Overflow idea!!!!

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punkshok

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 4, 2006
50
0
0
Connecticut
I am setting up my new 125 gal. tank with my custom stand i am building...
I have been reading and even made one of those pvc pipe overflows and have a huge question since they are kind of ugly...

Here it goes.
the tank is not drilled so, i was thinking about making something that looks like a durso standpipe, the pipe will be coming up verticle along the outside back of the tank from the sump, by using elbows i will loop over the side of the tank and into the water...
if this would work, it would look so much cleaner, so is this possible or not, and if so, why not???
 
it will not work. That is just a syphon. Same principle as if you drain water from you tank using a hose. As soon as the water level drops below the intake, there will be a break in the syphon and water will stop flowing even if the water level rises again. The whole point of having the loop is that in an event of a power outage and you water level drops, the syhpon will start again.
 
lemcc;762656; said:
you could buy a pre-made one for around $50 or drill your tank

after making one of those pvc overflows i see no point in buying an overflow. Waste of money. Ok it might look a little nicer but just paint it and its all gravy.
 
punkshok;762610; said:
It would be like this...

It won't work because it won't survive a power outage. It will not restart when the power is restored but the pump will pump all of the water in the sump to the tank. The tank will overflow onto the floor.
 
u'r design will work till the power goes out only if u'r pipe will flow the exact amount as u'r powerhead (very highly unlikely). but as soon as the water level goes below the pipe end it will be deprimed and stop working and u'r powerhead will die. the one you built is the simplest design that can be used effectively. there's only 2 bends visible from the tank( one 180 and one 90), what is the big deal?
 
Thanx for the help, the PVC way isnt too bad, i was just wondering if this way would work... if did work and looked better why not use it?
anyways I got the PVC one going, so thanx for your help everyone.
 
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