Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

[uncleof6]

Gate valve underneath close to the sump in center drain line. This system as built, runs the standard BA system, siphon, open channel, dry emergency.

 

[110galreef]

Whoa.....one sexy setup!:thumbsup:

 

[ToLearn]

Very nice uncleof6.

 

[ToLearn]

Has anyone ever cut a glass tank a little lower to create a coast to coast? I have a 18" cube tank which has no frame and no overflow. I would like to do coast to coast and I have experience drilling hundreds of holes, but I have never cut a square out of glass before or trimmed a peice of glass.

 

[larryfl1]

i have to say this system is great...my setup has been running for 3 weeks...

i set it once and have not had to readjust at all...

i do feel the gatevalve is definitely a plus as it gives you that fine adjustment area....

 

[kookie_guy]

Uncle, I hope you don't mind I borrowed your rendering, lol. I PM'd you this question, but figured I'd get a faster answer here. So feel free to ignore the PM.

I'm sure this has been answered somewhere in the 100's of pages, I just can't go through it all.

Here are my questions....

1) For 1500gph, is 1.5" overkill for all 3 pipes?
2) Should I do 1" for siphon and emergency, and 1.5" for the makeup pipe?
3) Why does the siphon need the tee and cap? Can I just use 2 elbows as I showed in the edited picture?
4) For the emergency, can I just use a straight vertical, open top pipe as in the edited picture?

Thanks for the help.

 

[uncleof6]

Uncle, I hope you don't mind I borrowed your rendering, lol. I PM'd you this question, but figured I'd get a faster answer here. So feel free to ignore the PM.

I'm sure this has been answered somewhere in the 100's of pages, I just can't go through it all.

Here are my questions....

1) For 1500gph, is 1.5" overkill for all 3 pipes?

Yes and no. It is not necessary.

2) Should I do 1" for siphon and emergency, and 1.5" for the makeup pipe?

This will work also. Would not do a 1" open channel however. (what you are calling the "makeup pipe"

3) Why does the siphon need the tee and cap? Can I just use 2 elbows as I showed in the edited picture?

You can yes. The tees and threaded caps (threads not shown in render) are to allow cleaning the lines without disassembling the whole affair.


4) For the emergency, can I just use a straight vertical, open top pipe as in the edited picture?

Yes you can. Making all the standpipes the same, however, gives you a better sense of relative heights which affects starting characteristics.

Thanks for the help.

None of your proposed mods will hurt the system performance, as long as you have the fail safe order and relative heights in the ballpark (so you build enough head pressure in the siphon to purge all the air out)

Here is the uncluttered version: Do it this way and it will work guaranteed.

http://www.beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspx

 

[kookie_guy]

awesome. Thank you very much for your help and time. :bounce3:

 

[kookie_guy]

one last question....is it safe to use ABS as opposed to PVC? ABS fittings are my local home depot are MUCH cheaper. I'm in Canada, so ordering PVC from online retailers is not really much of an option.

 

[DeePDiSHeD]

one last question....is it safe to use ABS as opposed to PVC? ABS fittings are my local home depot are MUCH cheaper. I'm in Canada, so ordering PVC from online retailers is not really much of an option.

Most of the bulkheads used here are all abs. Just make sure you get the right glue for abs pipe.

 

[ToLearn]

kookie_guy, check the phone book and call around a bit. I would be shocked if you couldn't find PVC around somewhere. I know things are a bit different up north, but there are at least 12 stores in my town alone that sell PVC. Home Depot, Sears, Lowes, plumbing supply stores, industrial supply places... At least in America 99% of homes have PVC in them somewhere.(not a plumber, but pretty sure that is the case)

 

[kookie_guy]

kookie_guy, check the phone book and call around a bit. I would be shocked if you couldn't find PVC around somewhere. I know things are a bit different up north, but there are at least 12 stores in my town alone that sell PVC. Home Depot, Sears, Lowes, plumbing supply stores, industrial supply places... At least in America 99% of homes have PVC in them somewhere.(not a plumber, but pretty sure that is the case)

My local depot and lowes does carry the standard 90s and such. ABS are much cheaper than the pvc ones. It's the specialty stuff like true union ball valves that are hard to find locally. One lowes I went to actually had them, lol, or should i say had the box where they were. Now 2+ weeks to get more. Will go check another lowes

 

[soleglo]

Just started my 75 gallon build and these are a few pictures of my progress.. I am waiting on a few more plumbing pieces to finish up the plumbing. I am going to order the glass for the overflow box (3'-11 1/4" x 6" x 4"). I will then use adhesive to put the box in place. I will update as I go along. Thanks!

 

[kameleon23]

did you put your bulkheads in backwards? I thought the bulkhead nut should be on the outside of the tank, and the flat side with the washer should be on the inside??

 

[BeanAnimal]

The bulkhead flange can go on either side of a glass or acrylic tank, but the gasket MUST go between the flange and tank wall.

The drawback in this case is the amount of space consumed inside of the tank.

 

[kameleon23]

The bulkhead flange can go on either side of a glass or acrylic tank, but the gasket MUST go between the flange and tank wall.

The drawback in this case is the amount of space consumed inside of the tank.

I agree on the space consumed. He still could cut half of the threads off in order to save room, then unscrew the nut to clean the threads off. I just did the same thing to my setup (except the threaded side is on the outside of the tank) in order to be able to put the tank closer to the wall.

 

[BeanAnimal]

You can shorten them to an extent, but doing so also shortens the socket. If you don't leave enough socket, then you are significanty decreasing the strength of the joint.

 

[soleglo]

I didn't like how much space it was taking up behind the tank so I switched it up. Good thing i posted those pictures... I put the gasket on the inside of the tank.. Looks like I will be changing that and putting it on the outside.. Thanks for the help on that

 

[kameleon23]

U think you will like all the space it takes up inside the tank? Keep in mind that the wider your overflow is gonna be the more of a shadow that it CAN produce underneath it.

 

[soleglo]

Do you think I should go the other way?? I will change it if there is a benefit. Its early in the game.