pvc over flow concern

[toddv89]

so i made my over flow about a month ago and most people when making a pvc over flow put a little peice of air line tubing with a check valve and an aqua lifter on the top of the pvc to prime the system i figured i could make it work by just submergeing the whole main part of the over flow and fill it with water that way and not haveing to deal with the check vavle and it worked fine but im getting worried that i might come home one day to find my suction has stoped because air has gotten traped in the tubing. i can turn my return pump off and on and my overflow does not not lose suction and starts right back up. just wondring if any one thinks ill have a problem down the road or it it should be ok?

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by toddv89 http:///t/390522/pvc-over-flow-concern#post_3459047
so i made my over flow about a month ago and most people when making a pvc over flow put a little peice of air line tubing with a check valve and an aqua lifter on the top of the pvc to prime the system i figured i could make it work by just submergeing the whole main part of the over flow and fill it with water that way and not haveing to deal with the check vavle and it worked fine but im getting worried that i might come home one day to find my suction has stoped because air has gotten traped in the tubing. i can turn my return pump off and on and my overflow does not not lose suction and starts right back up. just wondring if any one thinks ill have a problem down the road or it it should be ok?
It sure sound to my like you got it right.
I hope and trust you also tested the system by specifically adding air to break the siphon to check and insure the sump rund dry before the upper tank (display usually) does not flood.
If you did that then you should get no flood but obviously a pump running dry is not the best thing either.
What I did was use either the sump pump or even display power heads to suck out (venturi) any air that does accumulate in the hob part. Just simple rigid air line tube with air lines to the pump will do the trick.
properly setup this could even reestablish siphon if air was in the HOB but water was still trapped in the pvc.
My particular design required a minute reestablish the siphon. Hopefully what you come up with will work faster.
But even with that it did give me peace of mind.
Instead of my wife giving me a piece of mind. LOL
my .02

 

[toddv89]

yea i have tested every thing and its about as flood proof as any other pvc overflow system. i like your idea about using a power head with a small air line attached to it and then running that into the hob part of the overflow. you are meaning the power heads that specifically have an air line attached to the side of it for extra air circulation in your tank right? it has been running for a good month now with no issues and i have quite a few times had to turn off the return pump and stop the suction and as soon as i turn the pump back on it starts right back up. just worried me when i saw these people who ran a pump constantly and said it could lose suction if they turned it off like mine would build up air and then some day lose suction or some thing because i didnt have that.

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by toddv89 http:///t/390522/pvc-over-flow-concern#post_3459081
yea i have tested every thing and its about as flood proof as any other pvc overflow system. i like your idea about using a power head with a small air line attached to it and then running that into the hob part of the overflow. you are meaning the power heads that specifically have an air line attached to the side of it for extra air circulation in your tank right? it has been running for a good month now with no issues and i have quite a few times had to turn off the return pump and stop the suction and as soon as i turn the pump back on it starts right back up. just worried me when i saw these people who ran a pump constantly and said it could lose suction if they turned it off like mine would build up air and then some day lose suction or some thing because i didnt have that.
that powerhead is probably good.
I epoxied a pvc pipe to the intank and put a rigid airlind tube at right angles through it. I also drilled the tubing with two holes. then connected air line flexiable tubing to the top and back of the hobpvc siphon part. I could put an air stone in the drain and saw air bubbles being sucked into the powerhead through the tubing. It was a little slow on the initial sucking out the air at startup though.
my .02