# Other Aquarium Forums > Equipment and Accessories > DIY Projects >  DIY Overflow and Sump

## limsteel

Before DIY, I have 2 filter 2026 + 2217, can see the surface skimmer, inlet strainer, output elbow, etc...


After Setting up my DIY overflow + Sump, filter accessories are reduce to the least. the water level is now constant. Wash filter media is so much easier now!

Using PVC pipes, bought at Jln Besar ~10ft + 7 Elbow + 1 T Joint + PVC glue. ~$20
Aircon Trunking 1ft+, Sealed and paste Black Oyama paper, once inside the tank, it blends into the background and is alomost invisible. Only the green mesh use to keep floating leaf, food stuff from entering the sump.

Sump is made from 2ft 5plan tank, using plastic divider and some sponge to hold the divider in place. I divide the tank into 3 partition. Rio 14HF is used as return pump.

External CO2 reactor fit with a rotating wave maker inside.

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## bossteck

What does the credit card do? 
Care to show a close-up of your outlet, looks interesting!

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## limsteel

The velocity of Water flowing into the sump is too fast and concentrated at one spot. Over a few minutes, that particular spot on the sponge will clogged up and water will start splashing.

So to reduce the velocity, I stick a piece of coarse bio-sponge into the pipe. To keep it in place, I use a plant basket (plants usually sold with the plastic basket). The volume flow should remain the same, but the velocity has slowed down. 

Then when the water flows onto the 2 credit card, water spreads out the 3 side of the credit card. This way, I don't get a clogged up dirt spot on the pre-filter sponge.

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## bossteck

Hi, 

Nice and innovative solution  :Smile:  
Found another use for credit cards besides scraping off green spot algae.

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## CK Yeo

Wow! Another DIY project. So many recently.

Could you show a picture of your overflow? I was using the pipe system for sometime but gave it up because I couldn't optimise the flow and eventually bubbles built up in the overflow. This reduce siphon flow and eventually breaks and I end up with a flood.

ck

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## craftsman

Wow! Love your credit cards!!! :Grin:  :Grin: 

Care to show a photo of your overflow? Embarking on something similar soon. 

Also, could you pm me the shop you went ot in Jalan Besar? I'm looking for PVC pipes as well.  :Razz: 

Thanks in advanced!!!!

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## RonWill

> ... to reduce the velocity, I stick a piece of coarse bio-sponge into the pipe. To keep it in place, I use a plant basket (plants usually sold with the plastic basket). The volume flow should remain the same, but the velocity has slowed down


 In place of the sponge basket, consider a T-joint. It serves to distribute down-flow over a larger area without need to reduce velocity. Alternatively, experiment with a coarse cylindrical sponge, eg. used in Otto filters. Actually don't have to be round but preferably approx 4in. long with a through hole that the pipe can fit into (you'll know why after you try  :Grin: )

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## nowhereman

Hi bro, can you share with us how you actually go about making the stuff?
What is the aircon trunking used for? I guess is for overflow, but how you actually used it?

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## RonWill

> I was using the pipe system for sometime but gave it up because I couldn't optimise the flow and eventually bubbles built up in the overflow


 eh CK, if you have a air-purge outlet at the top of the inversed U-pipe, you could connect a length of air-tubing to the venturi intake of a submersible powerhead. The venturi suction effect will remove trapped bubbles or air pockets that prevents a full siphon (hence affecting your flow rate)

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## CK Yeo

> eh CK, if you have a air-purge outlet at the top of the inversed U-pipe, you could connect a length of air-tubing to the venturi intake of a submersible powerhead. The venturi suction effect will remove trapped bubbles or air pockets that prevents a full siphon (hence affecting your flow rate)


Ya. I know. Tried. Works well for the initial few weeks then the valve eventually became stuck with debris/ detritus = Flood.

I am using another design based on same principle that has been flood-less for several months now to connect 8 standard 2feet tanks to a sump. Let's see if it works well enough to show later...

ck
p.s. Ronnie, your rubber suckers used to control in-tank overflow box failed me several times: Though it doesn't harden, it weakens, slipped eventually and flood.

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## RonWill

> I am using another design based on same principle that has been flood-less for several months now to connect 8 standard 2feet tanks to a sump. Let's see if it works well enough...


 I'm guessing inverted U-tubes between tanks, like in a flow-through? How are the tanks arranged? Doesn't it take up lots of space? Eh, don't keep me guessing lah. Show us!

PS: That overflow set was in service without a hitch but before it slipped, were you doing water changes? The weight within the large PVC pre-filter pipe was probably too much for the aging suction cups. Upload a pic of that and someone else might come up with an alternative or better solution.

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## CK Yeo

U-tubes?  ::smt018:  Disaster waiting to happen isn't it?

You are right about the pre-filter pipe though. The weight was too much for the suckers. It was like a ticking timebomb. More in another thread.

ck
p.s. I found a design which can do a underflow and overflow. Interesting isn't it?

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## limsteel

Here is the pic of the trunking I mentioned. Small ones use to conceal wire can be commonly found in Hardware shop. Big ones like this is used to conceal air con pipings... there are even bigger ones. Mine is 2inch by 4inch.

The length of the box is about 50cm just enough you don't need it to reach the bottom of the tank. As the tank bracing is directly above, the box is held down place. to prevent the box from further movement, I drilled ONE hole and inserted one EHEIM Suction cups (Eheim ones are more lasting, they don't weaken or harden as quick as those softer versions). I push it onto the glass wall and it held the box in place.

I have been using this for about a month or 2, no break in siphon even when I shut down the pumps for maintenance. 

water Pipe used is 32mm. can be smaller since the water flow will not be able utilised the pipe fully.

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## mkt

Hi - how do you minimise the noise arising from water going into the overflow chamber in the tank??

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## limsteel

There will be some water noises, you can't get rid of them. 

Even if you get rid of the sound coming from the oveflow box. BioBall in the box can reduce the speed of the water... But the water running inside the piping will also create noise.

I learn the live with it. My friend uses this one... this is much louder!

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## RonWill

> Here is the pic of the trunking I mentioned. Small ones use to conceal wire can be commonly found in Hardware shop. Big ones like this is used to conceal air con pipings... there are even bigger ones. Mine is 2inch by 4inch.


 Lim, the 1st diagram has missed out a point, ie. there's no mention of sealing the sides of the trunking box (internal overflow). Which hypothetically means that in the event of seepage, water will be drained to where the inside pipe ends or "lowest water level" as dictated by the blue colored elbow. Failing to achieve a tight seal around the suction cups will cause seepage as well.

Still referring to the same diagram, a problem with having the last blue elbow too low is that it also controls the strength of siphon. Strong siphon is good but while fine tuning the position of the overflow box, the drain-off might be strong enough to suck all water out of the box. Strong siphon = faster air replacement = more gargling noise.

I was mostly using 15mm diameter pipes and ending up using two overflows (different designs). Perhaps 32mm was a better choice to begin with. Hmm.... then maybe I didn't have to get the mop out so often.

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## limsteel

All possible water seepage points (known by me) are sealed by Silicon or Epoxy. Include the Suction Cup contact point with Trunking, along the stretch of trunking cover, Bottom part of the overflow box. etc.

I prefer lower T Joint as the siphon will be powerful. Flowrate will be higher. Thus Air might/will sneak in but will not have a chance to stay inside for long. Either being dissolved or force down the pipe by the fast flowrate. I am not able to see it, unless I use Transparent pipes... but when I suck on the airtube during Water change, there are little or not air.

Even when I adjust the overflow box, there no adverse effect on the overflow. regardless of the height of the overflow box, water will continue to flow. Only the tank water level changes.

As attached, the overflow box is pasted with OYAMA paper... It blends quite well into the background... Other colours might not have that effect. Some may consider using moss wall to cover it.

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## limsteel

After using this setup for a while, i have to say I love the sump system! Ease of maintenance!

But I still have 1 problem. I am unable to maintain a high water level in my sump. I need to have a large allowance for water back flow during pump stoppage.

Unlike the PVC pipe return system most people sump use, they are equipped with check valves. I am using 16/22mm water pipes for the return pumps. I can find any 16/22mm check valves from hardware shops. Checked the net only found this piece, reference:
http://www.reefdepot.com.sg/AddProduct.asp?ProdID=178

oops just found this
 from here

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## BFG

LimSteel, check valve unfortunately do not work. I have used GF check valve and when the pump shut down, water still continue to flow back into the sump. Reefer will attest to this failure of the check valve. Luckily, my sump was able to contain the syphon of the water from the main tank.

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## limsteel

I have drilled a small hole on the pipe at the water outlet... this hole is drilled just below the water surface.

So in case of pump break down or power failure (UPS totally drained) the water level in my tank falls due to the spihon effect. but once the water level falls below that HOLE, air will enter the water outlet breaking the siphon. 

But I hate the air trapped in my CO2 reactor and the pump make alot noise (due to trapped air within the pump) when restarting. I would love to have a check valve to prevent air from entering them.

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