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Anyone ever used/made an overflow like this?


freakaccident

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Here is a diagram. It is all 1" PVC, with 2" PVC for the intake. The intake is about 4" high. It has a threaded cap at the end. I used a 1/4" drill bit to drill the caps for the 1" and 2" pipes. Then I used a 1/4" nylon 2" bolt and nut, with a washer, to attach the two caps so the 1" PVC will cap inside the 2" PVC cap. Then I drilled the 2" PVC with multiple 1/4" holes near the top for surface straining. Then I drilled 1/2" holes in the 1" cap while the pipe was in it. This is how the water gets into the first "U". The rest is just 1" PVC, although I opted to put a barbed adapter at the end of it for hose to the sump. Make sure that the second overflow level's elbow,1, is kept at a level between point 2 and 3. This will keep the water flowing, if the water slows down, the level in the initial skimmer wont go so low that the syphon breaks. All from the local Home Depot.

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Here my DIY.

 

you can play with the dimensions and use different pipe if you want to try and get a better flow. I have mine with a 10G sump/refugium with a maxijet1200 for the return (about 3' head). Not sure about the actual flow, but mine right now is limited by the holes I have drilled that allow water to enter the inside box. I could probably do slots from the top to improve flow a bit.

 

A few notes... I used vinyl tubing for the U tube because it was easy - I used some plastic pipe hanger to ensure that it doesn't flatten. I also cut the ends at angles so that I won't block the tube when it gets to the endcap...

 

-Ed

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edying , that's a pretty cool design. I was contemplating on using pvc pipes and the vinyl tubing. But I just dont need it anymore. But if you do have it up, can you post a pic?

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edying , I'm assuming that the tubing is just slipped into the pipes and not mounted or cemented. I like your design and will use it also, if you don't mind. How hard was it to start the syphon?

 

Cami

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Hiya folks -

 

Yes, the vinyl is just stuck in there. Siphon is actually pretty easy to start... I have a ball valve on my output. I just closed it up, filled both the inner and outer PVC with tank water. Put the tank side vinyl all the way down. Put an airline on the other side and put the vinyl so that it was just submerged. Sucked out the water from the tube, pulled the airline out and then pushed the vinyl the rest of the way down. Opened up the ball valve and away we went...

 

With the Maxijet 1200, the flow through the vinyl tubing is pretty good - no bubbles build up in it at all. I'll try and get some pics of it in action when I get the chance...

 

-Ed

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something I didnt draw into my design, but added later on, was a hole large enough to cement a rigid airline connector, a short piece of airline, and a valve. (I used a plastic needle valve, but I imagine a one way check valve would do the same.) All i do is suck on the airline...and close the valve. If you use rigid PVC to make the siphon, this can be a real convenience. Even better yet, one could attach the air intake from a venturi adapter, like on a powerhead, to insure the siphon always was working.

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freakaccident

I made the overflow using smaller tubing to conserve space but it didn't work very well. I drilled the tank instead. Easy to cut the hole and works great.

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