Syphon Overflow- shoulda bought drilled tank.

[VAreef]

So I get up this morning, get my coffee, go into my little sump room/tank room/computer room/music room. As I sit down to drink my coffee I can see the waters surface. It looks scummy? Wondering why it looked like that I turned the lights on early and check it out. Well the water level was HIGH. Almost overflowing the tank. I shut the valve for the pump and let it drain down. Evidently I got some air in my syphon tube slowing down the water. I didn't lose the syphon all together since I have a syphon starter tube attached to a powerhead. To make matters worse the float switch I put on just incase this happened DIDN'T FLOAT. Later I had to hold it under 6" of water just for the stupid thing to float.

So now I have removed the float switch and drilled another syphon starter line. I didn't take into account that the air bubble will move past the top of the tube due to the water flow. I won't sleep as easy with the idea that I have anything to stop an overflow now. I will test the next float switch with actual water level.

Anyone got a foolproof never fail overflow system?

I was originally planning on hardwood for this room. I think I have changed my mind. Tile would look great.

 

[reeffreak]

Every thread I've read on RC says these never fail.

Lifereef Filter Systems

 

[VAreef]

Every thread I've read on RC says these never fail.

Lifereef Filter Systems

Wow those are some seriously nice sumps but they really wouldn't solve an overflow. Even drilled tanks can get a snail blocking the overflow and well, overflow. And the idea that the safety I installed to prevent just that failure also failed I think the best prevention is containing all the water really.

 

[reeffreak]

No,no,no...scroll down and click on prefilter boxes.

 

[VAreef]

No,no,no...scroll down and click on prefilter boxes.

I would love to know how they do that those look like regular old syphon boxes to me.

 

[reeffreak]

Dunno,people swear by them.

 

[Rcpilot]

Drill it. Use a bulk head thats threaded on the inside. Buy a prefilter screen that screws into your bulk head. Clean it once a week.

 

[VAreef]

Drill it. Use a bulk head thats threaded on the inside. Buy a prefilter screen that screws into your bulk head. Clean it once a week.

I'm going to have to drill a tank one day just to see what its like

 

[Reefrookie]

Maybe you need more flow thru the tube to help push out the air

 

[SalteeDogg]

My diy pvc overflow has never failed on me. I have two 1" pvc overflows and believe it or not they have NEVER sucked air. I built two incase one was to fail, the other one would pull the weight until I discovered it failed.