Diy PVC Overflow ...need help with the flow rate ...

[owl]

Hi all ( this s my first post here , lol ) ..
i built an overflow box before for my 20g tank , it works well , but the only problem i have is the pump flow rate is abit more than the overflow box rate , so i have to turn the pump off every few hours and wait abit till the sump get full again ... ( i put a timer for that ) anyway , i wanna build another overflow system for my 55g tank , i have two pumps to put in my sump , one 475gph and the other one is 185gph , and i m thinkin of buildin 2 PVC overflow system with 1.1/4" PVC pipes to make sure of enough intake for the sump , so what do u think ? i afraid i got the same problem as my previous overflow system again , is 2 overflows enough for my pumps ?
and BTW my sump size for my 55g is 10g ..
any idea will be most welcome ...

 

[rocker85675]

save yourself a TON of grief and a potential disaster and just buy a proper overflow box off of ebay. they are verry reasonable to buy and uber reliable

 

[chesterthehero]

add a "T" joint and a ball valve to your pump line and send some of the water back into the sump..


a oversized overflow is always a good thing.. but nothing is better than $5 worth of pvc fittings

 

[KaiserSousay]

add a "T" joint and a ball valve to your pump line and send some of the water back into the sump.

Or gate valve, a few xtra $$, but well worth it.
This is way better than just "choking" off your pumps output with a valve, of any type.
I would ditch the timer stup asap..see nothing but mops and buckets, or burnned out pump, for that`s future.
When you say "BOX", did you make a skimmerless overflow, or all PVC.

 

[Pharaoh]

Hi all ( this s my first post here , lol ) ..
i built an overflow box before for my 20g tank , it works well , but the only problem i have is the pump flow rate is abit more than the overflow box rate , so i have to turn the pump off every few hours and wait abit till the sump get full again ... ( i put a timer for that ) anyway , i wanna build another overflow system for my 55g tank , i have two pumps to put in my sump , one 475gph and the other one is 185gph , and i m thinkin of buildin 2 PVC overflow system with 1.1/4" PVC pipes to make sure of enough intake for the sump , so what do u think ? i afraid i got the same problem as my previous overflow system again , is 2 overflows enough for my pumps ?
and BTW my sump size for my 55g is 10g ..
any idea will be most welcome ...

Can you give us the info on you 20G. Maybe we can help you fix what is wrong. What size pipe did you use.
As far as the 55, it sound like you have the right plans. You might add an aqualifter to the build. That will help you maintain siphon.

save yourself a TON of grief and a potential disaster and just buy a proper overflow box off of ebay. they are verry reasonable to buy and uber reliable

DIY overflows can be just as effective and less than half the cost of just going out and buying one. DIY all the way!!

Or gate valve, a few xtra $$, but well worth it.
This is way better than just "choking" off your pumps output with a valve, of any type.
I would ditch the timer stup asap..see nothing but mops and buckets, or burnned out pump, for that`s future.
When you say "BOX", did you make a skimmerless overflow, or all PVC.

What is the gate valve supposed to do that the "T" and ball valve won't accomplish? He was not meaning to "choke" the pump, but to re-routs some of the water flow back into the sump. This will in no way restrict the pump, but it will reduce the wmount of water going into the tank.

On a side note, there has been much discussion on whether or not choking down a pump is good or bad. From what I understand and read, choking a pump will actually improve its efficiency. It might actually be more benficial to just put a ball valve in setups altogether.

 

[KaiserSousay]

What is the gate valve supposed to do that the "T" and ball valve won't accomplish? He was not meaning to "choke" the pump, but to re-routs some of the water flow back into the sump. This will in no way restrict the pump, but it will reduce the wmount of water going into the tank.

Not enough coffee??? I`m a little confused..if you put a "T" in to redirect excess flow back into the sump..would you not need valving, or would wishing make it so. Those pvc ball valves are getting tough for us old guys to turn just a smidge, to get that flow just right-n-sweet, so I opt for the ease of turning to exactly where I want it(gate valve), without the "bounce" of a little this way or that(pvc ball valve).
Did you not read my reply??Running the excess folw back into the sump is ALWAYS a better alternative to just resricting the pumps output.

 

[Pharaoh]

OK, I'm with you on the gate valves. I apparently didn't fill in the blanks on that one.

As far as flow, I was just pointing out that some have some info stating that throttling back a pump is actually more efficient than running the excess back into the sump.