Nice Cheap DIY Overflow

Try www.coralculture.co.uk they do 25mm piping and joints:

CoralCulture Online Store

I have used them many times in the past for piping and general equipment, they are based in Manchester

 

I have been playing around with different ideas over the last few months. I first build my 1.0 design about 3 months ago using 1 inch PVC and I used some screen door screening as a filter on my intake in the tank.

In my 3.0 design (yes, I have made 3 of them ) I switched to 1.25 PVC because the 1" just could not keep up. I even am thinking on making a 1.5" model to test out. Also, I got rid of anything covering or blocking the intake. Putting any type of filter on it restricts too much water. Instead, I use a 90 degree elbow on the intake of the take, and twisted it towards the back of the tank. This looks a lot better as you can not see into the intake, and also the only way a fish would get in there is if they swam up and around to the back of the intake (which I guess is a possibility, but none of my fish even go over there). Although this does not prevent invertebrates from crawling in there, I have yet to have any issues with that. Hope this helps! Let me know if you need any pictures.

FYI, Also, I have a 500ghp return pump and I am using the 1.25" PVC, and I still can not let the pump go at full power. I have a ball valve blocking about 20% of the full flow.

 

Made my overflow been running a week now no problems at all.Heres a few pictures.

 

I have a 135G tank that I set one up for with 1.5" pipe. Unfortunately I can only run my Rio 12HF at about 1/4 flow or the overflow cannot keep up, and it makes a lot of noise. I am able to suck more air out of it if I check it every hour. But if I turn the pump off and let it set overnight, it will restart with no priming. Any ideas? or should I make 2 out of 1.25" pipe instead?

 

You would do better off with two 1.5" than two 1.25" drains. But, the 1.25" dual drains will be a little less than 50% larger than the single 1.5". Surface area of a 1.5" pipe is ~1.76 sq inches and the dual 1.25'es would have a combined surface area of ~2.45 sq inches. If you want to add another drain, make it another 1.5" drain instead of sizing it down to 1.25" drains.

 

hi.I built an overflow as I saw on this topic. I have a problem that does not overflow Peel. inserted through the air valve unisesns. and nothing happens.i used pipes of 1 inch. I can enlighten someone in this problem?

 

First post, but I've read this whole thread

I built the overflow as Covey instructed, I used 3/4 because I don't need much flow, 200 gph would suit my needs frankly.

I didnt put the check valve in but I get the siphon started by adding water to the stand pipe and sucking, it siphons just fine once I start it.

There are 2 problems I'm having though. After a power failure (simulated) it will restart but I get a trickle, not much flow at all, and my pump runs dry after about 2-3 minutes. To fix this I have to suck on the stand pipe breifly, once I do this it flows like no one's business.

Second problem, if I get the water flowing really good by sucking on the standpipe after the power failure, i get a surging flow instead of a stable flow, and the standpipe makes on and off gurgling/slurping sound. I dont mind the sound of the whirlpool in the tank, that's no issue at all, but the standpipe noise is annoying at best. I've solved the slurping by stuffing a sponge prefilter from a power head into the output in the sump. This slows the flow down a bit and makes it a steady flow, probably in the 200 gph range, and its right on par with my pump.

I'd appreciate anyone who can give me some info on getting it to restart the siphon at full blast instead of a trickle

Thanks
Chris

 

I have also made one of these and i would put the check valve in that maybe your problem for the restarting and for the sound put a endcap over your stand pipe and drill a small hole in it and that should solve the problem. if not ( i did this instead) drill a small hole in the top of your elbow going down to your sump if that makes any sense. if not let me know i can make a pic of what i mean.

 

Not having the check valve shouldn't make a difference, as either which way I shouldn't have to suck air out at any point with this device (once it's initially started). I'm thinking using 3/4 was my downfall. I'm thinking about remaking it, but I'm going to give a few days for some responses here. I'm sure someone made this with 3/4 and got it working I'm wondering if there is an air leak causing a slow loss of siphon, and as the bit of air builds up in the top tube it wont clear because the flow rate isn't high enough.

Does anyone get sucking noises with 1" ?

 

Hi Guys
how are the overflows still working out for you lot. I am thinking about making one very soon. Have any of you run in to any problems with them so far