Reef Central Online Community - View Single Post - Waterfall Turf Algea Filter: CHEAP and EASY to build

Rngrdave · 09/04/2008, 11:40 AM

Self regulating surge device:

[IMG]http://i33.*******.com/2q2esd0.jpg[/IMG]

Parts list (all 3/4" PVC fittings):

2 90 degree elbows
1 slip coupling
1 Tee with slip fittings and a threaded 1/2" opening
1/2" barb fitting
Teflon Pipe Tape
1 threaded male/female slip coupling
O-ring
3/4" pipe cut into pieces to join fittings together

Basically you just glue all the parts together as shown... This device has two siphon breaks. It has the main one which is the open end of the J opposite of the threaded coupling and it has the threaded barb fitting... You attach two airline hoses and run them to an aqua lifter pump.

Here's how it works. As water fills the bucket it rises up to the top of the J and creates a siphon. The siphoning water quickly rushes out creating a surge effect. As the water level drops, the inlet on the aqua lifter pump starts to suck air. Water continues to drop until the siphon breaks at the main PVC opening. Air from the aqua lifter then reaches the barb fitting and squirts just enough air into the tube to finish fully breaking the siphon. Once the siphon is fully broken, water then starts to fill the bucket again. As it rises it covers the inlet hose of the aqua lifter and causes it to start squirting water through the barb fitting. Water rises up until its high enough to start a siphon again...

There are two adjustments to get it to work. One is the amount of water entering the bucket. I have a ball valve on the outlet of the main pump which feeds the whole scrubber. You don't want to have so much water entering the bucket that the siphon can't keep up. Also, the more water flow you have, the shorter the surges. I like to keep about 30 seconds between surges and so I adjusted the water flow accordingly.

Next you can adjust the height of the airline tubing which is strapped with the wire tie. This sets the level to where the aqua lifter starts to suck air. You don't want the airline to be too high or else the aqua lifter will suck air too soon and break the siphon before the surge has finished. If you have the airline too low then it won't suck enough air and won't break the siphon fully. If the siphon does not break fully then the water level will rise in the bucket and find a balance to where the siphon equals the water coming in... This means that the bucket will just sit there at the same water level and never surge.

If you wanted to use more water flow then you can use a taller bucket and larger diameter tubing. Everything I used was 3/4" and it was more than enough to keep up with the Rio 2100 pump I'm using.

When I tested it in the sink I didn't even need the aqua lifter pump. I used little water flow and it surged itself with no moving parts. The Rio pump puts out a lot more water flow and so I had to add the aqua lifter pump so that the siphon could break properly. What was happening was the barb fitting didn't stay out of the water long enough to draw enough air to break the siphon. If you put the barb fitting a little higher you may be able to use higher water flows without having to use an aqua lifter pump.

09/04/2008, 11:40 AM	#271
Rngrdave Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Johnson City, TN Posts: 26	Self regulating surge device: [IMG]http://i33.*******.com/2q2esd0.jpg[/IMG] Parts list (all 3/4" PVC fittings): 2 90 degree elbows 1 slip coupling 1 Tee with slip fittings and a threaded 1/2" opening 1/2" barb fitting Teflon Pipe Tape 1 threaded male/female slip coupling O-ring 3/4" pipe cut into pieces to join fittings together Basically you just glue all the parts together as shown... This device has two siphon breaks. It has the main one which is the open end of the J opposite of the threaded coupling and it has the threaded barb fitting... You attach two airline hoses and run them to an aqua lifter pump. Here's how it works. As water fills the bucket it rises up to the top of the J and creates a siphon. The siphoning water quickly rushes out creating a surge effect. As the water level drops, the inlet on the aqua lifter pump starts to suck air. Water continues to drop until the siphon breaks at the main PVC opening. Air from the aqua lifter then reaches the barb fitting and squirts just enough air into the tube to finish fully breaking the siphon. Once the siphon is fully broken, water then starts to fill the bucket again. As it rises it covers the inlet hose of the aqua lifter and causes it to start squirting water through the barb fitting. Water rises up until its high enough to start a siphon again... There are two adjustments to get it to work. One is the amount of water entering the bucket. I have a ball valve on the outlet of the main pump which feeds the whole scrubber. You don't want to have so much water entering the bucket that the siphon can't keep up. Also, the more water flow you have, the shorter the surges. I like to keep about 30 seconds between surges and so I adjusted the water flow accordingly. Next you can adjust the height of the airline tubing which is strapped with the wire tie. This sets the level to where the aqua lifter starts to suck air. You don't want the airline to be too high or else the aqua lifter will suck air too soon and break the siphon before the surge has finished. If you have the airline too low then it won't suck enough air and won't break the siphon fully. If the siphon does not break fully then the water level will rise in the bucket and find a balance to where the siphon equals the water coming in... This means that the bucket will just sit there at the same water level and never surge. If you wanted to use more water flow then you can use a taller bucket and larger diameter tubing. Everything I used was 3/4" and it was more than enough to keep up with the Rio 2100 pump I'm using. When I tested it in the sink I didn't even need the aqua lifter pump. I used little water flow and it surged itself with no moving parts. The Rio pump puts out a lot more water flow and so I had to add the aqua lifter pump so that the siphon could break properly. What was happening was the barb fitting didn't stay out of the water long enough to draw enough air to break the siphon. If you put the barb fitting a little higher you may be able to use higher water flows without having to use an aqua lifter pump.