DIY PVC Overflow

here's some pics

 

You made a lot of twists and turns, it appears. Mainly, I'm not sure why the section behind your check valve drops then makes a u-turn back up??

To me, that's only going to make keeping a siphon going more difficult--with more air pushing down on the water you're trying to remove. Plus, trying to move siphoned water back up vertically, towards the water line, seems like a negative to me. Why so many lines?

Also, I'm lost on why you have additional U-tube on the tank/bucket side? Not sure it will hurt, but don't see it helping either.

 

Ok, since no one has asked. How big is your tank? 3/4 inch for an overflow, depending on tank size sounds too small. I have a 29gal that I drilled and had a 1 inch overflow & the noise was driving me nuts! So I built an Overflow muffler (TM by me LOL), which was a 1 1/4 PVC that reduces down to the 1 inch bulkhead. It's now near silent & my flow in increadible. I have a Mag 7 running on a 29gal frag/QT system, with my valve wide open.

 

Pretty funny, I have the same granite in my kitchen. The only thing is that my edge is beveled.

 

NEVER EVER USE a pump to suck water to your sump! If it fails & it will, your WILL overflow your tank & that is just one of MANY problems that can happen. Pumps are to be used on returns ONLY!!!

 

I too have a 1" OF on my 29 with a Mag 7. ;D

I built that same PVC contraption a few months back, and couldn't get more than a couple hundred GPH out of it (1"). I found the thread on how to from 2006 or something. Wasn't worth the trouble for me...spent more on PVC and such that buying a HOB OF just angered me afterward. The POS OF is still in my garage right now, check valve and all. I would suggest finding someone who actually has that OF working properly to check it out. If you can't, go buy a CPR Continuous Siphon OF with an Aqualifter pump. works wonders, and if you want that small of flow, get the smallest one ($90 total). GL

 

Good morning buddy.. Yeah, I could never figure out the need for the all the angles these HOB DIY overflows I come across.. There are 6 90 degee elbows. Each 90 elbow on a return side can loose 1-2 feet of head depending on size of piping, so that being said you are loosing a lot of flow.

That's why HOB Overflows that are purchased are a U design, to maximize flow.

That's the main reason why I drilled my 29gal. I wanted a simple, clean, & silent, but still maximize flow. It still took me a day of playing around with pipe size, lenth, & pevent things from going into the overflow.

 

its just a 10 gallon display and sump. I'm thinking I may just try and drill it myself and that will be way easier. As far as all the comments on the the angles and 90's everyone I've seen is made that way, and I'm no plumber, just a simple accounting student.

oh they extra U outside the bucket if for air. I think it has something to do with regaining suction in case of a power outage.

 

Yeah, I'm new at plumbing too. It just seems like a lot of action going on... I can imagine it's tough to get primed... Heck, starting a manual siphon for cleaning often leaves me cursing the taste of tank water...

 

Get a tom's aqua lifter pump and some 1/4" tubing. Hook the the pump up to the check valve using the tubing this will get all the air out of youtr OF. You have a good design I and maybe thousands other use it with no problems it will even restart the syphon after poweroutage without any help. If you still are not getting the desired flow go to 1" pipe and the aqualifter pump you will then get the flow you need thats what I did for my 45g. HTH