Overflow not working

[Aphyosemion]

I am trying to set up an overflow for my 40 gallon saltwater tank. I have a PVC piping overflow that I setup and tested in a big bucket in the bathroom and it worked perfectly. It is W shaped with the middle of the W hanging on the tank. It would stop when the water got low and as I filled the bucket it would start again and everything was great. Then I set it up on the tank and glued everything together, but like an idiot I didn't use the exact same length pieces. Now it will not work and I can't figure out why. Can anyone help me figure out the simple pvc overflow method? I originally had a web site that gave me the idea, but I can NOT find it again.

-Aphyosemion

[reeffreak]

Maybe if you post some pics we can get a better idea on whats going on.

[Aphyosemion]

I have no idea how to post pics on this site. I suppose I can't just copy and past them.

[Bifferwine]

Either upload them into the Living Reefs Photo gallery or onto a site like Photobucket, then paste the [img] code into your post.

[Aphyosemion]

Okay, here is a pic of the overflow. I managed to get one up and it will not let me post a second.



I don't know if the T is too low or too high or if one of the pipes are too long or too short.

-Aphyosemion

[Aphyosemion]

Okay, I uploaded the first pic of the overflow, but it won't let me upload a second. It repeatedly says invalid file, so I took another pic and tried and it still says the same thing. I have no idea why.

-Aphyosemion

[Bifferwine]

Okay, try it again.

[Aphyosemion]

It still won't let me upload a second file. If you look at the one picture I managed to get up though, you can get an idea of the setup. On the lower right is a T with one side going down to the sump and the other going up to the top.

-Aphyosemion

[Bifferwine]

I've never dealt with a homemade overflow before. But the only thing I can think of as to why it's not working is that it's losing siphon somewhere. Are all your seals tight and air proof? Are you able to start the siphon, and then it just loses it eventually? Or can you not get it to start at all?

[fishbait]

hmm not sure. but, if i were to take a guess i would say it's because the tee branching off to the sump is lower that the top of the pipe that's letting water in, causing a loss of siphon.