have room to set-up a sump and a more suitable fuge.

The problem is: I'm broke right now, so depending on how much everything is going to cost, I might not be able to make the change as soon as I would like. However, I was hoping that you all might have some tips for a cheap overflow box/sump/fuge set-up. I've never done one before, and so I'm a little confused about where to even begin. Any help would be great.

Also, is it possible to turn the AC 110 filter into an overflow box? I'm a complete noob to all of this...

Thanks guys.
 
Thanks for the links. From the links you posted and from my google researching today, I think I'll ditch the overflow box and just go the PVC pipe route. How do I make sure that it keeps a siphon when the power goes out, though? And, how do I know what size pump I need to pump the water back from the sump to the aquarium without causing the main tank to overflow? :question:
 
I am probably going to make that PVC pipe overflow tomorrow or this weekend...If you haven't started by then I'll put pictures and a how to on my build thread.

I will also DIYing the sump/fuge as part of this for a 40g so it would be pretty much copy/paste to your setup most likely.
 
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Based on the video I just watched it would probably take 1hr total to cut and fit all of the pipes. Need about $2.50 in pvc elbows. The 10ft 1/2'' pvc at Lowes is 1.50. The cement/primer is the most expensive at like 5$ so for less than 10$ this can be made most likely in an hour or two if going slow, paint it, let dry a few hours and then silicon the check valve in and let sit over night...turn it all on the next morning.
 
I'm just worried about causing either my main tank or sump to overflow... :-?

How are you going to make sure that it keeps a siphon when the power goes out? And, how do you know what size pump you need to pump the water back from the sump to the main tank?
 
Well I had worried about that as well, but I believe that this setup should keep it's suction in the event of a powerloss, the elbow on the outside of the tank will keep it's water after it is primed that first time. That way once the return comes back on after the power is restored water flows into the overflow portion in the tank, water being how it is attempts to always keep a level water line, as the water level rises on the inside of the tank the level on the inside of the pipes raises as well, the trick here is that the elbow leading to your sump is lower than the edge of the tank, so the water in the overflow elbow on the outside of the tank will always reach the top and flow down recreating the suction before your tank overflows.

The flow rate from the tank down to the sump will have a maximum flow, as long as your return doesn't pump water back into the tank faster than the overflow and send water down to the sump you are golden, the return can have less flow than the the overflow because the only water going down to the sump will be the water being pumped up into your tank and "overflowing" the inlet in the overflow.
 
If it is purely a fuge then 2g would probably work for chaeto and pods and lr rubble. A sump is more for added water volume and to house the skimmer and heaters, something 2g won;t do well
 
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