diy overflow!!!!!!!!! check it out!!!!

cglover226

Member
i have one on both... the problem is if i leave both open more water comes in than can be pumped out and i'm running 1" pvc on both so it should be about 600gph and i'm pumping a mag 7 which is a little less than the 600gph with the 4-5' or so of head loss so i keep making adjustments to the drain. i think i got it now but once i have to stop the drain i have to play with it all over again. i know i should just go get a mag 9 instead now but i dont have the extra money and the mag 7 goes to waste. Another question was also the mag 7 is pumping back through 1" pvc and once it comes out it doesn't seem that strong at all... if i switched it to 1/2" pvc would the flow be stronger? or if i just reduced the tip of it to 1/2" would it give more push?
 

isistius

Active Member
cglover- yes you will get more "flow" that's just simple physics. same pressure with smaller diameter opening will result in more flow. but you can never increase the max putput of the pump. if you wanted to increase the flow you could also use a penductor at the end of the output.
salty - try your local walmart or petsmart. that's where i got mine.
 

isistius

Active Member
do a search for them. it's a attachment for the end of the return pipe. it creates an area of low pressure where the return dumps int to the tank, and the surrounding water (based on physics) will move into the low pressure area. so you get something like a 3-4x increase in flow.
 

isistius

Active Member
Originally Posted by scottallert
http:///forum/post/2886361
thank you so much for posting this
i was about to buy a $150 HOB overflow box.
ya me too before i built this. $150 for a plastic box, or $10 in pvc?!?! tough choice there.....
 

grubsnaek

Active Member
isistius any chance of a recent full tank shot, to see these overflows?
i know you have pics of the corners on the 1st page, but any FTS?
 

isistius

Active Member
hey grubs - i took the tank down last december (2007). i've been using my 54 corner since then, and having a bunch of other issues with that one. sorry no fts.....
 
Originally Posted by Isistius
http:///forum/post/2299466
i found them on that other reef site. which actually came off of another forum.
here's the plans i followed, only modifying the length of the pipe inside the tank from 11" to 12"

what size pipe should i use on a 55g? and what size pump.
 

isistius

Active Member
travis- the size of the pipe will determine what size pump you will need. a single 1" diameter will drain at roughly 600gph.
 

bamacj5

Member
just completed my pvc overflow, works like a dream no noise at all, now all i need is a pump to send water back
 
R

ryan80

Guest
Maybe I am a little slow here, but I built one last night and it did not work for me. I sucked the air out of the top of the vent, but then got very little flow and after the water drained below the intake, and then refilled, it would not flow at all. Do you seal the top of part C (the vent)? What else might I be missing? Thanks.
 

bamacj5

Member
the c out of the tank has to be longer than the c in the tank, im not using the vent that most people are, i put a cap on the tube that goes up i guess you would call it a vent drill a small hole in that cap i put a ball valve down were me water exits the overflow, close the ball valve and suck on the cap with the hole on it mine runs like a tap i can turen it off and on and when the water goes below the i just refill the tank and it statrs running agian, can you post a pic, i would but dont have the capability, hope this helps i love mine
 

princefro

New Member
I was thinking about adding one of these overflows to my existing tank for more flow to my sump. My question to someone would be, Does piece "A" (inside the tank) have to be as long as it is shown on your diagram, can i just create a U and then pipe it over the back of the tank and keep the rest the same. Basically i dont want to see so much PVC in my tank and shown from everybodys pictures. thanks
 
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