overflows

[Guest alex wlazlak]

can i use the one kind that comes with the RR tanks? i think theyre called durosos or somthing like that? id like to drill my tank but not the bottom. could i use the duroso things and make the wholes like 3-4 inches up from the bottom?? i think that would work, but i know nothing about plumbing or overflows......

[Charlie97L]

can i use the one kind that comes with the RR tanks? i think theyre called durosos or somthing like that? id like to drill my tank but not the bottom. could i use the duroso things and make the wholes like 3-4 inches up from the bottom?? i think that would work, but i know nothing about plumbing or overflows......

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the durso standpipe (if that's what you're referring to) is basically just a tool to quiet down the overflow, normally the water will drop like 20 inches, but with the durso, it lets the overflow fill up almost to the top... you could get your tank drilled from the back, no problem, and od a custom overflow out the back, that would work fine... i'm not totally clear on what you're asking though. drawings are always good.

[BeltwayBandit]

If you are drilling the back of the tank for an overflow there is no need for a durso. The durso just quiets the falling water associated with an internal overflow box. Just drill the hole a few inches below the water line and use a 90 with a strainer cover. Then once the tank is full you can rotate the 90 to set the water overflow point. With this setup you shouldn't have the gurgling and splashing that a Durso/Stockman standpipe is designed to eliminate. Alternatively, if you really want one, you can plumb in a T on the back side of the bulkhead in a Vertical orientation. Cap off the top and drill a hole, voila you have an external Durso. I haven't used this type of setup. I know SteveOutlaw used to have drilled overflows in the back of his 120, perhaps he can chime in as to how he had them plumbed.

 

External Standpipe This is an example of what I was talking about. Ignore the overflow box and pretend that is the back of your aquarium. You would also want the 90 elbow to be rotated up so that it is taking water from the surface of your tank.

[Guest alex wlazlak]

if i just get the overflow box with the air pump thingy and the power goes out, would the tank end up overflowing? i know water would leak back to the sump and add some to it, but the return pump would also be off when the power goes out so no more water would be going into the tank, in turns the tank doesnt overflow.. whats the chances of the overflow box loosing its syphon with the air pump? im really thinking about getting one cause i wanna upgrade to my new skimmer, and i really want a sump too!

[fishface]

Good question!

To work that part out, First you install the bulkhead and then fill the tank to the point where it's starting to come through the overflow to your sump. Then add water to your sump to the point that you want the maximum working water height to be, usually 4-5 or so inches below the top (depending on the sump configuration). That will be your normal max water height. When you turn on the recirculation pump, the water level in the sump will drop, because the tank "holds" additional water as the recirc. pump pushes water up into it. Then add water into the sump to compensate. So you need to be sure that you have enough capacity. Turn off the pump to confirm that you really do.

 

Now that you've determined the water level, run the pump and set your top off, or install a float valve to maintain that level.

 

Keep in mind that when you turn off the recirculation pump (or gulp, the power cuts out or a breaker is tripped), the water level in the sump will actually rise above the cut off point or float. So the sump has to have enough capacity to handle the extra water when the pump goes silent. If your sump is big enough to fit the skimmer (and you have enough space to get it out it to clean it weekly) that

[Guest alex wlazlak]

so (correct me on this) i should get 2 1