Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

[jb61264]

How much room do your pipes take up in the back of your tank?

From the back of my tank to the handles on the ball valves is right at 6" clearance...I use 1" piping throughout my silent failsafe overflow except after I T my return to both corner of the tank...I use 3/4" pipe from the T to my returns to increase the velocity of the flow going into the tank.

 

[reefermad619]

From the back of my tank to the handles on the ball valves is right at 6" clearance...I use 1" piping throughout my silent failsafe overflow except after I T my return to both corner of the tank...I use 3/4" pipe from the T to my returns to increase the velocity of the flow going into the tank.

Thanks. I'll run my valves under the tanks close to the sump, so I'm hoping to keep everything to 3" behind the tank.

 

[reefermad619]

What glass thickness is recommended for a 36"L x 3"W x 3"H internal overflow?

 

[uncleof6]

Basically all an internal acts as is a baffle, so 6mm glass should be fine.

Jim

 

[OodleyBoodely]

BeanAninmal, this is a great idea! Thankyou for sharing! I'm going to try this on my 29 using 1" all around, but, I will have to add another hole as I just drilled my tank with two 1" bulkheads before I found this thread!

JB61264, love the cover idea! That was something I was trying to figure out a way to cover and was planning to use eggcrate, but, the elevated glass cover is much, much better!

 

[OodleyBoodely]

I've a question on the caps on the standpipes: do all three standpipes have caps? If so, is the cap on the emergency pipe drilled on top like the open channel?

 

[uncleof6]

No, only the open channel standpipe cap has an air hole. They all however have caps (threaded preferably to enable pipe cleaning) The other two need to be air tight. Small air leaks in a full siphon will make for micro bubbles that will baffle you as to where the heck they are coming from. (because there will not be a water leak, most of the time)

Regards,

Jim

 

[reefermad619]

From the back of my tank to the handles on the ball valves is right at 6" clearance...I use 1" piping throughout my silent failsafe overflow except after I T my return to both corner of the tank...I use 3/4" pipe from the T to my returns to increase the velocity of the flow going into the tank.

Are your running a 1" street el for the overflow, or did you use the recommended 1.25"? Thanks.

 

[OodleyBoodely]

thanks, Jim!
Just to verify my understanding - the air-tight caps not only eliminate micro-bubbles, but, also allow the pipes to turn into full siphons as soon as enough water begins to flow through them. If the emergency pipe kicks in due to blocks in the other pipes, it will develop a full flow siphon and quickly drain excess water not being handled by the other two pipes, until the water level entering the overflow box drops below the emergency intake. Once the other pipes return to normal flow, the water will drop below the emergency intake to break the siphon and then stop all flow into the emergency pipe. Is this correct?

 

[uncleof6]

thanks, Jim!
Just to verify my understanding - the air-tight caps not only eliminate micro-bubbles, but, also allow the pipes to turn into full siphons as soon as enough water begins to flow through them. If the emergency pipe kicks in due to blocks in the other pipes, it will develop a full flow siphon and quickly drain excess water not being handled by the other two pipes, until the water level entering the overflow box drops below the emergency intake. Once the other pipes return to normal flow, the water will drop below the emergency intake to break the siphon and then stop all flow into the emergency pipe. Is this correct?

Full siphon stand pipe: No air hole in cap. Handles most of the flow. Open channel standpipe: Air hole in cap. Handles a fraction of the flow. Emergency standpipe: No air hole in cap.

For operation: Review the first post of the original thread. (I am too lazy to type that much)

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1310585&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

Regards,

Jim

 

[Jgoal55]

Im sure this has been answered in this thread but I really cant read the whole thread....lol

What i want to know is how the John Guest fitting is attached to the standpipe that uses the airline????? It seems like its going to be a solution that'll make me feel dumb for asking, but yeah....im not that handy!

 

[uncleof6]

Snickers, a threaded hole. 1/4" or 3/8" NPT.

Jim

 

[BeanAnimal]

If the women don't find you handsome, at least let them find you handy....

 

[teesquare]

Bean and Jim:
This how I set up my most recent tank. Notice the 2 primary siphons on the left/upper. ( Needless overkill...) On the right - the emergency drain. Tested it by shutting off all the valves on the other 3 pipes- it akes all of the flow from a Barracuda - no problem. No overflow. All piping is 2'' flex PVC. The siphons and open channel are fitted with 1-1/2'' sanitary tees and street ells, but on the emergency - I plumbed with 2'' fittings.
Any input? Critique?
I have started a build thread in the Large Reef Tanks section titled" "Holy Reefer" please visit - and offer your advice.
The BeanAnimal overflow thread was instrumental in this tank design - thanks Bean!

 

[Jgoal55]

Snickers, a threaded hole. 1/4" or 3/8" NPT

Ok, so the John Guest valve is threaded as well???? Now, that makes sense. Is that a part that is regularly available at HD or Lowes. I've only ever seen the ones that you can connect tubing to both sides. Then again, thats all Ive ever looked for.

If the women don't find you handsome, at least let them find you handy....

looks like im out of luck....


teesquare....tank looks awesome......great job with the overflow.

btw, is that a remote control tank? lol....last picture looks like two antennas?

 

[teesquare]

thanks Jorge!
The antennae are actually clamps - I added a piece of glass to the back of the overflow to add safety margin. It gives me another 1/2'' of water height before overflow of the tank.
But as it turns out w/testing - that was not necessary at all.
T

 

[Jgoal55]

ahh....pretty cool idea....better safe than sorry in this hobby....thats for sure.

 

[uncleof6]

Ok, so the John Guest valve is threaded as well???? Now, that makes sense. Is that a part that is regularly available at HD or Lowes. I've only ever seen the ones that you can connect tubing to both sides. Then again, thats all Ive ever looked for.

Both threaded. HD and Lowes have knock offs of JG fittings. The valve is not needed for this setup, it just happened to be in my hand when I set up the shot.

Jim

 

[BeanAnimal]

Lowes stocks the "Watts" brand of fittings. You will find them in the tubing section of plumbing.

Nice work Teesquare.

 

[teesquare]

Thanks Bean! Please check out my build thread - would like input guys!
T