$15 PVC Overflow
- Thread starter tboned
- Start date
sfsuphysics
Active member
Yah basically you can get those little plastic dohickies that connect two pieces of airtubing, and drill into the pvc and glue those in.
Freed
It's what it's
I don't think anyone said yet if the siphon starts itself back up after a power failure? Anyone tried this yet?
Will this work with an acrylic tank? I only see glass tanks in the pics. I have a 180 gallon and am considering doing this if it will work on an acrylic tank.
How do you screen fish, etc. from getting sucked down? Do you use a bulkhead strainer in the end of the inner tank pipe?
How do you start the siphon?
Any insight to my above Q's would be great. Thanks.
Will this work with an acrylic tank? I only see glass tanks in the pics. I have a 180 gallon and am considering doing this if it will work on an acrylic tank.
How do you screen fish, etc. from getting sucked down? Do you use a bulkhead strainer in the end of the inner tank pipe?
How do you start the siphon?
Any insight to my above Q's would be great. Thanks.
Rockker
New member
Here it is working.
In the event of a power outage, the siphon starts right back up. "Tested this last night"
The blue things on top are how you start your siphon and how to make sure it is still flowing "I think"
I think I will take mine out in a couple of weeks and paint them if I can find a good black paint that is reef safe.
I gotta tell ya, it's working great...
I have an Eheim 1260 hooked up as a return and I have it backed off just a hair to keep a steady balance at 4 ft. with 3/4 return line.
Hope this helps
Rockker
In the event of a power outage, the siphon starts right back up. "Tested this last night"
The blue things on top are how you start your siphon and how to make sure it is still flowing "I think"
I think I will take mine out in a couple of weeks and paint them if I can find a good black paint that is reef safe.
I gotta tell ya, it's working great...
I have an Eheim 1260 hooked up as a return and I have it backed off just a hair to keep a steady balance at 4 ft. with 3/4 return line.
Hope this helps
Rockker
sfsuphysics
Active member
Here's a thought instead of painting them, get some pvc elbows, grind down one end so you can glue them to the outside of your plumbing, and use those as planter boxes for some corals, specifically those that cling to surfaces rather quickly, buttonpolyps, gsp, xenia, anthelia, mushrooms. The elbows (which aren't in any way plumbed into the system btw, they're just glued on, will hold corals as they start out (saves you from having to rubberband them to the pipe directly), and eventually they'll grow out and cover the whole thing (granted you do need to wait, but looking at that picture it looks like the pvc is lighted quite nicely so you should get fairly good growth).
There's a picture here http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=504963 of a return pipe covered in zoos (and algae), but it does look a lot more natural than a piece of black pipe
There's a picture here http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=504963 of a return pipe covered in zoos (and algae), but it does look a lot more natural than a piece of black pipe
Its been done many times. Just let it dry. AFAIK, PVC primer and cement are non toxic once dry. Its it used on CPVC for drinking water pipes. I would look at the can to see if it states if it is non toxic and safe for potable water. Whenever I do anything with PVC in the tank, I use black PVC, Blends in well with a black background.ONAGI said:
Last edited:
Aquayne_wv
New member
Paint don't prime.
Paint don't prime.
Why is the idea of using primer so popular on this site?
You can paint pvc any color you want. I prefer black it is hard to see in the tank.
Break the gloss of the pipe with primer then spray paint it with Vinyl spray paint. You find it in the auto parts section. It is for changing vinyl tops and convertible tops. When it dries it is nontoxic. I have had coraline algae and inverts grow on it with to ill effects. The secret is to let it cure for about a week before putting it in the water.
"Fusion" works well too. I made a sponge filter and colored the pvc with this. I have had no ill effects. MY shrimp,snails and hermit crabs crawl all over it.
aquayne
Wayne Johnson:rollface:
Paint don't prime.
Why is the idea of using primer so popular on this site?
You can paint pvc any color you want. I prefer black it is hard to see in the tank.
Break the gloss of the pipe with primer then spray paint it with Vinyl spray paint. You find it in the auto parts section. It is for changing vinyl tops and convertible tops. When it dries it is nontoxic. I have had coraline algae and inverts grow on it with to ill effects. The secret is to let it cure for about a week before putting it in the water.
"Fusion" works well too. I made a sponge filter and colored the pvc with this. I have had no ill effects. MY shrimp,snails and hermit crabs crawl all over it.
aquayne
Wayne Johnson:rollface:
pvtschultz
New member
Honestly Freed, if you are running something that large with that expensive of a pump and all, I would think about drilling the tank. Thick tanks are a lot easier to drill (so I've heard anyways) and you can do it with it full of water (there was a thread on here a while ago doing it). That is my $0.02 anyways.
Freed
It's what it's
Too much stuff and too much to lose for me to drill with it full of all my corals and such. I have an overflow that works fine right now but if this works better, then I am willing to try it. Just need more info is all. Not enough room for me to drill or get a drill in my tank. Thanks for your $0.02 though.
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