I give up
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unknown
Member
So having the HOB sucking watter in to the box and having a 1" CPVC pipe drain into the small tank and a PH shoot water back into the main tank would work.
Thx for all the help guys.
P.S. what is a U-tube. Kinda figured it looks like a U but how does it work?? Could I just hook up x2 90 elbows and make on??
Vince.:happyfish
Thx for all the help guys.
P.S. what is a U-tube. Kinda figured it looks like a U but how does it work?? Could I just hook up x2 90 elbows and make on??
Vince.:happyfish
sly
Active Member
You could use the pvc elbows and get the same result. It works like a siphon but is controlled, where a simple siphon is gravity fed. As the water in the HOB drains, it pulls in water from the main tank at the same rate. This way the water level stays the same between both. Water only goes through the U as fast as the HOB drains because once the HOB and the main tank water level are the same, the siphon stops. You might consider putting something at the top of the U to allow the air to be bled out. If the siphon ever breaks (gets air in the tube) then your main tank will simply overflow into your floor until your small tank is empty. :nope: So you want your U to extend down far enough in the water so that you don't suck any air, but don't put it so far down that it sucks up your sand.
sly
Active Member
Are you using a U tube? You need to get all the air out of the tube. Put the tube upside down in your tank and completely fill it with water so that there's no air in it. Then put your hands over the ends so that no water spills out. Flip the U upside down and put one end in your tank and the other in you HOB. Put the ends below the water level and remove you hands, now it should work. Once water starts draining out of your HOB, it will draw water in from your main tank through the U. You have to use only one power head, not 2.
squidd
Active Member
Try putting the smaller tank on a couple wood blocks so that the top of both tanks are at the same level...then you will have something similar to that first drawing I showed above..
When you put the U tube between the tanks, take a piece of airline tubing and stick it up to the curve in the U tube...gently suck out the air bubble until the U tube is compleatly filled with water and then remove the air line...
As long as both ends of the U tube are/remain submerged the tube will stay full of water...
When you turn on your pump/powerhead to transfer water from one tank to the other (only one pump) the water level will rise slightly in that tank and then transfer through the U tube back to the first tank...
When you put the U tube between the tanks, take a piece of airline tubing and stick it up to the curve in the U tube...gently suck out the air bubble until the U tube is compleatly filled with water and then remove the air line...
As long as both ends of the U tube are/remain submerged the tube will stay full of water...
When you turn on your pump/powerhead to transfer water from one tank to the other (only one pump) the water level will rise slightly in that tank and then transfer through the U tube back to the first tank...
unknown
Member
Squidd is that your overflow box you showed in that picture?? If so can you tell me how to make it cause i think that would save me a lot of trouble.
Also. I put both tanks even and the syphon would over power the pump. I have 1 1/2" tubing syphoning and I have a CR800 pump shooting it back. The CR supposable pump 400 GPH. but i dont believe that. What am i doing wrong?? can i just down size the size of the hose and it should equal out??
Thx for all help guys I am really gratefull.
Vince.:happyfish
Also. I put both tanks even and the syphon would over power the pump. I have 1 1/2" tubing syphoning and I have a CR800 pump shooting it back. The CR supposable pump 400 GPH. but i dont believe that. What am i doing wrong?? can i just down size the size of the hose and it should equal out??
Thx for all help guys I am really gratefull.
Vince.:happyfish
sly
Active Member
Downsizing the tube won't improve things. You have something not set up right in your siphon. either the water level of one tank is higher than the other, or both your tanks are too full and so one starts to spill as water flows.
With the tanks equal and the water level equal there should be no water flow when the pump is off. The U tube should be filled with water with no air bubbles but have no water flowing through it. When you turn on your pump then the smaller tank will start to drain and draw water in it through the U from the larger tank. This type of siphon only works as fast as the water empties from one tank into the other. If the water stops flowing, the siphon stops as well. If it doesn't then the water level between the tanks are not at the same.
With the tanks equal and the water level equal there should be no water flow when the pump is off. The U tube should be filled with water with no air bubbles but have no water flowing through it. When you turn on your pump then the smaller tank will start to drain and draw water in it through the U from the larger tank. This type of siphon only works as fast as the water empties from one tank into the other. If the water stops flowing, the siphon stops as well. If it doesn't then the water level between the tanks are not at the same.
dania
New Member
Vince,
Here's a link regarding "hang-on overflows and siphoning" that may be helpful to what you are trying to accomplish.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/
(go towards the end of the page)
I was trying to do what you do and almost ended drilling my main tank.
goodluck.
Here's a link regarding "hang-on overflows and siphoning" that may be helpful to what you are trying to accomplish.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/
(go towards the end of the page)
I was trying to do what you do and almost ended drilling my main tank.
goodluck.
dania
New Member
Vince,
Here's a link regarding "hang-on overflows and siphoning" that may be helpful to what you are trying to accomplish.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/
(go towards the end of the page)
I was trying to do what you do and almost ended drilling my main tank.
goodluck.
Here's a link regarding "hang-on overflows and siphoning" that may be helpful to what you are trying to accomplish.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/
(go towards the end of the page)
I was trying to do what you do and almost ended drilling my main tank.
goodluck.
unknown
Member
OK this is what I am going to do. I will take a piece of 2-3" CPVC and have that be an overflow box. Next I will have 1-2 3/4" hose spyhon out of there into the little tank. Then the water will be pumped back into the main and all will be fine.
Thx for you guyz help so much.
:yes:
Vince.:happyfish
Thx for you guyz help so much.
Vince.:happyfish
sly
Active Member
I think we've helped you as much as we can. The U tube idea works. If it didn't for you then you did something wrong. What happened when you tried it? You have to make sure the tube sticks down into the water and there is no air in it. The setup pictures that were posted above for the tanks placed side by side are what you need to do.
unknown
Member
I never said I was using 2 pumps???
OK this is what I am going to do. I will take a piece of 2-3" CPVC and have that be an overflow box. Next I will have 1-2 3/4" hose spyhon out of there into the little tank. Then the water will be pumped back into the main.
What WAS happening is the syphon was sucking water out of the overflow faster then the pump could fill it up and the syphon would be lost. That problem has been fixed. I can equal everything out now!:joy:
BUT, today I come home and my camel shrimp is stuck in the hose and stoped the syphon(about 5 gallons of water soaked up into some carpet
) used a towel and cleaned it up.
I need a way to seal the tops so water can get in but the shrimp can not. I was thinkning like a bath drain with tiny holes to cover the tops of the 2 pipes?
Or maybe a real porues sponge??
Vince.:happyfish
OK this is what I am going to do. I will take a piece of 2-3" CPVC and have that be an overflow box. Next I will have 1-2 3/4" hose spyhon out of there into the little tank. Then the water will be pumped back into the main.
What WAS happening is the syphon was sucking water out of the overflow faster then the pump could fill it up and the syphon would be lost. That problem has been fixed. I can equal everything out now!:joy:
BUT, today I come home and my camel shrimp is stuck in the hose and stoped the syphon(about 5 gallons of water soaked up into some carpet
I need a way to seal the tops so water can get in but the shrimp can not. I was thinkning like a bath drain with tiny holes to cover the tops of the 2 pipes?
Or maybe a real porues sponge??
Vince.:happyfish
sly
Active Member
Sorry to hear about your shrimp. Hope it lived.
Some LFS sell what I've heard called "baby savers". These are basically just plastic guards that are designed to slip over the intake of power heads to prevent fish from being sucked in. You could buy some of these and slip them over the pipes you used.
Some LFS sell what I've heard called "baby savers". These are basically just plastic guards that are designed to slip over the intake of power heads to prevent fish from being sucked in. You could buy some of these and slip them over the pipes you used.
unknown
Member
My shirmp did not make it but I am getting 3 cleaner shrimp tommorow(Threw the guilt trip on my mom LOL)
You will laugh but ere goes.
I used 1 1/2" PVC for the overflow and then took a BRAND NEW bath tube drain and fitted it into the PVC. Next I took wire cutters and cut the top of the drain for til the 3/4" hose BARELY fits in it.. Now the overflow had a steel guard around it LOL
Vince.:happyfish
Thx for all your help Sly could not have done it with out you.
You will laugh but ere goes.
I used 1 1/2" PVC for the overflow and then took a BRAND NEW bath tube drain and fitted it into the PVC. Next I took wire cutters and cut the top of the drain for til the 3/4" hose BARELY fits in it.. Now the overflow had a steel guard around it LOL
Vince.:happyfish
Thx for all your help Sly could not have done it with out you.
sly
Active Member
KEWL! :jumping:
Glad you got it working. You might want to consider using a plastic guard instead of a metal one. Eventually (in a couple of days) is will rust in the saltwater and release stuff in your tank that could harm your fish. There is no copper in steel but still the rust could cause some problems.
Glad you got it working. You might want to consider using a plastic guard instead of a metal one. Eventually (in a couple of days) is will rust in the saltwater and release stuff in your tank that could harm your fish. There is no copper in steel but still the rust could cause some problems.