? about the diy overflow

No it wont Mike, I tried. There is a DIY that you can make that will keep it's prime though. I'll either take a pic of mine or try to find the pic on here somewhere. It's even easier than the one you posted originally.

Take a small section of PVC (I used 1/2") and make a big U shape. Then get a peice of 1" and cap the bottom. Install a "T" where you want the water level to be, hang it on the tank (I used a PVC hanger zip tied to the 1" tube), put the "U" in the 1" tube and the tank then it's done. Just fill the 1" tube and install an air line check valve on the "U" to pull the air out.

I think this is the method that Li and a couple of others are using. It's working great for me.

The overflows works fine for my drip system. I think the key is to not let air backflow into the system and to minimize splash in the down tube. Just raise the vent tee so that it is higher. That would make it about the same as other method.

coolkeith;1249905; said:

The overflows works fine for my drip system. I think the key is to not let air backflow into the system and to minimize splash in the down tube. Just raise the vent tee so that it is higher. That would make it about the same as other method.

Click to expand...

i think you missed the point of his question.

Yeah, I never knew questions had points. I use a drip system and an overflow and it works without losing it's prime.

Mine kept getting air in it from splashes when I fed the fish.

After the overflow ages some, it grows the usual bio-gunk inside just like the rest of the aquarium. This stuff is alive and expells dissolved gasses into the water. In very low flow applications, the dissolved gasses reach the saturation point and then start to collect in small bubbles. As these bubbles grow, they break away from the sides and float upwards. They collect in the top loop until the point that flow is no longer possible.

The remedy is to either use smaller diameter parts or to clean the overflow every now and then (about four times per year).