overflow pipe lost siphon

[bobiegoh]

yo bro,
I made an overflow pipe based on the design copied from https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/297623/pics-diy-pvc-overflow#post_2480264. I lost the siphon when power cut off. The only thing i did not to my pipe is to have an inlet airline. Please help me..... how to have an auto restart and does not lost siphon.
Thanks.

 

[bobiegoh]

this is my design.

 

[phoenix73]

I'm in the process of making one myself, so I am interested in the responses.
My only thought is that you are actually missing the bottom of the "U" in the tank that serves to retain water when the level drops. If you look in the photos of the other pvc overflows, there is a rightside "U" with the inlet at the top of the "U" then it goes up and over.
I think that if you extend your pipe going down into the tank and then come back up a bit, you should be fine... but, I haven't tried it yet. Just an observation.
Let me know how it goes.

 

[natclanwy]

Your second "U" is too low your siphon will continue to pull water until it sucks air breaking the siphon.

 

[bobiegoh]

bro, I tried the same design as per other thread. It does not works. maybe i missed out somethings that why i need prof expertise here. I have an inner U in tank initially but the siphon can't keep start.

 

[mantisman51]

That is why I threw my sump away and went back to my canister and skilter. I never could get a strait answer. I got alot of over-complicated babble, but couldn't make it work. I never had an issue with ammonia, nitrite or nitrate before, but wanted to do what everyone else was. Here's my tank.

The acorpa(?) or whatever it's called up top was dying when I bought the mushrooms from a guy in a Tucson reef club. I have T5's and I didn't think it would pull out anyway since I don't have my MH yet. Anyway, I paid $15 for the mushrooms and the acorpa(?) was a hitch-hiker. The point is I have 0 Amm, 0 Nitrite, 0-.1 nitrate, so a sump was a $250 waste of my money.

 

[natclanwy]

To each his own but a sumps benefits far outweigh the risks or the cost. I am not completely sold on the PVC design but if there are any leaks in it at all it will not work. I would use silicone on all of the joints that are above water to be sure there are no leaks.
The other option is invest in a prebuilt overflow box, Eshopps makes a high quality overflow box that is pretty inexpensive I believe the 300gph version is about $40 and the 800gph version is $47.

 

[mantisman51]

I went to the Eshopps after the pvc fiasco. It was next to impossible to get the siphoning started and would quit out of the blue, as well. I think someone needs to buy a predrilled tank or hire a glass company to drill them. Nothing is more unreliable, in my experience, than a siphon overflow system.

 

[natclanwy]

A properly setup syphon overflow is every bit as reliable as a drilled tank. My has been setup and running for over 4yrs with no issues, I even simulate a power outage everyday when I feed because my controller shuts down all of the pumps during feeding.
If your syphon was stopping out of the blue it sounds like your return pump was too small.

 

[mantisman51]

Now that is clear and good info. I wish you were around when I was having trouble.

 

[shtank]

i built one a couple months ago with black 1.25 drain pipe and put a air lift pump at the top and i can not break siphon nomatter how hard i try (unless a snail get in there LOL hapend once).
I would try again and use bigger pipe and make the U bigger the pump doesn't need that strong as long as it flows into the tank

 

[bobiegoh]

bro, thanks for sharing. I need diagram and pic of your overflow pipe. Attached is my last modified pipe. Please help to see if this is workable. Thanks.