diy overflow!!!!!!!!! check it out!!!!
- Thread starter isistius
- Start date
hal000
Member
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
a question for you on this (as a point of clarification for others) I notice your mentioning tank size here but not return pump size. do you not think return pump speed should be the defining point of overflow design?
now as an observation from my point of view. it doesnt matter what size tank it is. flow out of the tank must closely match flow into the tank (better that the outflow capabilities are a little higher) but not so much higher as to cause the stalling hal000 mentioned. with underpowered return pumps the flow isnt enough to force air through the overflow system (this is one reason drilled tanks are referable) if you get a return pump that closly matches what your overflow design size is capable of handleing this will cure any stalling. dont use a 2 inch overflow size and a maxijet 1200 as a return pump..... its going to stall.
you are absolutly right. so for piece of mind! here is a calc. for help determining this. REMEMBER if you are using 2 overflows(which is best to do in this system) to cut that size in half. I.E. i put in 1500 gph, and it gave me drain pipe size of 1. 6 inches. so cut in half is a little more than 3/4, telling us that 1 inch pipe is fine for this.
calc. http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/drai...0&drain=Submit
(again i hope i can post this here. very useful, if not we'll have to find another)
Again remember overkill in 1 area means you'll need overkill in another, and remember overkill in a reef is not usally better.
a question for you on this (as a point of clarification for others) I notice your mentioning tank size here but not return pump size. do you not think return pump speed should be the defining point of overflow design?
now as an observation from my point of view. it doesnt matter what size tank it is. flow out of the tank must closely match flow into the tank (better that the outflow capabilities are a little higher) but not so much higher as to cause the stalling hal000 mentioned. with underpowered return pumps the flow isnt enough to force air through the overflow system (this is one reason drilled tanks are referable) if you get a return pump that closly matches what your overflow design size is capable of handleing this will cure any stalling. dont use a 2 inch overflow size and a maxijet 1200 as a return pump..... its going to stall.
you are absolutly right. so for piece of mind! here is a calc. for help determining this. REMEMBER if you are using 2 overflows(which is best to do in this system) to cut that size in half. I.E. i put in 1500 gph, and it gave me drain pipe size of 1. 6 inches. so cut in half is a little more than 3/4, telling us that 1 inch pipe is fine for this.
calc. http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/drai...0&drain=Submit
(again i hope i can post this here. very useful, if not we'll have to find another)
Again remember overkill in 1 area means you'll need overkill in another, and remember overkill in a reef is not usally better.
hal000
Member
another thread that has info https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/297379/diy-sump
sc0rp_xiii
Member
I am building some of these for my 125G so wish my luck! I will go with the 1.5" pipes with ball valves below to manage flow. Thanks for the write up.
sc0rp_xiii
Member
I have a Quiet One 6000 as well, so 1.5" drains won't flood it?
isistius
Active Member
funny that you ask. i was running a quietone 6000 on mine, and 2 @ 1.25" wouldn't cut it. but i don't know 100% for sure. my tank wasn't completely level. but i believe that a single 1.5" drain will allow for more than 1200 gph (more than 2 @ 1"). soooooooooooo, if you use 2 1.5" that will be more than enough drainage, but it can't hurt to add a ball valve anyways. jmo. better safe than sorry (or upset)
D
dheerecrossing
Guest
You could also forget the check valve and hook the airline tube to the venturi on a powerhead in the tank. Any trapped air would be sucked out and on a power restart the overflow would kick back in.
heck - I love these smile things -
heck - I love these smile things -
cglover226
Member
i'm thinking of doing this on my other tank 55 gal column... what size pvc did you use and what size return pump should i use?
isistius
Active Member
wow. can't believe this one resurfaced.
cglover- your drain size will depend on your return pump. what type of turnover are you looking for in the display? are you using other powerheads internally to increase the turnover?
once you figure out what type of turnover you want to acheive - you can figure out what size drain line to use.
fyi - a 1" drain will do 600gph
cglover- your drain size will depend on your return pump. what type of turnover are you looking for in the display? are you using other powerheads internally to increase the turnover?
once you figure out what type of turnover you want to acheive - you can figure out what size drain line to use.
fyi - a 1" drain will do 600gph
cglover226
Member
ok so i made the overflow out of 1" pvc tried it in to a bucket and it worked good!!! going to get a 600gph pump tomorrow... only question is---- what to put on top so that the fish don't get sucked in and it doesn't restrict the flow?
cglover226
Member
got the pump a 700gph plumbed everything up made my own sump/filter gonna test everything out tommorrow and put some oics up if i can figure that out.... pump part works well-- i filled the sump up in the tub to see if it would pump up the plumbing and it did i was actually pretty impressed
cglover226
Member
i got a slotted black cone (inside of the mag 7 prefilter sponge thingy) and fitted it snugly in the top by cutting the top off of a 3/4 cap and fitting that into the top of the 1" pvc ---- dremmel best tool for the job
cglover226
Member
so it is up and running the only problem i have (after fixing a few leaks) is keeping the water level in the sump constant.. alot of playing with the ball valves
isistius
Active Member
yes. but once it's set, u never have to do anything again.
do you have a ball valve immedtiately after the pump on your return line? if not put one there. if you have any on ur drain lines remove them or keep them open. ONLY adjust the ball valve immediately after the return pump. start with it fully open, and slowly dial it back until you get ur desired level. hth
do you have a ball valve immedtiately after the pump on your return line? if not put one there. if you have any on ur drain lines remove them or keep them open. ONLY adjust the ball valve immediately after the return pump. start with it fully open, and slowly dial it back until you get ur desired level. hth