DIY Overflow pipe

[donkey]

My DIY Overflow Pipe

 

[Guest syndony]

Very clever solution to the power loss problem.

A proper overflow box has a dual-chamber arrangement on each side of the glass in which both ends of the U-tube stay submerged at all times, even when water is not actively flowing. This keeps the siphon from breaking. Water can only drain out of these inner chambers so far, thereby keeping it retained in powerouts, but while the pump is running the excess water flows over the sides of the inner chamber, in to the outer chamber, and down the drain hose.

[trockafella]

Im sorry, but I just dont get it..? I spent the whole 8 minutes of the video trying to get it, but I cant.. Can you elaborate on what is being accomplished..?

[donkey]

Im sorry, but I just dont get it..? I spent the whole 8 minutes of the video trying to get it, but I cant.. Can you elaborate on what is being accomplished..?

 

 

It means you dont have to strip a tank down and Drill it to have a Sump

 

[Inspector]

Kudos..... nice simple design.

[trockafella]

Is it essentially the same thing as a HOB overflow, just uses a long tube all the way down the tank as oppossed to the acrylic box..? If so, whats the benefit of that over a HOB overflow..?

[zygote2k]

There have been many designs like this in the past- they all eventually fail in due time.

[Origami]

As zygote2k says, it's a simple variation of a DIY PVC overflow design that's been floating around for a while. This one has a slotted intake and a tube-in-tube feature inside the tank, but the principle is the same. Just Google "DIY PVC Overflow" if you're looking for more info about how it works.

[donkey]

There have been many designs like this in the past- they all eventually fail in due time.

 

 

A lot of people have been running overflows like this for years with no problems. And even if it did fail it would be no big deal to start it up again.

[donkey]

Is it essentially the same thing as a HOB overflow, just uses a long tube all the way down the tank as oppossed to the acrylic box..? If so, whats the benefit of that over a HOB overflow..?

 

Well not everyone cant fit an acrylic box on there tank. I am one of them people who have there tank right up against the wall. And this is also easy to make and looks better that having two acrylic box's on the tank

[Origami]

A lot of people have been running overflows like this for years with no problems. And even if it did fail it would be no big deal to start it up again.

 

The danger in failure is if you don't account for the extra water in the tank in the event of the overflow failure. I think that's really what Rob's getting at. You'd be surprised at how many people don't budget for overflow (or siphon) failure, main pump failure, power outages, and sump capacity when designing their systems. Poor planning and bad luck often lead to water on the floor. Sometimes a lot of water on the floor.

[jason the filter freak]

Unique, new, good, bad, doesn't matter good to see the DIY area is alive and well.

[Origami]

Unique, new, good, bad, doesn't matter good to see the DIY area is alive and well.

 

You bet.

 

Donkey, is there a reason why you went full-length on the arm inside the tank? It doesn't seem that it needed to be this long. Not that it's likely, but if the integrity of that outer (clear) casing ever failed and there was a power outage, since that white PVC tube picks up water at the bottom of the run, you'd have a siphon tube running basically to the bottom of your tank, potentially emptying the tank. If both the inner tube and outer pick-off point (where the sump connection meets the vent) were raised, the risk would be averted.

[donkey]

The danger in failure is if you don't account for the extra water in the tank in the event of the overflow failure. I think that's really what Rob's getting at. You'd be surprised at how many people don't budget for overflow (or siphon) failure, main pump failure, power outages, and sump capacity when designing their systems. Poor planning and bad luck often lead to water on the floor. Sometimes a lot of water on the floor.

 

I see what you mean now Yes it would be a failure of the person who sets this up. The clear tube in mine holds about about a pint of water. So yes if your Sump cant take that pint then you will end up with that pint on the floor.

 

And its also true for the other way round. If you just stick your return pump on the bottom of your sump then if anything goes wrong it will pump all the water from the Sump up to the main tank. People need to set this up correctly for it to work with no spillage

[donkey]

You bet.

 

Donkey, is there a reason why you went full-length on the arm inside the tank? It doesn't seem that it needed to be this long. Not that it's likely, but if the integrity of that outer (clear) casing ever failed and there was a power outage, since that white PVC tube picks up water at the bottom of the run, you'd have a siphon tube running basically to the bottom of your tank, potentially emptying the tank. If both the inner tube and outer pick-off point (where the sump connection meets the vent) were raised, the risk would be averted.

 

 

Yes I do see what you mean by that. But the tube I'm using is very strong so I cant see it cracking or anything like that. The real reason I went full-length is because the siphon is much stronger if its taking the water from the bottom of the tank. And its easier to hold that clear tube still if its touching the bottom of the tank.

 

[treesprite]

I had a thread on PVC overflow some while back. I made several different variations (didn't put pictures of them in the thread) which worked, some of which involved bending the pipe to facilitate flow rather than use elbows. but the flow no matter how these are made, is way too low for my needs.

 

A PVC overflow is a good option for an un- drilled tank that has almost no space behind it, but IMO keeping a reef tank that close to a wall is not the best situation if there is any type of device or plumbing back there that has the potential for leaking.

[donkey]

Hi

What kind of flow were you getting from yours

 

[treesprite]

Not totally sure. I'm guessing it at less than 300gph. That's fine if all you are running is a similarly sized return from a refugium, but not if you are planning to use a pump large enough to add significant flow to the tank. Some people use more than one PVC overflow, but they look ugly in the tank.

[Charlie]

Donkey, Call me crazy (many do) but I would think that a hole drilled into the inner pipe somewhere below your MINIMUM water level might not be a bad idea, in the event of a power failure. To aid in start up, you could put a stopper with a string attached to it in the hole and remove it once the water level is above the hole. This way you could break siphon and not have the contents of your display tank on your floor (minus the fish, rocks, sand and corals). Other than that, kudos for a good design.

[Origami]

Donkey, Call me crazy (many do) but I would think that a hole drilled into the inner pipe somewhere below your MINIMUM water level might not be a bad idea, in the event of a power failure. To aid in start up, you could put a stopper with a string attached to it in the hole and remove it once the water level is above the hole. This way you could break siphon and not have the contents of your display tank on your floor (minus the fish, rocks, sand and corals). Other than that, kudos for a good design.

 

Charlie, I think a hole there would break siphon in the event of a power outage, which would be fine until the power came back on. But then the self restart capability would be defeated, leading to a possible overflow of the main tank when the return pump came back on.

[donkey]

Hi

 

Origami2547 is right. If you drill a hole in the white pipe and then the water level drops below that hole its only going to let a lot of air in to the system. If you put a clear tube in like I have and make sure that the clear tube is watertight then you can never have the contents of your display tank end up on the floor. It can only drain whatever water is in the clear tube. In my case that's about a pint. Think of the clear tube as been a safe guard. I could understand it if you where trying to do away with the clear tube all together. But I would never take the risk on using this without that clear tube. And its going to cause you problems starting up again with that hole drilled in it.

 

[John]

Nevermind

Edited March 2, 2010 by John

[paul b]

There have been many designs like this in the past- they all eventually fail in due time.

 

I don't remember when I installed mine but it was 4 or 5 presidents ago

It skims the top of the water perfectly and needs no maintenance

 

Edited March 2, 2010 by paul b

[donkey]

I don't remember when I installed mine but it was 4 or 5 presidents ago

It skims the top of the water perfectly and needs no maintenance

 

[donkey]

Looks Good