sly
Active Member
I recently built an algae scrubber as covered in this thread https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/330606/mega-powerful-nitrate-and-phosphate-remover-replaces-skimmer-refugium-everything/40
In the process I figured a simple way to create an easy to adjust, solid-solid state (no moving parts) cheap and effective surge device. It's a modification of the U tube siphon hose that many people already use. The difference is that this design uses 2 siphon breaks rather than 1. The siphon tube fits down in a small bucket that is continuously being filled from a regular water pump. In my case I'm using a Rio 2100 to feed the surge bucket and I regulate the flow of the Rio with a regular ball valve.
Here is a picture of the entire assembly as it sits on my algae scrubber:
Open the surge bucket and look down from above:
The surge device has two siphon breaks. As water fills the bucket the level rises to where it starts flowing down the tube and into the algae scrubber. Eventually the air is purged from the tube and a full siphon is formed. When this happens water rushes through the tube, overtaking the flow of the pump, and empties the bucket creating a surge. Then the water level falls below the level of the siphon break openings and allows air back into the tube. With air in the system the siphon is broken and this allows water to refill the bucket. As the water level rises it starts the whole process all over again. This design uses no moving parts at all and the rate of the surge can be set by how you adjust the siphon breaks and the flow of the system pump...
Here is a picture of the surge device as it would sit in the surge bucket:
It is made from all 3/4" PVC fittings... You can use larger fittings for higher flow surges.
To attach the siphon to the bucket you drill a hole in the bottom of your bucket and slide the threaded end down with the O-ring sealing against the inside of your bucket. Wrap the threads with Teflon pipe tape and then attach a female threaded x slip fitting (not in the list above) to the threads on your siphon tube. This is the output of your surge device... Now just attach some PVC to the siphon tube to run to your algae scrubber or whatever else you need a surge for.
You need a surge bucket that is taller than the PVC surge device... As the bucket fills, the water level will rise to the top of the PVC tube. The taller your bucket is the more water flow you can use... My bucket is not very tall because this is the first prototype. If I had to do it over I would choose a larger bucket.
To prevent splashing inside the bucket caused by water from the pump, I installed a couple of 90 degree fittings to direct the incoming water flow downward toward the bottom of the surge bucket. This keeps down on the splashing which is important since any splashing can break the siphon prematurely...
Once you get the surge device installed into your bucket and hooked up to your pump, install an airline hose to the barb fitting. Make it form a loop as shown and fasten it in place with a wire tie.
Now it's time to turn on your pump. This device has two adjustments... the amount of water flow coming from your pump and the height of the airline hose that you held with the wire tie. The more water flow you allow into the bucket, the faster your device will surge. Open the ball valve until the bucket starts to fill. As it fills a siphon should start to form as the water level rises to the top of the tube. When the siphon starts it will overtake the pump and the water level will start to go down. Here is where the airline adjustment comes into play...
In the process I figured a simple way to create an easy to adjust, solid-solid state (no moving parts) cheap and effective surge device. It's a modification of the U tube siphon hose that many people already use. The difference is that this design uses 2 siphon breaks rather than 1. The siphon tube fits down in a small bucket that is continuously being filled from a regular water pump. In my case I'm using a Rio 2100 to feed the surge bucket and I regulate the flow of the Rio with a regular ball valve.
Here is a picture of the entire assembly as it sits on my algae scrubber:
Open the surge bucket and look down from above:
The surge device has two siphon breaks. As water fills the bucket the level rises to where it starts flowing down the tube and into the algae scrubber. Eventually the air is purged from the tube and a full siphon is formed. When this happens water rushes through the tube, overtaking the flow of the pump, and empties the bucket creating a surge. Then the water level falls below the level of the siphon break openings and allows air back into the tube. With air in the system the siphon is broken and this allows water to refill the bucket. As the water level rises it starts the whole process all over again. This design uses no moving parts at all and the rate of the surge can be set by how you adjust the siphon breaks and the flow of the system pump...
Here is a picture of the surge device as it would sit in the surge bucket:
It is made from all 3/4" PVC fittings... You can use larger fittings for higher flow surges.
1 slip coupling
2 90 degree elbows
1 slip tee fitting with a threaded middle section
1 threaded X slip coupling
1/4" barb fitting that will fit your airline tubing
1 o-ring
To attach the siphon to the bucket you drill a hole in the bottom of your bucket and slide the threaded end down with the O-ring sealing against the inside of your bucket. Wrap the threads with Teflon pipe tape and then attach a female threaded x slip fitting (not in the list above) to the threads on your siphon tube. This is the output of your surge device... Now just attach some PVC to the siphon tube to run to your algae scrubber or whatever else you need a surge for.
You need a surge bucket that is taller than the PVC surge device... As the bucket fills, the water level will rise to the top of the PVC tube. The taller your bucket is the more water flow you can use... My bucket is not very tall because this is the first prototype. If I had to do it over I would choose a larger bucket.
To prevent splashing inside the bucket caused by water from the pump, I installed a couple of 90 degree fittings to direct the incoming water flow downward toward the bottom of the surge bucket. This keeps down on the splashing which is important since any splashing can break the siphon prematurely...
Once you get the surge device installed into your bucket and hooked up to your pump, install an airline hose to the barb fitting. Make it form a loop as shown and fasten it in place with a wire tie.
Now it's time to turn on your pump. This device has two adjustments... the amount of water flow coming from your pump and the height of the airline hose that you held with the wire tie. The more water flow you allow into the bucket, the faster your device will surge. Open the ball valve until the bucket starts to fill. As it fills a siphon should start to form as the water level rises to the top of the tube. When the siphon starts it will overtake the pump and the water level will start to go down. Here is where the airline adjustment comes into play...