Want to contribute some advice for those with a non-drilled tank and building yourself a PVC overflow.
So this is what you end up with after you type in DIY PVC overflow on YouTube.
Troubleshooting:
Problem: the overflow is too noisy and sounds like a giant toilet flushing.
Possible Solutions:
-cut the chimney ( the PVC vent that makes it an overflow and not a vacuum) shorter so there is less air molecules that vibrate. Slightly seal the hole on the end cap to reduce noise, or make that hole smaller initially.
-make a inlet strainer that's has openings wide enough to let excess food and dirt in but not fish. It should be striated so that a vortex is less likely to form in one spot.
Problem: the overflow loses its siphon and it stops pouring water down to the sump.
Causes:
-micro bubbles that form and break the siphon
-flow to inlet pipe not consistent since the inlet pipe is too high and not enough water pressure to push the water through the first "U" bend
Solutions:
-for micro bubbles either plug in I think it's called an Aqualifter to the air line tubing or what I did was connect air line tubing to the return so that water is consistently being replenished
-unlike in the video which says to cut the inlet tube at water level, I would recommend cutting an extra 1/2"-3/4" below the water line to get a more consistent flow, also the strainer plays a factor in how much water flows through
Problem:
Did you lose that siphon?
Best Solution:
Don't bother sucking air through that check valve. I find those check valves to be inconsistent anyway. Use a 1 liter water bottle, fill it with tank water, then flush all of its content down the inlet pipe all in one squeeze. Bam! Your overflow has been primed and it should start again immediately!
Good luck to all you DIYers and happy reefing!
So this is what you end up with after you type in DIY PVC overflow on YouTube.
Troubleshooting:
Problem: the overflow is too noisy and sounds like a giant toilet flushing.
Possible Solutions:
-cut the chimney ( the PVC vent that makes it an overflow and not a vacuum) shorter so there is less air molecules that vibrate. Slightly seal the hole on the end cap to reduce noise, or make that hole smaller initially.
-make a inlet strainer that's has openings wide enough to let excess food and dirt in but not fish. It should be striated so that a vortex is less likely to form in one spot.
Problem: the overflow loses its siphon and it stops pouring water down to the sump.
Causes:
-micro bubbles that form and break the siphon
-flow to inlet pipe not consistent since the inlet pipe is too high and not enough water pressure to push the water through the first "U" bend
Solutions:
-for micro bubbles either plug in I think it's called an Aqualifter to the air line tubing or what I did was connect air line tubing to the return so that water is consistently being replenished
-unlike in the video which says to cut the inlet tube at water level, I would recommend cutting an extra 1/2"-3/4" below the water line to get a more consistent flow, also the strainer plays a factor in how much water flows through
Problem:
Did you lose that siphon?
Best Solution:
Don't bother sucking air through that check valve. I find those check valves to be inconsistent anyway. Use a 1 liter water bottle, fill it with tank water, then flush all of its content down the inlet pipe all in one squeeze. Bam! Your overflow has been primed and it should start again immediately!
Good luck to all you DIYers and happy reefing!
