DIY Overflow Idea

[Pink Punisher]

FRONT VIEW



The very top black pieces at the far left and right are where the piping goes over the top of the tank and connects to the other far left and right pipes tipped with black.



Do you think this overflow idea will work? The VERY top bar out of the 5 in FRONT VIEW will be where the overflow will top sucking once they reach the very lowest hole on the top bar correct? and it should restart after a power out? Im REALLY hoping this plan is plossible because then i wont have to worry about dead water zones where the intake pipes wont be able to reach the gunk, for the most part atleast. One more question, this would be for a 55 gallon tank and i want to have 750 gallons per hour filtered so 1.5 inch pipes would work? and for a pump i think i want one that can pump 900 gallons per hour to compensate for all the piping, does that sound about right?

Thanks Guys,
Spencer

[MikeM]

If I'm looking at your diagram right, it doesn't look like there's any way to break the siphon when the water level gets too low.  If the pump cut out, I think your tank would drain into the sump, until the bottom cross-pipe was exposed, breaking the siphon.  If you drilled a hole in the riser pipes on the inside of the tank at the desired water level, that would give you a way to break the siphon in a power outage.

[fischkopp]

Yeah, I am also affraid (very sure) that your tank will drain until it reaches until it reaches the lowest cross-pipe or the horizontal pipe that connects via T to the sump - whatever is higher up determines the waterlevel that stays in the tank.

I attached a pretty crappy picture of a way how to design a overflow setup. Its pretty much the same as what you have underneeth every sink. Just add this between both of your sections and you will be fine. The hight of the left bend will give you the waterlevel in the tank and should be above the top crossbar with the holes.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[redbelly]

I too am a rather concerned about the mentioned problems.
Maybe I dont understand the pic but i think you are over complicating things. Plus that much 1.5" plumbing in your tank would really take up a lot of space and thats the exact opposite if what i would recomend doing.

Now as for the plumbing size, 1.5" plumbing would more than handle that flow.

And to reduce flow losses try using the sweeping 90's and 45" in the electrical section at home depo fo you return line. This is what I have on all of my return pumps.

[Pink Punisher]

Yea  after reading repsonses from this site and another i think im just going to make 2 big hold on the far right and far left intake pipes ( FRONT VIEW ) so that once the water gets to that point the suction breaks.

I attached a pretty crappy picture of a way how to design a overflow setup. Its pretty much the same as what you have underneeth every sink. Just add this between both of your sections and you will be fine. The hight of the left bend will give you the waterlevel in the tank and should be above the top crossbar with the holes.

If i understand what your saying then you mean where my T's are that go into the "middle long pipe" is where my water will stop at? I think thats where its suppost to stop anyways when i get a power out.

I think i might just save myself the hassle and money and just build a regular overflow, I have on question though, does my "loop" in the tank have to reach the bottom? or does it matter?

[assiegordon]

http://www.randystacye.com/diy_overflow.htm

I built one similar to this, other that inside the tank is a clear plastic box (my inlaws give me chocolates for Christmas, the box came in handy).  Works like a charm.

[fischkopp]

If i understand what your saying then you mean where my T's are that go into the "middle long pipe" is where my water will stop at? I think thats where its suppost to stop anyways when i get a power out.

If I understand your drawings correctly, then there are two parts, one sitting in front of the other (on the back plane i guess). Both segments are connected via the vertical pipes on both sides, right? The section I draw would just go in between this connection.

But you are right, the whole idea seems very complicated, take a while to build and does cost a lot of space in the tank. And it probably wont create that full water cycle without dead spots that you are ainming for. An overflow wont create enough current to do so (IMHO) .Also you would probably have to vary the holes in the horizontal pipes - more on the bottom, less on the top. Thats where it becomes scientific ...

You will be better up with a common overflow and may overcome the dead spots with a few additional small power heads.

[Pink Punisher]

Ive decided to just make 2 regular overflows seeing as whats going in the tank prefer calmer water with less current. A nice SA cichlid tank. Yes you were right with my pictures. Its going to have most likely atleast a 30 gallon sump now so i assume i should be safe even if i do have dead spots LOL thats about 85 gallons for 4 fish, lucky little farts.

Spencer