pumps instead of an overflow?

[jacksonpt]

Is it possible/safe/reliable to use some type of a pump/powerhead to pump water to a sump instead of using an overflow? My immediate concern would be (what appears to me) a greater risk of sump overflow if the return pump failed.
Thoughts? Comments?
I'm new to the world of sumps, so bear with me.
Thanks.

 

[richard rendos]

that is exactly why people don't (or shouldn't) use that system. what if one pump stops and the other keeps running? overflows are cheap...just buy one from ----.

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by Richard Rendos
overflows are cheap...just buy one from ----.
Both of my tanks are glass and not drilled. Both are established tanks (one is going on 4 years old, the other just over 1 year)... can I just "bolt on" an overflow somehow?
Oh, shoot... I just got to thinking... maybe this is what you are talking about... could I just put a separate box in the corner of my tank that acted the same way a built in overflow would work? So rather than having a section of the tank dammed off for the overflow, I would just have an overflow box sitting in my tank?
Again, sorry about the naive questions.

 

[jacksonpt]

nevermind... once I got thinking about it I figured it had to be a common thing... some type of pre-existing overflow box. I did some research, found out some good stuff... going to do more research tomorrow.
Thanks.

 

[stacyt]

They do make overflow boxes that will hang on the back of the tank. Just a little bit of the box sits in your tank, and the rest hangs of the back. You should be able to find them online, or from one of your LFS.

 

[richard rendos]

this is what I was referring to...