Need help with DYI overflow

powerbrowntang

powerbrowntang

New Member
I built my own DIY overflow for my 20gal long . I have a 10gal DIY sump underneath it and my problem is I cant get a stead flow from my overflow pipe...Its trickle then it surges every once in awhile it will flow smooth but then it surges again ..it surges more than run smooth.
Any help would be greatful ..Thanks in advance
P.S Lighting, Equipment & DIY (https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/f/8/lighting-equipment-diy)
- - diy overflow!!!!!!!!! check it out!!!! (https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/288154/diy-overflow-check-it-out)
This is the over flow I built
 
loopy101

loopy101

Member
i was looking at your design last night and have been thinking about it now for a while. not sure how to solve your present problem having a hard enough time trying to figure out how it all works!! lol but i did have one thought about your design dont know if it will make a difference in the noise or surge or anything.i took your drawing from one of your links and crossed off the vent where it is located and put another 90degree turn in where you have the T. i plan on hard pluming it all the way to the sump... but what if you put the vent in at the very end of the line? right at the sump i would think it would act more like a stand pipe? or am i really screwed up on how i am thinking about all this??? lol
here is a simple very sick looking drawing thats based off your drawing!! do you think it might help with the surge? and noise? and yes i know i cant draw!!

 
powerbrowntang

powerbrowntang

New Member
I have no ideal either ,I wish I knew how I could get hold of the guy that posted it oringinaly ...I not sure but got looking at the design again and I might not have the pipe cut right length...Still looking for some more input ..Thanks guys for trying to help with my problem
 
powerbrowntang

powerbrowntang

New Member
Loopy If you put the T at the sump be sure you make the vent pipe higher than your DT ...as it will drain your tank when you start the siphon
 
loopy101

loopy101

Member
thanks powder! i am sure its a simple thing to figure out how t he water will run through the pipes but for reason my brain just wont get it right! maybe it just needs a beer?? lol but it sounds like i would of had a flood if i did it they way i was thinking...
 
loopy101

loopy101

Member
did it always surge from when you first built it? did it flow nice at first? just wondering if it was possible if a snail or some build up got in the pipes along the way?
 
powerbrowntang

powerbrowntang

New Member
Yes it surged right from the get go ...I have only had it running for a couple of day now ..I was hoping after I quit messing with it that it would level off and run smooth but it hasn.t. Still trying to figure it out
...
 
powerbrowntang

powerbrowntang

New Member
Yes I am looking at that too ..might have to move the location of my T..Thanks for helping try to figure this thing out ..I am a big fan of DIY ..and a lot of my project work out well ..this one is causing me fits ..
 
loopy101

loopy101

Member
i luv DIY projects as well. like to build things and usually its cheaper then buying what ever it is your making. but let me know if that works or not. i am going start building my overflow in a little while. just have to go buy acouple things yet.
 
C

cmaxwell39

Guest
I'm not sure if this is it or not, but could it be that your return pump is not pushing enough flow to keep the overflow going consistently. What size tubing is the overflow made out of and what return pump are you running?
 
powerbrowntang

powerbrowntang

New Member
The drain pipe is (overflow ) 3/4" pvc sch 40 and at the T fitting it has 1" barb fitting with 1" clear flex tubing to the sump ..return is a Aqual 802 rated at 400gph I took and old Whisper power filter removed the pump and epoxy a 1/2 " fitting in place of pump use 1/2" clear flex tubing down to pump in sump ...this also gave me a place to put a carbon filter bag (0r any other media )in a high flow area ..Note I cut the 1'' flex hose so its not submerged in the water as much and also cut it on and angle and it has help some but still has some surging going on
 
C

cmaxwell39

Guest
A couple of things that I see as possibilities. The first is that you upsized your drain tubing so that the part that is in the water (3/4" PVC) is smaller than what is used to drain all the way to the sump (1" flex). I would keep the drain either the same size all the way down to the sump or make the part that is in the water the largest part of the drain.
On your return pump, did you say that you took the pump out of an aquaclear powerfilter and that is what you are using as a return pump. If so then you are probably not getting enough flow out of your return pump to keep the overflow primed, thus causing the surging noise. If a pump is rated at 400 gph that is the flow it will put out at 0' head. As a pump has to lift water and push it through pipe and elbows it causes restriction on the pump and the capacity goes down. So depending on the headloss of the pump you are running it may only be putting out 100 to 150 gph.
 
powerbrowntang

powerbrowntang

New Member
Cmaxwell I was thinking that too ..I am going to switch the 1" barb over to 3/4" and run 3/4" flex down and see if that will take care of problem ...I don't think my return is the problem ..I was messing with it a little today and it sounds like I am getting turbulance where the connection is up size from 3/4 to 1'' so I will start there Thanks for the input
 
loopy101

loopy101

Member
well i went ahead and built one of these to teh same messurments on the other post using 1inch pvc the whole way. i took it outside today to test it out i dont have it glued together yet with pvc cement going to do that tonight. but i did silicon it together with aquarium grade, just to test it out and out side it worked great! no noice that i could tell it kepts its siphon on every test started and stopped great.and i tried to over flow it and it kepts up fine no matter how much water or how little water i put in the container. just used a big rubber maid container to test it... but it seemed to work great! going to cement it togetehr now and when that drys should be good to go! will keep you posted..
 
powerbrowntang

powerbrowntang

New Member
Good luck hope it works ok for you ...I think I might of figured mine out too ..I will work on it again this weekend ..going to change out 1" flex hose with 3/4 " flex hose so it all the same size from start to finish
 
yerboy

yerboy

Active Member
if you cut your intake pipes at an angle to increase the hole size you should see a more constant flow of water.
 
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