A New Standpipe Thought... - Page 8

justgettinstarted · #**176** 11/07/2003, 09:22 PM

yea, the overflow boxes can be pretty shabbily built and still function... howver... if the power goes out is when you want a water tight overflow!!! LOL

rspar · #**177** 11/08/2003, 03:08 AM

True but I wouldn't set one up where that would be a problem anyway. The only way mine could overflow would be the siphon break clogging. And I'm thinking about rearranging the returns so that won't even make a difference.

justgettinstarted · #**178** 11/08/2003, 01:18 PM

well, the deeper the overflow goes in the tank... the more it could drain the tank if it where to leak when the power went out... thats what i was gettins at

rspar · #**179** 11/08/2003, 01:24 PM

Ah true as well.

imsqueak · #**180** 11/15/2003, 04:13 PM

None of my tanks are drilled yet. I was just thinking about linear flow and box dims to apply the Garner pipe. Most use 3 sided overflows. I was thinking about putting a 1" or 1/2" gap between the overflow and glass so that I can shrink the box size yet gain lots of linear flow distance. Has anyone tried this? I suppose it depends on BH design: which I dont have any to compare if it works. Has anyone thought of this or tried it?

imsqueak · #**181** 11/15/2003, 04:13 PM

None of my tanks are drilled yet. I was just thinking about linear flow and box dims to apply the Garner pipe. Most use 3 sided overflows. I was thinking about putting a 1" or 1/2" gap between the overflow and glass so that I can shrink the box size yet gain lots of linear flow distance. Has anyone tried this? I suppose it depends on BH design: which I dont have any to compare if it works. Has anyone thought of this or tried it?

justgettinstarted · #**182** 11/15/2003, 04:48 PM

so you are thinking of having a 4 sided box? that would basically be set out from the back wall of the tank?

I guess that it would work... but i am not sure exactly how easy it would be to plumb that... because you are going to need to have the PVC bonded to the acrylic (and that needs to be water tight) in case of power outage.... if you know of a way to do that then it should work just fine...

gbtower · #**183** 11/15/2003, 06:16 PM

You'll prolly need an extra bulkhead for the box itself, which will add to the cost. Or DIY with some PVC adapters. But that gap will be extra space for algae and other crap to grow, which may make cleaning a hassle. You'll probably get more flow, but a large portion of it won't be from the surface since it'll be coming from below and around.

imsqueak · #**184** 11/15/2003, 06:58 PM

"a large portion of it won't be from the surface since it'll be coming from below and around"

good point! I didnt consider that.

but I just redesigned the overflow box that should allow the back to get water from the top only and also made the box so it doesnt need the extension in the BH (cheaper and cleaner design). Since you'd cut the lenght of the box and heat to bend to those shapes and then put the sides on, it seems to be an easy adaptation. I'd guess to make the bottom of the L about 1-1.5" away from the back and 2" deep to allow enough water flow flow to serve the whole back linear flow.

Wadoyou think?

rspar · #**185** 11/15/2003, 07:40 PM

I've discovered at least with my setup if I plug the air hole at the top it drastically increases flow. I suppose because it is siphoning the water out. Anyway it drains my skimmer box so that doesn't work unless I want to get in there and cut the notches deeper.

rspar · #**186** 11/16/2003, 05:20 PM

Any thoughts on this? Was thinking in the future I could plug the air hole and use the other Garner for a closed loop after cutting a hole in the skimmer box for the inlet.

justgettinstarted · #**187** 11/16/2003, 05:44 PM

i would just put a piece of wax or something over the hole partially covering it up and increasing the flow yet keeping it from bieng a siphon...

rspar · #**188** 11/16/2003, 05:53 PM

tried that bit it didn't sem to increase flow unless the hole was completely covered. then it was a dramatic increase due to siphoning effect. if you could keep up with the siphon would siphoning be a bad thing?

justgettinstarted · #**189** 11/16/2003, 08:12 PM

the problem with the siphon is... if the power goes out and it breaks... and doesnt restart... then your tank will most likely overflow... or the pumps will run dry.. or other bad things can happen...

rspar · #**190** 11/16/2003, 08:38 PM

Well if the pump turned off the siphon would drain the skimmer and lose its siphon but then the skimmer would fill from the tank and when the pump turned on I would think it would continue on.

t1guyton1 · #**191** 12/06/2003, 01:05 AM

tagging along...