Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

[Waggs]

Will you have 2 overflow pipes? Are you sure it's a ReFlo Hammerhead? I find one that says it's rated at 5800. Is there any sort of Mfg. label on it? 1.5" Pipe is rated at 840 gph so 2 of them would be 1680. Is the tank already drilled? The pump should be returning the water to the tank.

 

[jdcook72]

Hi - I have your plans and am trying to assemble the parts. I've tried here and there and I'm not find one easy place for everything. Suggestions? Is anybody selling a kit? Thanks!

If you are in Santa Rosa as your signature indicates, you could try:
Pace Supply
Friedman's

Just use the yellow pages or google plumbing supply for your area, call them and see if they have extensive inventory of PVC fittings or just the basics.

Or, an online vender such as flexpvc.com

 

[Landsailor]

Lowe's should have everything you need.

 

[uncleof6]

Does this system work if there is no overflow? ie pipes are in the tank with strainers on the end of the pipes to prevent fish and inverts getting into the pipes?

Yes but you will get no surface skimming, and surface skimming is a must have in a marine system.

 

[Mybabynews]

Thanks for all the leads on pvc. I tried Home Depot, Grainger's and Google, but Google didn't turn up flexpvc.com. That looks like a good one. But even they don't have a Reducing Street Elbow 1" slip X 1-1/2" spigot as per beananimal's plans. No need to follow his plans to the letter, I suppose.

 

[Waggs]

Try Lowe's they have it up to 1 1/2" PVC flex. I just got some there last night. It was locate in the plumbing department by the small brass and nylon fittings. Where did you find the plans? I'm building a new overflow system based on 2 others ideas.

 

[James77]

No other ideas on low profile alternatives to the street elbows on an internal horizontal overflow?

 

[Waggs]

Without having to go back through all of this thread, what are you trying to build? Is there a picture somewhere?

 

[jdcook72]

Thanks for all the leads on pvc. I tried Home Depot, Grainger's and Google, but Google didn't turn up flexpvc.com. That looks like a good one. But even they don't have a Reducing Street Elbow 1" slip X 1-1/2" spigot as per beananimal's plans. No need to follow his plans to the letter, I suppose.

I believe the plan calls for a 1x1.25 elbow but that's a minor detail and the spigot is the 1" (goes into) and the slip is the 1.25 (receives), not a minor detail. You could use a 1" slip X 1.25" (or 1.5" for that matter) slip reducing elbow, which flexpvc does carry, with a small stub of 1" pipe to join it to the bulkhead.

 

[inky]

Originally Posted by inky View Post
Does this system work if there is no overflow? ie pipes are in the tank with strainers on the end of the pipes to prevent fish and inverts getting into the pipes?

Yes but you will get no surface skimming, and surface skimming is a must have in a marine system.

Surface skimming is only to remove the dust and other large particles floating on the surface. If there is enough surface agitation, those things won't be there..........

 

[rreveron]

Will you have 2 overflow pipes? Are you sure it's a ReFlo Hammerhead? I find one that says it's rated at 5800. Is there any sort of Mfg. label on it? 1.5" Pipe is rated at 840 gph so 2 of them would be 1680. Is the tank already drilled? The pump should be returning the water to the tank.

The pump is a Reeflo Hamerhead and as you say is rated at 5800 gph. I do expect it to return less than 5000 gph since it will also send water to the reactors. I will be drilling the tank and will use a Bean Animal's setup. The question is if using 1.5" bulkheads and pipes will be enough or should I use something like 2". I'm not sure where the 840 gph comes from but the table in bean animals web site says that the pipe will handle 5573.59 with a head of 53" for a submerge discharge.

Anybody else with a similar setup?

 

[Photobug]

Can I use an overflow box and 2 bulkheads for this?

Can I use an overflow box and 2 bulkheads for this?

The tank I am putting together has two bulkheads drilled along the back at opposite ends. I also have a plastic overflow box with 2 drains in it. I have read many pages of this thread and have heard it can be done with an overflow box but not seen the details.

My tank is 55 gallons and the sump is 30 gallons. The bulkheads are 1". There is no overflow around the bulkheads yet.

Besides this I am a blank slate and will be building my stand from scratch to accommodate my designs. Any suggestions?

 

[BowieReefer84]

Is anyone using a filtersock on the full siphon? Just wondering if this will work ok?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mybabynews]

Try Lowe's they have it up to 1 1/2" PVC flex. I just got some there last night. It was locate in the plumbing department by the small brass and nylon fittings. Where did you find the plans? I'm building a new overflow system based on 2 others ideas.

Plans are here:

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

 

[autodave]

Is anyone using a filtersock on the full siphon? Just wondering if this will work ok?

Thanks in advance.

Yes. I started using one again, I was getting to much detritus in my sump without one. Keep in mind,if you do not change them often they will start to clog putting more back pressure on your siphon,changing your overflow height.

 

[Waggs]

Yes. I started using one again, I was getting to much detritus in my sump without one. Keep in mind,if you do not change them often they will start to clog putting more back pressure on your siphon,changing your overflow height.

I wonder if a small cleaning crew would keep your sump clean. Those socks are a pain. I use them but hate changing them out over few days.

 

[Clown99]

awsome! nice diy thread

 

[BretCreager]

Ok so I have two hopefully simple questions, first is about flow rate. Is the flow rate dictated by my return pump or is my return pump going to be determined by my speed at which it drains. Basically if i were to buy a 600 gallon per hour return pump would this system be able to operate correctly or do I need to look in the 1200+ range.

Second, I wish I had the time to read ALL of this thread but sadly I don't, even if I could by the time I got to the end I would totally forget the beginning. Anyway in the original design beananimal used multiple sizes of fittings starting with 1.25 reducing to 1 then expanding to 1.5. He states the 1 inch bulk heads due to that is what he had. Would I be better off getting all from beginning to end at 1.5 or is the choke between the intake and the standpipe a useful part of the design.

I have a shopping cart at the ready to buy just need to figure these two things out.

Thank you all for your help

Bret

 

[Waggs]

The reduction in pipe size will restrict flow. The flow rate is what is determined from what you can move into the sump, then you get the motor to return the water to the tank.

If he was just using parts he had on hand, I wouldn't do that. Buy new and stay wit the same size all the way through the plumbing form tank to sump. My return line is 3/4" and I'm have to throttle back the pump flow because the 1" line doesn't deliver enough to the sump.

Is the tank drilled already? I read somewhere on one of these better forums, like Reef Central, you want to have a turn over rate of somewhere between 5 and 7 times per hour. So here's a chart I found and maybe it'll help.

.5" = 90 gph
.75" = 220 gph
1.0" = 375 gph
1.25" = 580 gph
1.5" = 840 gph
2.0" = 1500 gph

Someone out there may have a different chart but this is what I found and I'm going to try it. I can't drill my tank and I don't want a hob overflow box.

 

[noplay180]

I think I should have went with 2" bulkheads, I currently have 1.5 bulkheads. My question is could I just adapt to 2" and will it be able take the extra volume