Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

I was tweaking the tank again. I should give a little more info on the set up.

75 gallon with 33 gallon sump. 36" overflow box centered on the top back. I have all 1" plumbing.

I was just playing around and noticed that even with the open channel and emergency drains turned up and out of play, I still couldn't achieve a siphon on the siphon channel.

The true union ball valve is positioned towards the bottom of the tank.

What should I try? For some reason I cant get the air out of the siphon line.

Please help.
 
Thanks for the quick responses.

I will work on some pictures Bean. I will try a few small holes in the siphon discharge line.

Jim, the siphon discharge is about 2" below the running water line.

Thanks, hopefully a few small holes will get rid of the air.
 
Does the siphon flow at all? Do you get bubbles at the discharge? If there are bubbles at the discharge, then the siphon is drawing in air.
 
The siphon does flow. There are bubbles at the discharge. So the siphon is drawing air?

Where would it be drawing air from? The down turned elbow is completely submerged.

Will the small holes help with this?

Thanks Bean
 
Is it a screw type cape or a slip type cap?

You can seal a screw type cap with teflon type or (prefably) teflon paste. A slip type cap... you could try the paste. But yes, it (and all of the fittings) need to be sealed.
 
Thanks Bean,

I will try that. It is a screw cap. I have teflon on hand and will give it a shot now.

I am trying to put some photos up here but it says every pic I have is over the size limit.

What do people use to get pictures up?

Thanks again
 
Ok Bean,

I put teflon on the cap and voila. Nice siphon started. You were right, it was drawing air through the cap.

Now the only noise I have is some air coming out and bubbling from the open channel. How to I remedy this?

Try drilling small holes in the bottom of the pipe above the water line?
 

What do people use to get pictures up?
[/B]
Click to expand...


Your pictures are too large and need to be re-sized in a photo application such as photoshop.

Another option is to upload them to imageshack.us where it can be automatically resized.

Go to imageshack.us -> click "browse" > navigate to your picture file > put a checkmark in the "resize image" box for "640x480" > click "start upload" > when upload is finished - click on your picture > then click on your picture again > now right click (the right button on your mouse) on your picture > select "copy image location" > now when you are posting your message here on reef central click the "IMG" button > now erase "http://" and replace it by > right click and select paste
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15654250#post15654250 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefer2727
Ok Bean,

I put teflon on the cap and voila. Nice siphon started. You were right, it was drawing air through the cap.

Now the only noise I have is some air coming out and bubbling from the open channel. How to I remedy this?

Try drilling small holes in the bottom of the pipe above the water line?
Click to expand...

The open channel most likely causing noise and bubbles cause the flow through it is too high. Reduce the flow through the open channel, by opening the full siphon valve a bit, or throttle the pump back if the full siphon is full open. (make sure it is sealed also, except for the intentional air inlet.) A 1" open channel is a PITA, as far as that goes, as the flow has to be very low through it.

Also, photobucket.com will host photos for you and can be linked in the thread with an img tag. Most are using photobucket, but have not done a survey.

Jim
 
Needs some playing around with. I am also feeding a fuge so I am also tweaking that trying to find a sweet spot. The bubbles from the open channel discharge is not bad.

Not sure if it is due to a large amount of flow through it. I don' t think it is that heavy.

Maybe is has something to do with my air line which is threaded into the cap. Should it be a certain length? Where should the end of the hose sit?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15655147#post15655147 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefer2727
Needs some playing around with. I am also feeding a fuge so I am also tweaking that trying to find a sweet spot. The bubbles from the open channel discharge is not bad.

Not sure if it is due to a large amount of flow through it. I don' t think it is that heavy.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you have already tried this, but it sounds like your gate valve or ball valve to too far closed. I'd try opening it up all the way, then gradually close it until water just barely starts to rise and spill into the open channel.
Maybe is has something to do with my air line which is threaded into the cap. Should it be a certain length? Where should the end of the hose sit?
Click to expand...

It should look like the picture in the very first post of this thread. Probably no more than about a foot long with the end just above the elbow.

... a picture would speak a thousand words.

I don't think I've actually seen a real photo of that airline on someones overflow... just Bean's autocad drawings. All the photos I've seen it looks like people have left that part undone prior to taking a pic.
 
Last edited:
The end of the hose should be placed just above running water level -- in the overflow, and attached so it does not move. This is the safety valve on the open channel. If the full siphon plugs, the water level rises, and blocks the air inlet to the open channel, thus making it a full siphon. Look at the first page of bean's thread, there are renders of the air line.

1" durso standpipes (which is what the open channel is) simply don't work worth a toot. The flow has to be very slow. There is a sweet spot for it, yes, but it is way down there.... how far? Not certain, as never ran a 1" durso, (the designer says 1.25" is minimum useful size.) So if you can't find the sweet spot (no noise and no bubbles) bump the size to 1.25".

Jim
 
Well, I did finally find the sweet spot. Running very nice now. The bubbles I had coming through the open channel was simply a result of too much flow. I simply opened up the siphon and sent a little more to the fuge. Runs great.

If it wasn't such a pain in the butt I would consider changing the open channel to 1.25". Seems to be running great though. The Mag 12 moves the water nicely.

Here is a shot of my plumbing. Hopefully this picture will post.

fishtank005.jpg
 
Now set the end of that air tube in the overflow about mid level (give or take) of the down turned elbows.... looks like you are rockin now....good job

And look at that sump. Simple clean fucntional, wonder where you got all your ideas from.......


Jim
 
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