New tanks

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
First, for your drain check out this link for basic DIY instructions for building a quieter drain-> Durso Standpipes

Now for a few pics - hard to get behind the tank but ..... And I know these are Not POTM worthy but just quick ones....

Here you can see 2 overflows running and the top view of the "Durso" drain. The tube off to the side is just hanging there no water flowing there. Hang-ons work great but, the tubes should be cleaned at least once/month or so.

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The drain into the sump packed with filter floss to make it quieter. You can also you bio-balls and then pack with filter floss or any other filter material.
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And here is a return showing the small anti-syphon hole - right in the front.
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So I hope this helps a little bit? Let me know.
 
Mark, I will have to look into that Durso setup for the overflow, I looked at it but it seems over my head :) Maybe you can set one up for me ? :)

As far as the hole on the return, you can achieve the same thing using a check valve on the return, right? That is how mine is set up.
 
Durso is real easy to build - just some pvc and basic skills. Looks more complicated than it is. Really..... not hard at all.

Check valve, I believe will be just fine to prevent overflow.
 
Thanks for the pictures Mark . They have given me a few ideas . Is the siphon hooked to a powerhead or vacuum pump to get it started .
I am thinking aboutthis but I just might make my own . Sounds like a fun project .
 
The CPR overflow is interesting. I have looked at it before but, I have never tried that one. Theirs is interesting because it does not use tubes and perhaps has less of chance of a siphon break. I think I would search around a little more and make sure people are liking that one. The couple comments on the site say they like it. One of them mentions that you need a vacuum pump to keep siphon? I am not sure why? Actually, it looks to me that would need the small vacuum pump just to get it going. But, does not need to run all the time? If it has to run all the time I am not sure if I like this design.

If I can remember, I will take a pic today at work of a new overflow box that we have at the store. Some of the premanufactured one's are not very good IMO. The one's that I now use are built by a guy here in town. He has been doing acrylic work for over 20 years and is very good. You may want to check with your local reef LFS as they probably have some choices of boxes that you could use.

So, on the normal tubed overflow to get it going - here is how I do it. (There are other techniques too)
1) Fill both sides of the overflow with water.
2) Take first "J" or "U" tube and hold in place in the overflow box
3) Using a peice of aquarium tubing, insert into tube until the end of the air hose is at the highest peak in the tube
4) Suck on the other end of the tubing until water fills the tube.
5) Repeat for the next tube

If you do go with the CPR overflow box I do not think there is enough room for a durso style drain. It looks like though, it would not be needed.
 
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A couple of comments. Ron, it's pretty easy, I just put water on both sides of the overflow, insert a tubing into the U pipe with the end at the highest point of the inverted U, when water fills, you suck in the rest of the trapped air and you got suction.

Mark, I have looked into the CPR ones, they are very quiet, so no need for durso, from what I understand it is made to be quiet. But it's pricey, and you can find nice overflows here locally.

BTW, I got the Durso working, took $3 in parts and about 10 min in labor. :) I have to redo it sometime, to adjust the pipe up a bit, but it works fine for now.

Show me the pics of the overflows your "guy" makes, I may want a new outer box or both, mine is too tiny, when I put the durso in the left chamber, there is NO room on the sides for anything else. So one side fits 2 U tubes SNUGGLY and the other one the Durso, too small. Specially to handle my pump. I want a wider Overflow, but not a thicker one, I have no more room in the back of the tank.
 
I've used the CPR overflow (CS 90) before so I'll add some comments in that regards. The pump is actually only needed to get the siphon going. It's hard to see it, but there's a nipple on the top of the box. What the pump is used for is to suck air out of it and draw water in to get water going. Once that's done, you no longer need a pump. I didn't even go through the trouble of using a pump; I just manually did it.

You also do not need to go with a Durso with the overflow box. There's a bulkhead in the back which can feed directly into the sump.

BTW, the linked picture is actually backwards. The right side of the picture is what goes into the tank and the left side is on the outside. You can see the bulkhead easier at that angle though.
 
I called and ordered the stuff to make a overflow very similar to the CPR this morning . I found a DIY version that is close to a copy but not exact .
I believe you could hook it to a powerhead air tube to start it if you wanted and just let it run for more circulation in a big tank . Although IBN's idea sounds good as usual .
 
hey Ron, can you post the details of this one? I would like to see it.

Eric since you used it, was it quiet? I see the bulkhead, but that is where the problem is, the reason for the durso, because the water circles the drain :) and creates the "waterfall" sound. Durso stops that by letting water levels adjust inside the setup and flow into the holes.
 
Ed I thought I put it in my favorite places but didn't . It was 1:30 AM when I was looking at it . I will look at history on my computer this evening and find it . Then I will post a link . Right now we are making 2 - 120 gal aquarium stands . 1 is done working on # 2 .
 
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