BioCube 29 - Possible DIY PVC pipe overflow?

[silver111183]

Good Day Everyone,

 

I've been on these forums for a while but this is my first post. After reading all your wonderful mods & such, I've finally splurged on a new BC29 & matching stand (I know the stand is a rip-off but what can I do, it just looks good).

 

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone on here has had any success using a DIY PVC pipe overflow in one of the back chambers to feed a sump? The DIY PVC pipe overflow I'm talking is about is the one that looks sort of like a "W" when it's all complete (see attachment > taken from 3-reef.com). If so it would be awesome since it's fairly easy to fit a 10g inside the stand, effectively increasing your water volume by 30%.

 

 

I'm thinking about trying this out to see how it works out and hopefully I'll be able to use the stock pump to drive the return flow back into the main tank.

 

Any feedback? Information?

 

Much appreciated,

Ian

[sunilg]

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I got a good deal on a BC29 ($199) and picked up the stand to go with it. I couldn't find a 10 gal. that would fit in the bottom along with the other stuff I want to put there (like the top-off reservoir), so I settled on a Marineland Eclipse Six acrylic aquarium.

 

I've been considering using a hang-on overflow box on the middle chamber in back, but it looks like I'd have to remove a substantial section of the rear hood. Even by doing that, part of the overflow box might be visible from the front, and I'd really like to preserve the stock appearance.

 

I've also considered drilling the glass, but that just makes me nervous. Also, it seems I would have to drill the top plastic rim, and I'm not sure if that's a good idea.

 

Your suggestion looks pretty intriguing and doesn't look that difficult to mock up. I may have to head to the hardware store for some pipe and elbows.

[ejaeger]

That's a great price! Where did you get it? I'm looking for one also.

[sunilg]

That's a great price! Where did you get it? I'm looking for one also.

 

I'm in Ft. Lauderdale and bought it from Beverly's Pet Center late last year. They seemed to move a boat load of them

[kdh]

It can be done!

 

I have been running a DIY PVC overflow to a 5.5 gallon refugium (in the base) for about 6 weeks now. So far all seems well.

 

I made the overflow from 3/4" CPVC (a little smaller diameter than regular PVC). The return pump is a MJ1200 with a 1/2" ball valve on the outlet. If I were to do it again, could go with a smaller pump as the valve is more than half closed to maintain a stable flow.

 

The biggest problem with the BC29 is the stock cartridge filter. It clogs up too fast in the standard configuration and you end up with a lot of extra water overflowing to the refugium.

 

To correct this I removed the carbon and the sponge pasrts from the cartridge and flow theough the filter cloth only. Also widened the space downstream of the filter cartridge to allow more flow to the chambers of the built in sump. In this configuration, I need to clean the filter cloth 1 time per day.

 

Good luck!

[sunilg]

This is a pretty helpful thread on this topic, and the guy seems to have some experience with these types of overflows:

 

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=297623

[sunilg]

As far as I can tell, that image originated on reefcentral:

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...816#post8816816

 

BTW, I found a vendor for clear PVC:

 

http://www.savko.com/portal/clearpvc.asp

 

I think I'll mock up a design in regular PVC, and once I've fine-tuned it, implement it in clear pipe.

[dmarkham]

Do you have any pics. I have the room in my stand to place a 10 gallon for a stump. The problem is in the return pump. I would have to go up around 3 feet min. The pump I would need would be too large? I would love to see your pics and also see how far up you are pumping the water.

[silver111183]

KDH,

 

Thanks for your reply! Yes like dMarkham said it would be awesome if you could show some pics so we can work off of your design. The great part about this design is that it can be built for dirt cheap. Like...$15 bucks for the piping instead of over $100 for a pre-built overflow box.

 

What chamber is your DIY PVC pipe overflow draining from? Even a quick diagram of your setup would be awesome!!Thanks again, this makes me feel a lot better about achieving my ideal setup.

 

Sunlig,

 

Thanks for your reply too. Let me know how it works out for you. I'll be setting up my sump soon too and if I get it working properly I'll be sure to post some pics. I plan to drain from chamber 1 using the DIY PVC overflow, then using a MJ1200 or smaller (similar to KDH's idea), feed back into chamber 2, so I can still take advantage of the bioballs. Then I guess I'd have to keep the stock pump running in chamber 3.

How were you planning on doing it??

 

Cheers,

Ian

[sunilg]

How were you planning on doing it??

 

I plan on drawing water from the middle chamber. I'm going to put some Purigen in the first chamber and have my skimmer and heater in the sump (and feed the ATO into the sump). That way, most of the gear remains out of sight.

 

I just bought some pipe, elbows, tees, etc... Now to start measuring and planning. I think I might go for two 1/2-inch intake pipes feeding a 3/4-inch drain pipe.

[kdh]

I am having a rough time posting a picture (never have done it)!. Let me know if the one I added comes through...It is a macro shot of the 5.5 gallon fuge in the stock BC29 base.

 

My overflow is in chamber 1. It would be easy to do in chamber 2 but I have a Sapphire skimmer in there.

 

I used 3/4" CPVC with the super short radius 90 degree elbows (I think they are called "street" elbows) for it to fit in the chamber - but it fits well. I also have a heater in chamber 1.

 

My overflow is the same configuration as the picture at the top of the post.

 

The elevation from pump to return is about 42 inches.

 

A Maxijet 1200 is more than enough to provide good flow. I have a 1/2" ball valve on the discharge of the pump and it is more than half way closed.

 

Make sure to add a siphon break to your return line - other wise when the pump shuts off the tank contents move to the fuge very quickly!

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a shot of my chambers.

fuge.doc

fuge_2.doc

[dmarkham]

What size pump do you have? Also can you take a close up of the intake and how the return is hooked up to the tank? You have given me a idea. Great job. This is alot better then the other one that cost big $$$$.

[sunilg]

I am having a rough time posting a picture (never have done it)!. Let me know if the one I added comes through..

 

Hope you don't mind, but I extracted your images from the Word files and cropped out the unnecessary stuff.

[kdh]

OK,

 

Thanks for adding my photo's. Here are a couple more - I removed the hood so you can see a little more clearly what is happening.

 

The first shot is the top of the tank and all three chambers. You can see the CPVC overflow and the heater in chamber 1. The return is through 1/2" clear tubing with a 1/2" CPVC "U" bend at the tank (it goes all the way across chamber 3 and returns to the main tank). I drilled a hole in the CPVC to serve as a siphon break - I learned this the hard way.

 

I decided to put the overflow in chamber 1 and the return to the main tank so that I am essentiall bypassing chambers 2 and 3 with my "fuge" flow.

 

The 3rd shot is my attempt at showing the pump in the refugium. I flow out of the fuge section through a bubble trap to a return chamber. The pump is a Maxi Jet 1200 and there is a 1/2" ball valve on the outlet. This is critical because the maxijet can put out more volume than the overflaow can handel. Not a big deal, the tank won't overflow, the pump will just run itself dry.

 

The overflow works great. It never loses prime (I have simulated many many power outages).

 

I built 2 prototypes before the final version and tested them for several days with a bucket and the laundry tub to gain confidence before going "live."

 

Hope this helps!

fuge_3.doc

[sunilg]

KDH,

 

If you want to attach images directly to your post, use the attachment editor right below the area where you enter text. Just save your images as .JPG files and upload them one at a time in the attachment editor. If you want to get more advanced, host the images on another server and point a link at each image.

 

I'm considering returning water from my refugium to the third chamber. I believe that the water will have a longer cycle time by returning to chamber three. Is there any reason you chose not to do this? Perhaps noise?

 

Could you also show us some a picture of the back of your hood? I'd like to know how you've altered it.

[kdh]

I wanted to take water from and return it to the same "system."

 

Since chamber 1 is essentially part of the main tank, I put the overflow in there (so you can't see it - although it is quite attractive. I was concerned that if I removed water from the main tabk and returned it to chamber 3 it would effect the equilibrium/levels in the back chambers since the pump in chamber 3 is doing its own thing.

 

I also run with the rear chambers completely full to minimize level fluctuations.

 

I had some problems early on with my skimmer running dry because I pumped too much water from the main tank to the fuge.

 

It is just one of those things you will probably have to mess around with until you get it right!

[silver111183]

KDH, this is amazing! Great job! Thanks for posting the pics. I'm glad it all worked out for you. You're probably laughing at all the guys that have paid top dollar for store bought overflows that probably lose suction more than yours does.

 

One quick question, although it may seem kinda dumb: what do you mean by adding a siphon break in the return?

 

Cheers,

Ian

[kdh]

Believe me, I am not laughing at anyone. I just really wanted a refugium that would fit in the stock tank bas rather than hanging off of the back.

 

 

As for the siphon break; the return line from the pump disharge sticks into the water where it enters the main tank. To avoid bubbles and splashing mine sticks down about 1" into the water.

 

Since the line from the pump discharge is full of water, if the pump stops, the water reverses direction and flows from the tank to the fuge (through the pump).

 

Since it is only sticking 1" into the water, it will create its own siphon break when the water level drops (in the main tank) 1". However, 1" of water from the main tank is propbably 2 gallons or so.

 

To avoid this, I drilled a small hole in the CPVC elbow right at the water line where the fuge pump returns water to the main tank.

 

Now, when the pumps stops and the water reverses flow direction , the hole at the water line sucks in air. As a result, only the water that is in the line returns to the fuge.

 

I shut my pump off every time I do a water change, so this is a frequent thing.

 

Good luck with your project - keep us posted!

[dmarkham]

Thanks for the info. I will have to give this a try.

[JDisHERE]

You mentioned that your overflow never loses prime during a power down. Isn't the point of the syphon break hole designed so that the overflow DOES lose it's prime? I think I might be missing something here.

 

When the pump power is off, if the prime/syphon.... oh, I just figured it out I think - it's an overflow that stays full - not a syphon. As long as the bottom of the drain line stays underwater and the syphon break hole stays under water - even if the water is not moving... - well, gravity would always cause movement.... I'm so confused.

[agirgen]

Hey...

 

I have been running a hang on over flow on my 100 gal for a while and it has worked well for me. I have recently started at 29 gal biocube and would like to construct one of these overflows. My only question is regarding how to get it started. With my traditional hang on, I use a piece of air line tubing to siphon the air out of a piece of "U" tube that transfers water between the outer and inner chambers. In order for this to work, there has to be a good amount of water in both chambers, otherwise I just suck air into the tube. How does it work with this? I am assuming that there has to be water in both the inner and outter tube?

[TheStar]

KDH...how is the sump working out? Any new pics?

[Latinman]

The water returning from the sump goes to the chamber where the PVC overflow is located or does it go to the third chamber where the stock pump is?