please help overflow not holding siphone

rogergolf66

rogergolf66

im an addict lol
Here are some pictures of my overflow It will not hold a siphone I don't know why. the concept design is the same as the one on my other tank and it holds a siphone. I siphone one of the tubes on the double overflow and it pulls all the water out of the black part that is in the tank and it losses siphone before I can even start trying to siphone the other tube.

Please help I don't want to have to buy a new overflow. I think I would drain the tank and drill it before buying another overflow, but I don't want to do that.

Here is the info when I bought it. notice it says it will not loose siphone if power goes out. I guess that is because it never gets siphone.

Brand New ESHOPPS PF-1200 Dual Overflow Box. 1,200 gallons per hour. Comes with everything you need to get it working.
Includes:

Two U-Shaped Siphon Tubes

Two Sponge Pre Filters

Male & Female Adaptors - Bulkheads

Nylon Screws & Wingnuts

Pre Filter Box

Overflow Box

Dimensions: 10"L x 3.25"W x 10"H

Rated upto 300 Gallon Aquarium

Very Similar to the Lifereef overflows which sell for $199.00!

This overflow box has a great design, built with quality in mind.

Due to it's great design, it will not loose the siphon if your power goes out.

These are brand new and in their boxes!!!

check out some pictures of it here.

http://s209.photobucket.com/albums/bb173/rogergolf66/







Roger
 
How large is your return pump?

Maybe it's not strong enough to handle the overflow. You need to try to match the return pump to your overflow pretty closely.


D.
 
nice set-up! did u use all 2X4s for its support?
as far as the overflow, try putting a something in between the u-tube and the box ( I used a D battery). What I'm thinking could be happening is if the box and u-tube get to be flush... the tube will be sucking the box and will not siphon. Like you putting ur hand on the vaccuum cleaner and wondering why its not working.
It could be that. also make sure ur priming it right.
 
maybe.... u need more water in ur tank
or maybe lower the box. if it sucks all the water out of the black part it sounds like there isn't enough water in the box
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10084733#post10084733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dhnguyen
How large is your return pump?

Maybe it's not strong enough to handle the overflow. You need to try to match the return pump to your overflow pretty closely.


D.
Click to expand...

should be this, its important that you not oversize an overflow box like that, or the flow through the tubes is too slow to push air bubbles out with it, the airbubbles collect in the tube till it breaks the syphon.

try plugging one of the tubes and checking. as the description says, its for 1200g; and I wouldnt expect you have 1200gph through your sump; Id bet you have half of that.
 
How are you starting the siphon? How big is the return pump? BTW, I would not agree it is a great design, but wont go into that right now. When it loses siphon, how does it happen? Where is the air entering the U Tube?
 
well thank you all for your quick responce. I do need your help.
Well I will try and answer all the questions.

1. I got the overflow off ebay.
2. my pump puches 1050gph at 3 feet. I am at 4 1/2 feet.
3. I filled the tank to the very top. I even had my wife add water in the black box as I was siphoning so there was plenty of water in it.
4. I checked to make sure it was not flush like a vacume. The u tube will not reach the bottom of the black box.

Ok here is what I tried since the last post. I got a different u tube it was longer and it held a siphone. but I don't know why the tubes that came with the unit will not work. the old tube I have is to long and I only have one. The pump was way to stonge to use only one tube I actually think that this pump is going to over power the overflow I might have to get another overflow for the other side, or put a ball valve on the return but I hate to slow down the flow.

well any other Ideas please I want to use the tubes it came with. why would they not work?

da1jewfish thanks I did use 2x4s but were my sump is I had a longer span so I used a 2x6 there. I think I have pictures on the photo bucket of the stand.




Roger
 
well I don't know what you mean the water from the tank is flowing into it very fast. if it dosn't have a siphon and the pump is going the water goes over the top of the box and floods the box.

What would lowering it do? as long as water is flowing in wait i think I see what you mean let me try and lower it

Roger

IT might work I will let you know.

Roger
 
I'm not really sure what your problem is. Are you saying the overflow setup cant keep up with the flow from the return pump (the siphon is flowing), or the siphon doesn't work (no flow from tank to rear box).
 
well when I use the tubes that came with it I get no siphone from the tank to the rear box.

But

I found 2 other tubes I had laying around that are longer and it did keep siphon from the tank to the rear box, but the pump over powered the overflow box.

any ideas on how to get the other tubes to work or ideas on how to get the overflow box to keep up with the pump.

Roger
 
Whats wrong with the Tubes it came with? Too short? When the pump is off, both ends must be submerged.

It also sounds like your return pump is far too big. I highly doubt that overflow can handle anywhere near 1000+ GPH despite the 1200 GPH "rating".
 
First of all, the tubes in the picture look right. They are a little longer than the dividers in the exterior box and they should work. Stupid question ... are you trying to get these things to start siphon while you have the return pump running? You need to get the water levels right, pump shut off. Make sure you have enough water in the sump so the pump will have enough water to keep pumping while the tank fills up enough to start flowing over the interior box. When you are sure that is right, you should have just enough water in the tank that the water is right at the edge of flowing into the interor box. You need water in the interior box and the exterior box in the section where the tube ends sit. You need to get all the air out of the tubes by either sucking on an airline inserted up into the midpoint of the U- curve of the tubes. Or using an aqualifter pump to do it for you. You need to do all this with the return pump off and at no time during the evacuation of the air can you lift the tube ends out of the water. They have to stay submerged or you will never start the siphon. There is no reason why that overflow shouldn't work from what I can see in the pics.
 
Dar thank you for your time and detailed reply. I have filled both sides of the overflow box. with the tubes that came with it I am unable to get the siphone to work. I have the pump off when doing all this. I am using a hose and sucking on it well it is in the u tube. I have 2 other tanks and I have no problem getting them to siphone. this is not my first time. it is my first time with a double overflow, but I did get the siphone with the other tubes. Well I guess now I am more dissapointed that the box says 1,200 gallons per hour and it can't handle this pump rated at 1050 gph. what should I do about that. should I get a different over flow and what do you recommend. this one said it could handle it and it can't so why should I beleive the next box?

Roger
 
Try removing one of the u tubes and see if it will start and keep the siphon. If it does then your return isn't strong enough.


D.
 
but I did get the siphone with the other tubes. Well I guess now I am more dissapointed that the box says 1,200 gallons per hour and it can't handle this pump.

The pump is overflowing the black box if I use other u tubes that are longer.

Roger
 
the u- tubes that came with the unit nover stop siphoning. then siphone till the black box empties and then they loose siphon. it is not the pump. the pump is not even on. You know how when you suck the water through the u-tube normally the u tubes stope tanking water from the black box because there is no water moving through the tank because the pump is not on. well these tubes keep siphoning till the box empties like if I was using a hose and empting my tank into a bucket. using a hose the tanks water line would go below the hose you use to siphone the tank like when you do a water change. the hose dosn't stop siphoning because it dosn't know there is not enougth water it eventually sucks air and losses siphone. that is what is happening. If there is any problems it is the u-tubes or the design of the unit it self. all thought the design looks fine.

Anything else please?

Roger

p.s. I hope that was easy enough to understande.
 
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