Richardhmc - overflows

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
C

CHOMPERS

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MFK Member
Apr 28, 2006
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Sunnyvale Trailer Park
Your overflows are on their way. The snail mail is going to take longer than expected. Between choosing between airmail, ground, and a donkey driven by a Mexican named Jose...the costs were in favor of Jose and his donkey.

Anyway, I broke the air check valve and only had one that was any good, so you will need to buy a pair of them. They come two to a package anyway. You will also need to buy some one inch hose from HD, Lowes, or Menards.

You will need to set them up like in this picture:

overflow 1.jpg
 
The red handled valve is pointless since your wet/dry will be next to your tank. Keep it open all the time. The second overflow that I made for you does not have a valve.

If you need to shorten them, cut a section out of the 1.5 inch pipe the size of what you need to shorten it by plus a quarter inch. Cut the same size off of the 3/4 inch pipe that goes inside the 1.5 inch pipe.

When you add the check valves, the arrows should point up. The holes are sized so that you can add them with only friction (push down with a twisting motion). It would be best to add a little silicone to seal them. Just make sure you don't get silicone on the end (it will plug up the check valve.)

When you set them up, add water to the 1.5 inch pipe. Then add the 3/4 internal pipe. Place a piece of air line on the check valve and suck the air out. That will start the overflows. Periodically check to make sure the 3/4 inch pipes do not get air in them. The overflows will stop working if they do.
 
for everyone else, here is the parts list/break down. I forgot some parts but you can see them in the assembled overflows.

overflow 2.jpg
 
The overflow uses a 2" x 1.5" addapter as a stand. To plug the bottom, I used a one inch O.D. cap. I had to taper it a little, and then crammed it in the 1.5" pipe after gluing it.

The 3/4" internal pipe is backwards in the picture. The short end should go inside the overflow body and the longer end should go in the tank. The reason for this is the longer tube will rest on the 1" cap, stopping the flow.
 
by the way, the water level will be determined by the height of the tee on the outer portion of the overflow.
 
As long as both ends of the U are kept under water, it will not have a source of air to lose prime. The tank can not drain lower than the outside tee, which is kept up at the tanks water level. The 1.5" pipe serves as a small tank outside of the aquarium and it's water level will always be the same as the aquarium.
 
that is a good design. Its the same as the one neo has on his drip systems. I like this design that the other PVC overflow we have on this board. Thats gonna be my next overflow. Do you have to have the ball valve?
 
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