Overflow help?

[Benter]

Hello all, been doing fish for a long time, but finally got my first “big” tank 72”x30”x18” with an overflow in the middle… I am having issues with my homemade overflow drains…. Check out my pics and let me know what may be wrong….. the drain will not keep up with the pump, the first 8 hours it was fine…. I have since dismantled all the piping and put it back, are the holes not big enough on the cap of the drain lines??

 

[Blue Space]

If your drains can't keep up then you'll need to place a gate valve in-line with the return pump (unless you have a DC pump) to throttle it back. That's the easy way... Otherwise plumb in another drain pipe to the sump.

 

[Benter]

Already have 2 1 1/4” drains…. See the plumbing ? They kept up great for 2 days with the pump wide open, I have a valve in the discharge line but it has to be nearly completely closed?

 

[DaveK]

First, what pump are you using as your return pump? If it's super large, the overflow may not be large enough to handle the water flow produced by the pump.

Here are some things to check.

You mention that the setup works for about 8 hours and then gives you a problem. This could indicate that the overflow is trapping air inside the pipe. As a noice, check out how drains are plumed in a home. Note how the pipe is typically 2 to 4 inches wide, many times the size of the supply pipe that often 1/2 inch pipe. Also note how the venting is done so that air can't get trapped in the system. You might need to add vent plumbing to the overflows.

I;ve noticed that your using hose clamps and rubber hoses to connect everything. These create bottle necks and prevent water from flowing at the best rate. Long term replace this arrangement with spaflex pipe (aka flexible PVC pipe) and use unions where you may need to take it apart. You'll get more flow and a cleaner look. Also, using spafles will also greatly reduce the number of L and T fittings needed in the project.

The holes in the caps are likely too small, but before you drill them all out, try running the system without the caps. You'll likely get more noise, but now you want to resolve the flow problem. If this solves your problem, at least you know where your issue is.

As a note, I see you used blue cement and purple primer. You'll get a much neater looking job if you use clear PVC primer and clear PVC cement in the future. You may need to shop around for it, but the results will look better.

Good luck with your project.

 

[Benter]

First, what pump are you using as your return pump? If it's super large, the overflow may not be large enough to handle the water flow produced by the pump.

Here are some things to check.

You mention that the setup works for about 8 hours and then gives you a problem. This could indicate that the overflow is trapping air inside the pipe. As a noice, check out how drains are plumed in a home. Note how the pipe is typically 2 to 4 inches wide, many times the size of the supply pipe that often 1/2 inch pipe. Also note how the venting is done so that air can't get trapped in the system. You might need to add vent plumbing to the overflows.

I;ve noticed that your using hose clamps and rubber hoses to connect everything. These create bottle necks and prevent water from flowing at the best rate. Long term replace this arrangement with spaflex pipe (aka flexible PVC pipe) and use unions where you may need to take it apart. You'll get more flow and a cleaner look. Also, using spafles will also greatly reduce the number of L and T fittings needed in the project.

The holes in the caps are likely too small, but before you drill them all out, try running the system without the caps. You'll likely get more noise, but now you want to resolve the flow problem. If this solves your problem, at least you know where your issue is.

As a note, I see you used blue cement and purple primer. You'll get a much neater looking job if you use clear PVC primer and clear PVC cement in the future. You may need to shop around for it, but the results will look better.

Good luck with your project.

Ty for your help....I have since completely removed the drain in the overflow box and just put a tee in it and left both tops open...she id flowing full stream now....I just need to figure out what to do to keep the flow rate the same but quite it just a little. I think I am going to put a cross on each of the tops of the drain standpipes instead of an elbow.... Thank you for the tips on the plumbing. My intentions are to paint the pvc black after I get it the way I want, but I do like the flexible pipe idea....TY Again.....

 

[DaveK]

Now that you have the overflows flowing good, the designs to silence them are generally the durso standpipe, the stockman standpipe, the herbie overflow and the beananimal overflow. Note that some of these are combinations of other designs. They vary mostly in the complexity of construction verses how silent it is. You can google them to see the specifics. By using a known design, you'll get a know result rather than trial and error.

If you don't like the white PVC pipe you can get PVC pipe in gray or black. It's more expensive though. Here is a link to one supplier. (offsite) - https://www.savko.com/collections/pipe-and-tubing Other suppliers are also good. You can also get fittings in these colors.

I don't think I'd bother painting the pipe unless it's an eyesore. Sooner or later your going to find yourself cutting it and changing it to accommodate something else.

 

[Benter]

Now that you have the overflows flowing good, the designs to silence them are generally the durso standpipe, the stockman standpipe, the herbie overflow and the beananimal overflow. Note that some of these are combinations of other designs. They vary mostly in the complexity of construction verses how silent it is. You can google them to see the specifics. By using a known design, you'll get a know result rather than trial and error.

If you don't like the white PVC pipe you can get PVC pipe in gray or black. It's more expensive though. Here is a link to one supplier. (offsite) - https://www.savko.com/collections/pipe-and-tubing Other suppliers are also good. You can also get fittings in these colors.

I don't think I'd bother painting the pipe unless it's an eyesore. Sooner or later your going to find yourself cutting it and changing it to accommodate something else.

Thank you for all of your help…. I am surprised that the open tee isn’t near as loud as I thought it would be. I think I am going to continue to experiment a little. I have looked into all of the ones you mentioned, I think I want a modified Durco with a cross instead of a tee maybe, 4 inlets vs 2 should increase the flow ability. The colored pvc pipe is pretty neat and ty again. Believe it or not I have 40+ years of real “pump” experience…. I do water and wastewater treatment equipment and have started some of the largest pump stations in the country up….. draining is new to me…. Lol

 

[DaveK]

It is truly amazing how many areas of science, technology and engineering you get involved with with you have a reef system. Over the years I have found myself ordering products from all sorts of non-aquarium related companies, just to get exactly what I wanted.