DIY Internal Overflow and changing the piping to work better

[SirCharles77]

Here is a rendering of my system so that you can get a better idea what I am doing.

This is what the system looks like from the back and front currently. This is how it was set up when I got it from the person I bought it from. As you can see its not that effecient so I am going to change it. See below...



Notice the really bad plumbing with all the crappy angles in it for the one side of the return line. Also with this system the flow from the U-tube will break when the power goes out and if it comes back on again after that flow is gone it will cause the return pump to drain the return tank and run dry.

Here is what I am going to attempt to change it to. Please tell me what you think and suggest any fixes or better ideas that you can think of to make it better!!
Here is the system from front and back:


Notice the overflow box in the top left corner. I am going to make that from a partial overflow box that came with it. It doesnt have teh whole setup with it so I am just using it as a part of this project.

And here is a close up of the sump:


And a closeup of the overflow box. Notice that I had to close off a bulkhead in the bottom of it and drill a new hole in the side in order to get the water flowing out the side. This also allows me to have more water space in the overflow box.



Here is a picture of the partial overflow that I have as it is now and am planning to modify to make the in-tank overflow for the images above.


Thoughts?

[kurtflys]

very nice setup,love what you are about to go the the Aquarium!

[SirCharles77]

So does the silence in here mean this setup will work for me?

[JeffKirk]

Seems fine to me.

[JCTewks]

If I were to do anything differently, I would ditch the acrylic overflow, and glue an overflow that has a larger skimming plane into the tank. You could make the overflow the entire length of the tank for max surface skimming using just one piece of glass set at an angle...you don;t need the teeth if you do it that way as there will prob be less than 1/4" of water flowing over the top pf the glass.

You'll also still want a tee and vent cap in your overflow plumbing to keep the noise down, like a reverse durso.

[SirCharles77]

What is a reverse durso?

[ChucksReefs]

Love you drawings. Which CAD software did you use?

[SirCharles77]

It isnt CAD. I am an animator in video games and I used Maya to build it. Goes pretty quick and its a great pre-vis tool.

JCTweks, what is a Reverse Durso.

[brackishdude]

Do what I did. Use both of your drilled holes as drains and return over-the-back.

I use a very narrow across-the-back calfo-esque weir. I took out the bulkheads to make the drain holes bigger, and siliconed boxes on the outside of the tank (analogous to the outside box of a U-tube siphon overflow).

pics of mine are on pages 2 and 14, with a good graphic on page 20

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=2

If this seems to involved, or if the tank is set up already, go with your idea, but use both holes as corner weir drains, not just one, and return over the back.

[JCTewks]

This is a Reverse Durso Standpipe...It allows you to have just an elbow inside of the tank.


Although I think that this is more what I was trying to desribe doing. This, or a modified Calfo Style will be going on my 120 I'm building.

[RandyStacyE]

Out of curiosity ... what is this part for?



It looks like a Durso Standpipe, but it doesn't make sense.

[datablitz]

you should use both bulkheads for overflow, and make your return pump go over the top. the easiest way to make the overflows is like the pitures above, but just put an upward facing 90 with a strainer on it. no extra glass required

[JCTewks]

Originally posted by datablitz
you should use both bulkheads for overflow, and make your return pump go over the top. the easiest way to make the overflows is like the pitures above, but just put an upward facing 90 with a strainer on it. no extra glass required

That is indeed a very easy way to do it...however you lose a ton of surface skimming ability. If you install say, 2-1" overflows as you mentioned you'll get about 6.3" of linear overflow for surface skimming...If you install a coast to coast you get 48"-72" of linear overflow (i'm not sure of the dimensions of His tank ). The more linear overflow you have, the better surface skimming, better gas exchange, and less to no surface scum (depending on how much). I've seen MANY tanks with the overflows set up like you mentioned and most of them have a visible surface scum in the tank.

[datablitz]

depends on water circulation in the tank, i know at least a dozen tanks with strainers that do not develop crud on the surface

im not saying that a coast to coast isnt better, but its a lot of work, and you can get by without it

[SirCharles77]

Originally posted by RandyStacyE
Out of curiosity ... what is this part for?



It looks like a Durso Standpipe, but it doesn't make sense.

I am not sure. Like I said, I bought this tank from a lady on craigs list and that is how they had it set up. So honestly I really dont know what teh purpose would be.

So for an update, I have set up the tank pretty much as I described it above with the overflow box. What I did was made the box so that it woudl fix flush against the back of the tank and the hole in it would line up perfectly with teh bulkhead. Then I put a second washer in there between the 2 pieces of acrylic and just used the bulkhead to lock the overflow into place. It works really well and I didnt have to permanatly install any more acrylic in teh tank makeing it more flexible for later use. I have the Durso thing that you suggested built into it JCTweks but I havent put in the 1/4" ID pipe yet. I have questions about that. Does that pipe run into the standpipe at the top? or does it stay flush? Basically I am wondering what the inside of that pipe looks like with regard to that ID pipe thing. Because right now the tank is VERY loud and I need to fix that. So I am looking for ideas how.

Its late tonight but I will get a render ready and show you exactly what I have so far in there so you can see where its at. But overall I am really happy with it right now. Just gotta get it quieter and eventually I will replace the small overflow box with a larger one and maybe put a second in the other corner and do an over the top return. We will see.

[SirCharles77]

Oh by the way RandyStacy, that pipe is the overflow. When I read your post the first time I was saying I dont know to the standpipe portion of it. The pipe itself is how the water got to teh sump from the tank. It basically made a suction to get the water down there but it didnt work for crap. As it caused many propblems with flooding and even worse ones with drying out the return pump. So that was the whole reason for this thread to begin with.

[JCTewks]

The cap on the top is just for letting air in without it being so noisy. Most people will put a valve on that to control the amount of air that gets in, thereby controlling the noise. Be careful though with a single outlet system. Two standpipes are better...one for main flow, and second for emergency overflow. They both have to be drawing from the same overflow box though.

[SirCharles77]

is that just in case something get stuck in teh tube and plugs it? to prevent flooding?

[JCTewks]

Yes and no...It is good for handling a clog....but the main goal is silence. I'm not sure of all of the fine details, but Hahnmeister has explained it in depth in a thread or two.