DIY dual overflow

[scubadawg]

I know from your other post you don't like aquagiant, but you can get David to cut you glass pieces for your baffles cheaper than using acrylic, worst case, he can build you a sump

He can also drill your tank for bulkheads

[MoreDakka]

I haven't started work on the sump yet, wanted to make sure that this overflow is solid and so far I'm really impressed with it's startup. Also I've already cut those pieces of Acrylic so might as well use those. That being said, how much is glass to have cut for a sump?

So added the next step to this test setup.



This is the part where the water drops in and the siphon is kept in check without draining the whole tank. This mock up isn't cut very well, going to have to figure out the best way to cut ABS plastic. I like the black because once it's in the tank it looks almost like any other overflow (minus the tuck tape at the bottom, that will be sealed properly). Also had to add rocks to the bottom to weigh it down. I'll probably just use sand in my main tank. Just to make sure it doesn't float up. Or any other suggestions?





You thought it was chaos before. Now it's just funny. I didn't want to buy extra pieces just for this test setup so this is what I came up with. There was a lot of wind lately so I couldn't have the water just fall into the bucket, it just blows outside the bucket then by the end of the night the pump is running dry.

[FishyFishy!]

Wow you sure do like to make a lot of work for yourself. By this time you could have just drilled a normal hole and made a normal overflow that will work 100%

Tuck tape. Nice touch!

[MoreDakka]

But that would mean taking my tank apart, drilling it and putting everything back in. Now which is more work? Unless of course you know of a way to drill with livestock in the tank?

I'm hoping this will be just as reliable with the way I'm building it. Going to have a water sensor as well to kill the power once as a last resort. That's more of a project that I will need to figure out.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by MoreDakka

Going to have a water sensor as well to kill the power once as a last resort. That's more of a project that I will need to figure out.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...272#post793272
I made this DIY water sensor with just a couple nails, solder, and some wire. Works great, even with fresh water. It acts as a switch, open when dry, and closed when wet. Then you need a device, like a controller (I use my Apex), that will turn a pump switch off, when this is on. Or you could build a relay that trips a switch on and off. Lots of ways to do it...

[MoreDakka]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...272#post793272
I made this DIY water sensor with just a couple nails, solder, and some wire. Works great, even with fresh water. It acts as a switch, open when dry, and closed when wet. Then you need a device, like a controller (I use my Apex), that will turn a pump switch off, when this is on. Or you could build a relay that trips a switch on and off. Lots of ways to do it...

That looks like a sweet simple idea that could sit at the top of a tank or something like it. Do you have a pic of it in place?

I've got my overflow system outside testing and it's been running for 3 days straight. The only problem is the crap that builds up on the ABS pipe, the slits I cut. It captures everything. What can I do to solve that?

[hillegom]

You could put an acrylic box around the pipe with slits. Say a 6x6.
If you notice, the reef ready tanks have the overflow mounted to a back wall.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by MoreDakka

That looks like a sweet simple idea that could sit at the top of a tank or something like it. Do you have a pic of it in place?

I've got my overflow system outside testing and it's been running for 3 days straight. The only problem is the crap that builds up on the ABS pipe, the slits I cut. It captures everything. What can I do to solve that?

The slits on my PVC pipe are only 1/4 inch, but because they are long and many with the pipe in the horizontal position, never did have any clogging problems. But if you look closely at my pic, you will see an elbow on the end with an open end pointed upward. That is the emergency overflow, in case the slits do get clogged.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by MoreDakka

That looks like a sweet simple idea that could sit at the top of a tank or something like it. Do you have a pic of it in place?

That's the only pic I have. But it just taped to the floor with masking tape underneath my sumps. So if anything goes wrong, and water ends up on the floor, it shuts everything off and sends out alerts and alarms.

[MoreDakka]

Hey,
So in my sump, how high should I have the baffles? I don't know where to find much information on that....In the first post I've got a pic of the baffles but don't know how high to cut them.,