Plumbing help with Megaflow overflow

[zenn]

I need to split the return flow. It's currently facing one end of the tank giving that end a high amount of water flow, while the other end not so much. All my fish hang out in one corner of the tank(the corner without the high water flow). I think by spliting the return flow in half, i'll be able to more equally distribute the water flow throughout the aquarium. So in order to do that, i need to split my Megaflow return nozzle in half. It's a 3/4 inch elbow that has a threaded 3/4 inch nozzle connected into it.

So according to the picture, I should buy an "F" and just snap that onto my "K" that i already have and then purchase another "G" so that i have two, one for each side of the Y connector. Will this work?

 

[davebailey46]

Sounds right to me...I just bought my megaflow and thats the way they are sold now. (with the split returns)

 

[zenn]

Sounds right to me...I just bought my megaflow and thats the way they are sold now. (with the split returns)

figures. I wish i would have done this along time ago. I'm going to change this an hopefully my tang and clowns decide to take up residence someplace other than the same corner.

 

[davebailey46]

Should work I have one return pointing to the right back corner and one wrapped around the overflow and down towards the back left . Just so you know the one wrapping the overflow really isnt long enough to hit the far back corner (on the left). It creates a dead spot. Cyano loves it though...lol

 

[ellisz]

I would be careful though. Most tubing like that is branded Loc-line. The stuff that came in my megaflo kit is not true loc-line. It would snap together but the fittings were not tight enough. I ended up buying all new pieces for mine. I believe there is true loc-line and a generic loc-line. When I ordered mine from FosteSmith, I thought I was getting generic but it was not.

I could be wrong but that was the experience I had.

 

[zenn]

I would be careful though. Most tubing like that is branded Loc-line. The stuff that came in my megaflo kit is not true loc-line. It would snap together but the fittings were not tight enough. I ended up buying all new pieces for mine. I believe there is true loc-line and a generic loc-line. When I ordered mine from FosteSmith, I thought I was getting generic but it was not.

I could be wrong but that was the experience I had.

so you bought an entire new plumbing kit? Did the Loc-Line stuff leak really bad to where it wasn't even effective or something because Loc-Line stuff is the only stuff i've ever found that would work i think. Otherwise i'd have to fabricate my own PVC spouts.

 

[zenn]

Sounds right to me...I just bought my megaflow and thats the way they are sold now. (with the split returns)

do you have a picture of your setup?

 

[ellisz]

so you bought an entire new plumbing kit? Did the Loc-Line stuff leak really bad to where it wasn't even effective or something because Loc-Line stuff is the only stuff i've ever found that would work i think. Otherwise i'd have to fabricate my own PVC spouts.

I initially bought a Y and a 6" of tubing with a spout. When I tried to connect the new pieces(Loc-line) with the stuff that came with the overflow kit, the joint was real loose and would not stay in position. I did not run water through it but it would have leaked.

I then went to a LFS and bought a new threaded piece and some more tubing with another spout. I am not using the locline style tubing that came with the overflo kit anymore.

 

[Feron]

I've been thinking about attempting to take my split return and making it a quadruple for better coverage... might be able to drop one of my powerheads out of the picture if so...

oppinions?

 

[Feron]

Well I just went ahead and did it last night..
I took the V off my corner overflow on the 90g tank.
I took a bunch of pvc pieces and extended the overflow pipe out about 1.5ft, with a T near the point of the original V and an elbow at the end.

Changed the main return pump from a mag7 to a mag12 to compensate for the extra head or whatever you call it..

Took two maxijet 1200s out, replaced it with a maxi 600 hidden behind a rock.

So far everything in the tank seems much happier with it this way...

This tank is a two sided tank, so the way the rock was layed out and the previous flow, fish tended to just ride in the current. Now the current isn't as swift in such a circular way, so the fish are all out and swimming and just simply more active.

 

[zenn]

nice

 

[Feron]

I think tonight I am going to try a different approach.
Since I have all the pvc and tools etc I could ever want atm, I am going to take out the whole deal off the return and install a simple 3/4" tube capped at the end, with a bunch of 1/8 or 3/16 (or varied) holes put through it at all sorts of angles...

The problem with the two V's is the end one gets far less pressure (of course) so it might be somewhat imbalanced in the tank atm... I'll post again later after I hopefully don't drill a hole through my hand in the process (why oh why did I not buy that drill press!)

 

[Feron]

Well, 3 ft of pvc, one endcap and a new drill press (I like new toys!) later, I have a perforated pipe coming out of the overflow istead of those fans..
25 holes shooting forward, about 20 down at an angle and about 10 backwards to the glass.
Holes are 3/16th, using a 3/4" set of pvc stuff (male adaptor, pipe and cap).

All in all I think it's far better then the original things that came with the overflow (fans on loc-line) and certainly better then me attempting to make one V two V's.
The surface agitation is awesome... the whole top is rippling very nicely.
The whole tank is rolling, but the current isn't so strong that the fish are riding the current...

Tonight's adventure will be getting a new piece of pipe made so that there are less forward firing holes, but adding 1/8th holes in at angles to give a more varied current and hopefully make sure all the tank is covered (mix it up a bit!)

 

[zenn]

so do you get good flow out of the holes on the end of the pipe as you do at the beginning?

 

[Feron]

Yup, flow seems to be fairly well distributed... much much more so then have the 2 V's (even with a ball valve mostly shut on the first V).
I imagine once I make the new pipe tonight with the varied holes and angles, the flow will be close to perfect without any unsightly powerheads.

Of course, I'm using a mag12 to push all the water, so that helps heh
(no need for a heater in the tank with that big pump).
Temp stays at a fairly constant 77 degrees, with it cooling off by about half a degree at night due to no lights.