Air intake for my overflow
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5952
Printed Date: July 25 2026 at 7:37pm
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Topic: Air intake for my overflow
Posted By: fj40fax
Subject: Air intake for my overflow
Date Posted: March 28 2005 at 10:30am
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I have a question about my overflow. It is just an ABS street L
glued through the back to another regular L to make an S shape.
Right now it has to suck air in at the water level, which is fine, but
I would like to add more flow. I am concerned that if I add more
flow it will not be able to suck enough air and will overflow the
tank. I have room directly over the street L that is inside the
tank to drill a hole for a breather tube. My question is how does
the breather tube affect the water level, and if I put a breather tube
in will it allow me to run more water? Thanks, Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Replies:
Posted By: ewaldsreef
Date Posted: March 28 2005 at 10:36am
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Can you change the design if need be? I guess it is hard for me to picture from the description. ------------- Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL] |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: March 28 2005 at 10:42am
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I cannot change the design. It is kinda like this, with the tank
going between the parenthesis. If you tilt your head 45 degrees
to the right it is just right. I will take a pic when I get to
the office in a bit. ( ) Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 28 2005 at 10:47am
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The durso design is the key here. If you haven't heard of the Durso Standpipe just do a search here or on the www.
The Elbow on the outside should be a Tee allowing for a short length of pipe with a hole near the top so a cap can be adjusted to make the hole just the right size to allow air down and still stop the noise. (JFinch and I have both made modified durso's that are straight space saving designs without the elbow of the original design.) ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 28 2005 at 10:52am
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It could also be done by drilling a hole in the top of the outside elbow and glueing (silicone?) a length of tubing with an adjustable valve to allow just the right amount of air to go down. Note, that the end of the tubing must be positioned above the tank water level.
The durso principle, if one may call it that, actually allows more water to fall down the overflow pipe. Amazing...the technology exists, all one need do is ask!   ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 11:33am
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So what is the critical element? Is it the size of the
hole/amount of air, or is it the length of tube inside the drain?
I drilled a small hole yesterday, and put in a connector for a 1/4" od
tube, and did not notice any difference. If I blow into the tube,
I can blow hard enough to make it so it no longer sucks air from the
top, and if I blow harder, it will back up the drain so it cannot drain
enough water. Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 12:15pm
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The durso design can drain a tremendous amount of water and have silent operation. As an example (I'll make it short and leave out most of the part where I was LAZY So what is the critical element? Durso's work so well because they are essentially a controlled siphon. Your drain is open in the tank so can not be "dursofied" and will be very difficult to quiet, imo. The concept is simple, but much easier to explain in conversation (mainly because I don't have time to write it all down). ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
): I have two (1 inch) overflows in my tank. Last month I noticed that the water level in the tank was a tad high (normally it's only about 1/8" higher then the overflow weir). I found that one overflow was completely plugged off with algae (mostly that really small bubble sized valonia) and the other was mostly open. Well I was busy with something else and didn't do anything about it. Over the past weekend I noticed a little bit of water along the bottom brace of the tank. The water level had risen to the point that water was slowly leaking out of a poorly siliconed top brace. I was about 1/4" from overflowing my tank 
. The one remaining overflow was restricted to a hole about the size of a nickel and the durso was still more or less working (my return pump is a Velocity T4, 1400 gph). That's a lot of water to drain down a hole that small. Anyway, sorry for the diversion, back to your questions.Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 12:25pm
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Noise is not a problem because my stand is completly enclosed, and no
one sleeps in my office. I am more concerned about being able to
move more water without raising the water level in the tank. The
size of my tubing (1" ID) should be able to move quite a bit. I
did not notice a difference in water level when I switched from a rio
2100 to a rio 2500, but I am concerned about going up another 50% in
pump volume (to a mag 9.5). I guess my real question is: If I get a much bigger pump will it change my water level? Thanks, Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 1:16pm
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Ok... It'll work as you have it. The level will increase (you won't know how much until you try it). It'll be slurpy and gurgly through. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 1:35pm
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Slurpy and gurgly is fine for the office, it is muted quite a bit from the stand, and just sounds like a nice "water feature." Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |