What type of Overflow Question

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wjason777

Feeder Fish
Feb 27, 2016
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Hello, I have 3 75gal tanks that I would like to put on shelf and somehow connect to a sump. I would like to use a PVC overflow but the only types of overflows that im finding on the internet are the ones that pulls water from the top.
My question to you guys are what type of pvc overflow setup that pulls solids and waste from the bottom of the tank?And is also safe in case there is a power outage?

Thanks in advance.
 
I think they're called "overflows" for a reason. Most systems that pull off the bottom are closed, as in a canister filter below the tank rather than a sump. I'd think, in theory, if you ran your plumbing up to the top of the tank so that the U turn downward was at water level, with some type of venting on top so you couldn't form an actual siphon, and the U turn piping itself determined your water level it could work as long as there were no restrictions that would cause it to gravity drain slower than the return pump from the sump.... I could be very wrong, haven't seen it before but that's the picture in my head.
 
I just posted a question about how to draw off the bottom if you have a sump/but thought would be fine for canister too. Basically it's a shield with slits at bottom and the intake at top so water has to come from bottom but zero chance of syphon. I'm still planning so I don't know if it will work but am waiting for feedback.
 
I would be very cautious about siphoning water from the bottom of the tank. Reason being is this: if your power goes out, and your water pump stops pumping water back into your tank, the water in the main tank will continue to drain until the water level is below the drain line. This would mean your sump would overflow with water and your floor will flood!
 
I haven't done it, but I'm pretty sure you can make a durso pipe that goes to the bottom of the tank to get most of it's water but a smaller hole drilled in the pipe slightly below the water line will break the siphon in the event of the pump turning off.

A lot of people use overflow/surface skimming methods. You should really just use the return water and power heads to kick up the solid waste so that it will get caught in the overflows.
 
Danh said:
I haven't done it, but I'm pretty sure you can make a durso pipe that goes to the bottom of the tank to get most of it's water but a smaller hole drilled in the pipe slightly below the water line will break the siphon in the event of the pump turning off.

A lot of people use overflow/surface skimming methods. You should really just use the return water and power heads to kick up the solid waste so that it will get caught in the overflows.
Click to expand...

Yea Danh that make sense, im going to give that a try.
Would like to try this but, there is no video on how to make it
 
yea ive watched those videos more than once,
but question, does the upgraded one pulls from the bottom also?
 
I wouldn't go through all of this trouble. Get a powerful enough return pump and point the returns in the right places. Get a couple of powerheads and get the waste to overflow....
 
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