I'm trying to figure out how to build an overflow into a pond that will skim from the top but also be quiet and not put a lot of plumbing in the tank. I was thinking that the overflow would handle enough for the tank to recirculate through the sump in the basement but also collect water to be used in a closed loop system. If I fed the closed loop through the overflow I wouldn't have to worry about having outlets(water flowing out) placed around the pond, only inlets (water flowing back into the pond).
Pond overflow
- Thread starter emm0909
- Start date
Should I have the CL pull water from an overflow or would it be better to just have it pull water straight from the tank through a bulk head w/ a bulk head strainer on it (link below). CL's scare me like I'm going to suck a fish or a snail into the pump however I don't want any electrical cords coming out of the water. I'd be using a Vortech as well in the tank. I currently own a (approx) 70 gallon kidney shaped pond.
I really didn't want to have an overflow in the pond itself. I would love to see it drain through a slit in the side and have the overflow outside the pond. This poses an issue with water leaking out of whatever I end up building on the (out)side of the pond though. I can trust a bulkhead all day long.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulkhead-overflow-strainers.html
I really didn't want to have an overflow in the pond itself. I would love to see it drain through a slit in the side and have the overflow outside the pond. This poses an issue with water leaking out of whatever I end up building on the (out)side of the pond though. I can trust a bulkhead all day long.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulkhead-overflow-strainers.html
Gorgok
New member
I would do it the other way to similar end result. Make a tank of an overflow out of whatever, with 3 or 4 bulkheads on the face to feed water into it. Add matching bulkheads to the pond and connect them with pipes. I'd keep this distance as short as possible because you will not really have much in the way of head. Then to cover the bulkheads in the pond put a small lip that just gives the surface skimming you are after.
While you still have the issue of attaching something to the pond, this time it doesn't have to be watertight and any failure just means surface skimming is reduced instead of leaking out of the pond. Technically you could eliminate the lip in the pond if you put enough bulkheads or large enough ones that you get a long enough weir out of them.
I can't seem to type 'pond' correctly the first time, comes out as pong... Very strange. If there are any mentions of pong i missed correcting it and should be ignored.
Now you've got the gears turning in my head. That theoretically would solve all my issues. I would just have to build the stand a little larger to accommodate whatever I'm using as the overflow.
I'll bet I could make an acrylic box that the tank would flow to in a much better size than a stock size tank. In that box I could run the drain to the basement and the feed to a closed loop pump. Time to go acrylic shopping.
As for the drain, I have one drain line going into my basement. Would it benefit me to have two drains in the overflow tank lead to the single line to the basement or is that just not worth it? I feel that it could help quiet it and add at least some redundancy. That drain line is pretty big (1.25").
I'll bet I could make an acrylic box that the tank would flow to in a much better size than a stock size tank. In that box I could run the drain to the basement and the feed to a closed loop pump. Time to go acrylic shopping.
As for the drain, I have one drain line going into my basement. Would it benefit me to have two drains in the overflow tank lead to the single line to the basement or is that just not worth it? I feel that it could help quiet it and add at least some redundancy. That drain line is pretty big (1.25").
NanoReefWanabe
Active member
i would use two drain lines for sure, at the very least...i like the idea of bulkheads connected to the tank and a separate tank from there to be used as an overflow..i dont understand the want of a CL though...if you have a vortech already assuming a mp20 or 40...it will be more then enough, especially i paired with another one, and likely wont cost much more then buying the CL pump and plumbing,,,
those preformed ponds are ABS i believe...you may be able to find someone who has removed a megaflow from a tank or be able to get a piece of black abs from your plastic supplier to use as a weir...that or just use several upturned elbows and paint them black..you may even take a black pipe and connect the bulkheads in the pond and cut a slot in the top of it to act as a weir...not the best functional solution, but will work, if you make the slot wide enough it should work fine though...i would build a manifold that would connect all the bulkheads (3,4, 5 etc) if you drill the bulkheads at the right level you wont need any further elbows, if the holes are lower though you will need elbows to raise the manifold up to the surface of the tank(pond) make sure all the connections are glued and that you manifold lines up perfectly with your bulkheads...then cut a 1" wide notch in the top of the pipe..
those preformed ponds are ABS i believe...you may be able to find someone who has removed a megaflow from a tank or be able to get a piece of black abs from your plastic supplier to use as a weir...that or just use several upturned elbows and paint them black..you may even take a black pipe and connect the bulkheads in the pond and cut a slot in the top of it to act as a weir...not the best functional solution, but will work, if you make the slot wide enough it should work fine though...i would build a manifold that would connect all the bulkheads (3,4, 5 etc) if you drill the bulkheads at the right level you wont need any further elbows, if the holes are lower though you will need elbows to raise the manifold up to the surface of the tank(pond) make sure all the connections are glued and that you manifold lines up perfectly with your bulkheads...then cut a 1" wide notch in the top of the pipe..
Or I could just do this and setup a 4" drain to the basement. Just let the water fall straight to the basement. ahaha
http://www.countrymax.com/Cozumel-With-Lip-100-Gallons
http://www.countrymax.com/Cozumel-With-Lip-100-Gallons
Gorgok
New member
I too would opt to make the acrylic box myself, as you only need it to do the one simple job and it doesn't have to be big at all. But a glass tank that small would be annoying to work with. For drains i would do a Bean Animal drain in the box.
The simplest solution to the weir is just the open bulkheads being the weir, but its not ideal. I would try to add a simple weir in front of those because it will improve the surface skimming (and probably reduce the number of bulkheads you need for proper function) with minimal protrusion into the pond. Would have to check what material the pond is made out of and try to get something that joins to it. 6 bulkheads total is what i'd aim for with a weir, 3 for the box drains and 3 to join the box to the pond.
Being a pond probably means the bulkheads in it are neither horizontal nor parallel to each other unless you find one flat side to do it on (but that may be the most visible location, thus annoying). Spa flex instead of rigid pipe would probably account for the little differences in that to mate to the box.
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