# Trickle Stopper



## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Hello again..I have this put together,
http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/di ... ow/120.asp
and thought...... those dots are me thinking
If I put a hole in the suction side of this sipion at the lowest point I want the water to move, as in a power failure...then the air entering the hole should stop the flow??? Que No?


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## loogielv (Nov 10, 2008)

you built that? any pics of the process?

as i understand it, the red portion is the siphon break, with no need to put a hole anywhere. the red portion does not extend into the water. Nor is it even glued. You turn the red portion up to fill the chamber, when the red is pointed down, it's just hanging on the tank, not extended into the water.

When the water drops below the t-joint to fall down into the sump, there is no siphon due to the red pvc and thus, water just drops below the t and never goes down.

it's a solid design and i'll be all over it for my next all glass tank.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

You got it, loogielv
I just wanted an abosolute fail safe, the drilling of a hole on the siphon tube, would be about same height as the tee.
I used slipfit street ells on most all joints that call for elbows, they gave me a better fit on tank frame and made for a more compact unit.
sorry, no pics for now, I have to get a digital camera from my son.
Still looking for a pump to finish...want to see just how cheap this whole sump/trickle filter can be. So far, about $25.00


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## loogielv (Nov 10, 2008)

well as long as the t is at the same level as you want the water level and as long as the red portion aint in the water, it's fail safe. pure physics. the hole won't help at all, but of course, it wont hurt either...i dont think.


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## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

There are some better designs out there for pvc overflows, This thing needs a powerhead or some type of suction to reprime everytime the power goes out, a hole won't make a difference either way. I can't find the link right now, but that is not a very good design, you don't want to break the siphon, just "naturally stop it". as is, air will enter through the drain.

*edit
http://www.reefbuilders.com/forums/new- ... stion.html
just raise the tee up a bit, it will still hold a siphon, but will stop if the power goes out, without having to reprime everything
There's a skimmerless pvc design on here somewhere, I just can't find it right now.


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## loogielv (Nov 10, 2008)

i dont think it will fail in the event of a power outage. I'm looking over it now, and the way it looks to me is if the power fails, water wont be pumping back into the tank and therefore the water wont be rising in the tank. the overflow will equalize just below the T and the red won't allow a suction to be maintained. As soon as the pump starts up the siphon will pull more water into the resevoir, raising the level to above the t and the water will flow down...

maybe i'm wrong, i'm just running through it in my head...


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## loogielv (Nov 10, 2008)

in fact, as i read the other one, it's exactly the same thing, only the T (drain) is lower, which means there needs to be an overflow inside the tank, thereby creating 2 water levels. It will equalize with the water level inside the OF. In the first one, you only need 1 water level. the water level of the tank. it's far simpler and unless i'm mistaken, fool proof.

edit: errr..fail proof... fool proof would mean I can't mess this up


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## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

as long as that powerhead starts back, and has good enough suction to pull the air out faster than the return pump pumps water. The overflow isn't needed.

found it
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... hlight=pvc


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## loogielv (Nov 10, 2008)

what powerhead?


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## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

> Step 6 (If you have a powerhead) - Attach the aquarium air hose to the inlet of the powerhead to create a vaccuum. This vaccuum will automatically prime the overflow and it will begin operating.
> 
> Step 6 (If you don't have a powerhead) - Attach the aquarium air hose to a on/off valve. Open the valve up and suck on the end of the valve until you see water in the air line hose. When you see water in the air line hose that means the overflow is fully primed and should be operating. While maintaining suction on the hose, close the valve.


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## loogielv (Nov 10, 2008)

bulldogg7 said:


> > Step 6 (If you have a powerhead) - Attach the aquarium air hose to the inlet of the powerhead to create a vaccuum. This vaccuum will automatically prime the overflow and it will begin operating.
> >
> > Step 6 (If you don't have a powerhead) - Attach the aquarium air hose to a on/off valve. Open the valve up and suck on the end of the valve until you see water in the air line hose. When you see water in the air line hose that means the overflow is fully primed and should be operating. While maintaining suction on the hose, close the valve.


i believe that's just to prime the OF the first time. After that, it's forever primed...


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## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

MY BAD  I got a little confused by the diagram.
the red part woldn't matter if there was a hole or not, it'll suck air in the outlet enough to stop it. I would not put a hole in the suction side though, any air in there and you'd have to reprime it.

Sorry


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Thanx to one and all..
bulldogg7..think I will go with what I have now, if find any flaws..you know..like some dummy drilling a hole in the suction pipe..then I`ll try the one you found.
loogielv..thanx for the input


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## loogielv (Nov 10, 2008)

no worries. i'm just glad that my thinking wasn't faulty. I haven't made many of these and everything i know is just "in theory" ya know?


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## loogielv (Nov 10, 2008)

KaiserSousay said:


> Thanx to one and all..
> bulldogg7..think I will go with what I have now, if find any flaws..you know..like some dummy drilling a hole in the suction pipe..then I`ll try the one you found.
> loogielv..thanx for the input


 :thumb: totally my pleasure. i don't have the ability to help often. i'm glad when i can


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Got my boy`s camera, so here are a couple of pics
http://s383.photobucket.com/albums/oo27 ... ure002.jpg
http://s383.photobucket.com/albums/oo27 ... ure002.jpg
Plan on painting all black(krylon fusion)...did not want to go through the RIT dying process.


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## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

Looks good, :thumb: That first diagram had me a little off, that looks like it's gonna work great.


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## loogielv (Nov 10, 2008)

nice work. did you cap the bottom of the intake and just use the holes, or is there flow through the bottom as well?

1/2" pipe?

I think you should paint it like the diagram. yellow, blue, red


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## moto_master (Jun 23, 2006)

From the picture it looks like it's not capped (yet). I'd definitely cap it as with my luck all my fish would try to hide up in there.

This link was on one of those other forums. It shows the flow rate for different sizes of pipe. It's for flew tubing, but I think it would be similar for your normal PVC.
http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml

Let us know how it works KaiserSousay!


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## parkayandbutter (Jan 15, 2008)

What end of the check valve is in the PVC pipe?


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## parkayandbutter (Jan 15, 2008)

Air Check Valve I have yet to see a picture of one. I can suck the air out, but in reverse will the water follow?


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Yes, I am going to cap the intake, just forgot to put it on for the picture.
It is all 3/4 pipe.
Will be doing some out of tank testing for flow rate. Then on to trying to find a return pump.
Thanx all :thumb:


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Gave the rig a plumbing test, just a tub and bucket...  It works  
Got the siphion started with sucking on the 1/4 airline tube( top of the intake elbows)and it worked like a champ. It stopped when the level reached the tee fitting and started when I added water to the tub.
Got my sump, sterlite tub with 2 shoeboxes(1 with filter floss draining into 1 with pot scrubbers)ready to go..thanx to Hoosier, for giving me a line on the pump I need.
This DIY stuff is contagious..made a gravel cleaner out of an old pair of lift tubes and the hose from a hand held shower, it also works great.
Pictures soon, I hope.


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