DIY OverFlow Pipe

[donkey]

my DIY Overflow Pipe


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnWpQEkeatE

[CP Ocean]

Really like this, am going to try to make one myself. Its an old post but anyone know if he had any problems with it or not? or if there are any flaws to it?

[donkey]

Had this running for a long time now,and its never once let me down

[CP Ocean]

ah great, am sat on the floor making it as we speak

[donkey]

Nice one

:14:

[CP Ocean]

did you attach the inner pipe to the outer clear one? and does the clear pipe just rest on the sand bed/bottom of the tank, also does it matter how big the gap is at the bottom between the inner and clear pipe.
sry for the questions but thought id ask as you were here :)

[donkey]

Hi
Don't be sorry for the questions,I'm happy to help out. My white pipe just sits inside the clear pipe and its not glued in.but I don't see any problem in doing that. What I did was to get a cable tie and wrap it round the teeth and the white pipe to hold it in place,then I pushed it in to the sand and put a rock up against it. Its very important that the clear tube stays put or you will have problems with it. Another guy made this and put a plate on the bottom to hold it down in the sand. My white pipe sits about 2 inches from the bottom of the clear pipe.
http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq154/humax2/IMG_0007_1.jpg

[CP Ocean]

ok thanks, ive got a stopper for the larger pipe that has abit of a lip on it like a top hat, so hopefully that might act abit like the plate above

[donkey]

Sounds good. Maybe you could take pics and lets see how its looking

[CP Ocean]

just layed flat still need to glue and sort out the other pipe, would aquarium sealant be ok you think or need glue?

11548

[donkey]

Hi

Do you mean for sticking the joints together ?

[CP Ocean]

yeah, or would it be to weak?

[donkey]

What you need is Marley Solvent Cement for B&Q it costs £3:29 a tube and its great stuff. Once its set you will never break the joint again. Trust me i tried


:biglol:
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[Marine Life Uk]

you need glue as sealant doesnt adhere to plastics too well and tends to come off given time

[Mark J]

What you need is Marley Solvent Cement for B&Q it costs £3:29 a tube and its great stuff. Once its set you will never break the joint again. Trust me i tried


:biglol:


Oh you can seperate them afterwards ;) hehe... just need to SLOWLY and GENTLY heat the joints up and as the pvc softens, you can gently twist them apart, but be VERY carefull as its very easy to go too far and melt the stuff lol.... I find that by using a pair of pliers on the actual tube not the elbows/T's etc that you can squeeze the pipe which helps release it (at the expense of the pipe getting a bit hammered, but we all have lengths kicking around somewhere dont we? hehehehe)

[CP Ocean]

ok so its all up and running, but ive hit afew snags. I have to have the flow really low otherwise I get really loud gargling from the vertical pipe, but then my pump makes a loud rattling sound when its turned down!

[donkey]

How high is the water in the clear pipe ? are you running it very low

[Tangman]

ok so its all up and running, but ive hit afew snags. I have to have the flow really low otherwise I get really loud gargling from the vertical pipe, but then my pump makes a loud rattling sound when its turned down!
How have you turned the flow down not by a tap on the outlet of the pump by any chance as this is whats making the pump rattle. To cut the flow down from a pump you need to reduce the flow going into the pump not coming out of the pump as this will cause back pressure and break the pump. also you need an air tap on top of the pipe where the water is going down to control how much air goes down so it does not slurp look up a Single Durso system it will show you how you want it. Twiggy

[ozzie]

sorry to jump in but whats the pipe diamiters and what sort of flow will this cope with this may be the answer to my prayers as tank has a big plinth on it so shop bought overflows dont reach water surface

[CP Ocean]

Is all 22mm, I would guess about 1200 Lph.

Donkey, I had to use a larger white pipe as I didn't get clear, I though this might be the problem but it gargles when outside of that pipe also just in a bucket.

Tangman, I was using a tap that came with the pump, but yes it is on the outlet of the pump but I've got it working ok now with it only a tiny bit turned down, so no rattle, hopefully that wont be creating any back pressure and break it.

I've pulled it apart and rebuilt it with rounded corners and cemented the c**p out of it, only thing I can think was it was pulling air in somewhere. Also my air valve ends up with water in it, is that normal?

[donkey]

Hi

The bigger pipe your using will be fine. It could very well be a leak on the pipe somewhere. What I do to seal the joints is this. Glue them all together using Marley Solvent Cement,when its dry I go over all the joints again using Araldite glue,I run it over all my joints just to make sure there sealed. You can also buy a cheap glue that's very much like Araldite from the £-shop and works just as well. Cant say my Air valve has ever had water in it but to be honest it might have but I sprayed it black so I cant see it anymore


Make sure you glue the air valve in using something like Araldite or even a hot glue gun don't use silicon as it wont seal it. After I glue it with Araldite I then go round the valve with some Epoxy putty to go right round the valve just to make sure its sealed. You can also get it from the £-shop or wilkinsons but it costs more there

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq154/humax2/2010-04-1501-00-35312.jpg



If you look at the pic of mine you can see how I used the putty and once dry it sets hard as iron


http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq154/humax2/P1000988.jpg


Also make sure that you can only suck on the air valve,if you can blow down it then its no good and needs changing

[ozzie]

Hi! donkey will this cope with a 2280lph eheim and a 30" sump

[donkey]

Hi! donkey will this cope with a 2280lph eheim and a 30" sump


Hi

Im running a New-Jet 1700 lph and its at full whack and it cant cope with the overflow pipe so i need to buy a bigger pump. All i can say is my tap is not even half way open so if it was fully open it could very well do over 2000lph

[ozzie]

thanks for the reply will give it a go as its to far from top of tank to water level for shop boughts and i dont have the bottle to try drilling the tank

[donkey]

thanks for the reply will give it a go as its to far from top of tank to water level for shop boughts and i dont have the bottle to try drilling the tank


:biglol: I know the feeling mate. Don't want to drill my tank for the same reason

[donkey]

That might be abit to much for it but you could build it the same and just use 32mm pipes and fittings

I know some people did build this from 32mm and one used 40mm. But not to sure how easy it would be to hide in your tank as your going to need a bigger clear tube in there

[CP Ocean]

Yeah true, my pump is 1300 but it was over flowing the tank nearly, this is because of the air in my system I guess? If I get it running properly and the pump doesnt keep up would I need a tap on the outlet, or is that optional? Also what size is your tank? Im thinking as I only have a small tank, it's not leaving me much le-way to get it all equal

[donkey]

Yes it sounds like its sucking air in from somewhere,so it needs to be sealed to stop it getting any air locks in there. Its always best to fit a tap so you can control the flow coming from the overflow pipe

[CP Ocean]

ok so mark2 is now up and running, tested it in the bath a it dead silent! yay, put it in the tank and is so noisy again! but this time I think it is beacuse the pump cant keep up and the clear pipe isnt full enough, when I restrict the flow with my finger abit it goes silent so ill be needing that tap for sure!
Really happy is all running smoothly, tahnks for all your help donkey, I know youve been asked a million questions about your unit befor! will post up a pic on my tank tread very crude but functional sump

[donkey]

ok so mark2 is now up and running, tested it in the bath a it dead silent! yay, put it in the tank and is so noisy again! but this time I think it is beacuse the pump cant keep up and the clear pipe isnt full enough, when I restrict the flow with my finger abit it goes silent so ill be needing that tap for sure!
Really happy is all running smoothly, tahnks for all your help donkey, I know youve been asked a million questions about your unit befor! will post up a pic on my tank tread very crude but functional sump

Hi

That noise your hearing is just the water falling in to the clear tube,as soon as you put a tap on there and slow it down you wont hear a thing. So glad its working for you second time round. And cant wait to see the pics


:14:

[CP Ocean]

Ps where did you get your tap from I'm stood in BQ now but can't find anything?

[donkey]

have a look at the pond taps

[Cookie]

hi i'm going to make one today, quick question i have some pipe solvent but it's polypipe not marley will this be an issue.

Si

[donkey]

Hi

I have used a few makes in the past and never had any problems with any of them. Just make sure you leave it set for 24 hours after you have stuck the joints together,and if you want you could always flush the pipe out with some clean RO water.

[Cookie]

Hi

Thanks for reply :) i've made it and have to say i'm well chuffed, just trying to find something for the wier, might silicon a piece of perspex into corner of tank.

Anyways thanks for the design and so easy to make.
Simon

[donkey]

Nice one mate,glad its worked out for you

:thumbsup:

[Ollyg]

just wondering where u got the tubing u attached to the return pump and pond tap from? as i wanna make this

[Cookie]

ollyg

where abouts are you, i made one but not used it yet tested it and works fine, but i've just bought a new tank and it's drilled so if you want it you can have it, but would only be worth it if you were local to me as cost more to post than make :D

Simon

[Ollyg]

I am in essex, I dont think i am near to you, but thanks for the offer its very kind of you

[Ollyg]

got a few questions, do u have to fit a tap? and my sump is in an awkard postion can i move around pipework at the bottom to make it fit? will it still work the same?

[ejit]

how quiet is it??
Im using the twin standpipe setup ATM

[Cookie]

i fitted flexy pond hose to mine could then fit tap connector to that, i'm tunbridge wells

Simon

[donkey]

Made another video on it,this time showing the full build


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILS2Ep5_8h0