wet dry filter/sumps

DIY Bucket Trickle Filter

www.sydneycichlid.com/diybtf.html

I've made 2 of these minus the spinning spray bar.

I made one out of a 10 dollar 10g from Walmart, and I like it because it gives me a refugium area, so that I can keep algae out of my main tank, keep my ph from fluctuating at night and so i can put "bad" fish in there or feeders. As soon as I can find it I'll post the directions, it was VERY easy and cost me about 60bucks, including the pump also.

its easiest to use those plastic 3 shelf drawer things, so all you have to do is cut a hole at the top for the hose and drill holes into the bottom of all the drawers. fill the bottom ones with bio and the top one with some mech filtration and toss the whole thing into the biggest rubbermaid tote box you can fit under your tank. plumb everything and start it up.

the only reason that i diddnt use the shelf method, is i needed a refug area and i dont like bio balls, I use a bio wheel.

heres my design:




the origional thread:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30259&highlight=diy


also here's the design and thread for an overflow box:





Here's the DIY overflow thread

I thought about this for a while back when that other thread first popped up. Wouldn't it be simpler to use PVC or something and make a completely closed setup like this:

The water level would go no higher than the top-right bend and could go as low as the bottom-center bend without losing the syphon. The only problem I can see would be if it ever needed adjusted. Any thoughts?

EDIT: Oh, and of course some thought would need to be given to preventing fish from entering, but that should be pretty simple.

the only problem i see with using all PVC pipe, is for one it you will need an air escape point on the top left bend to get the syphon started, and you would definetely want to drill a small hole in the top right bend because if it ever lost all the air in there it would make a complete syphon and drain your tank to the bottom of the pvc pipe that would be in your tank. Also I personally like how the overflow skims the top of the water, because I constantly get floating bits of plants and "scum" on the top of the water.

Just my .02

Some good points.

The air escape point would be easy enough to add with a T connector and small ball valve or something like that, or you could just stick some airline tubing up there if the need arises. I hadn't thought about an accidental full syphon if the right side got full, but, like you said, that can be fixed by drilling a small hole or sticking in a T connector. You could get it to skim the top by adding one more bend so that the inside opening extends above the water line then cut slits extending below the water line.



Of course my illustration is only 2D, but in actual construction, it could be made pretty compact. I guess you really end up with the same mechanics as a traditional overflow box except that you don't have to actually build a box. I think I'd probably find it easier to assemble this way. If/When I try it, I'll let you all know how it works. Thanks for the input.

EDIT: On second thought, the hole in the top-right bend isn't necessary with the left side angled back up like that. Even if a full syphon got started somehow, it would only be able to last until the water level drops to the bottom of the lowest slit.

My DIY "constant level siphons" are very much like that shown in cgrabe's post. It is handy to have a closeable air evacuation point of the first siphon loop over the tank wall, not as much for the initial start (I use the Python for that) as to check that there are no trapped air bubbles in the real siphon tube to reduce flow. A vent is even more necessary on the second loop, always open to ambient air, as Seaman noted, to avoid forming a second syphon loop after the constant-level section between the two top loops.

For safety and back-up, I alway make a second assembly, with the constant level section just a bit higher. If the first clogs or blocks in any manner, the second can take over without overfilling the display tank.

For most of my usage, I prefer the constant-level siphons to surface-skimmer overflows. They are less obtrusive in the tank and do not waste CO2 from my mostly planted tanks. But I do use both systems.