synergy reef overflow placement?

cracker · Jul 27, 2016

Hey John, How did the synergy install turn out for You? So how far does your tank water line drop when you turn off the return pump? I was saying mine drops only 3/8! I assume the drop would be the same on any tank with this overflow . Maybe? LOL

john.m.cole3 · Jul 27, 2016

Mine drops a little more b/c of where my return nozzle is under the water level, but it doesn't drain too much for me to have to install a delayed start on my skimmer.

cracker · Jul 27, 2016

Thanks Man !

cracker · Aug 8, 2016

Hey Folks, Hope Your synergy's are flowing !
Hey john, thanks for the insight. I mounted the overflow on a new 75 and the tank water level barely dropped maybe an inch.
I just ordered a 20 inch for a new 180 tank . I think I'm nutts for spending that kind of $$$ !

cracker · Sep 6, 2016

Hey Folks ! wow This thread went 12 pages ? ! Cool, Anyway I installed the 20 inch synergy on a new 180. This time I used a slightly bigger hole saw. They call for a 60mm? I think. I used a 65mm. I was able to push the inner box as high as I could and still remove the grate. I haven't filled the tank yet for a fresh water run but I'm confident the water line will not show. If it wants to leak I'll apply the silicone . here is what I have so far.

Now I can put the very heavy gate valve under the stand. Both positions of the gate valve has it's advantages and disadvantages. this 1st pic will make it easy to reach the valve for adjust while being able to see the water level in the overflow box. The placement makes it sturdy as well. This huge gate valve alone weighs almost a pound ! It does stick way out. Now the second position tucks it away nice and out of the way. I can't reach it while looking at the water level in the overflow. and not as sturdy. I don't want a bunch of weight supported only by the bulkheads thru the glass ! So here is pic 2. what do You think as I can't decide which way to go with this.

john.m.cole3 · Sep 6, 2016

I like the first pic best. you could even angle the gate knob towards the back so it slims up the profile. nice use of 45s

Fishresponse · Sep 21, 2016

I just got one of their 20" overflows for my 265 upgrade. I like seeing different plumbing people have come up with. @cracker what did you land on as far as overflow plumbing? I liked that second picture personally.

cracker · Sep 21, 2016

I got it up and running. I offset the overflow a little so the drops from the overflow were straight down. here is a

pics for You.

john.m.cole3 · Sep 21, 2016

cracker said:
I got it up and running. I offset the overflow a little so the drops from the overflow were straight down. here is a

pics for You.

clean install

cdfjr1975 · Sep 22, 2016

I pre ordered new ghost, they had it on special for 140 instead of 200 but have to wait for November for shipping so I gives time to read more great threads like this one.

john.m.cole3 · Sep 22, 2016

cdfjr1975 said:
I pre ordered new ghost, they had it on special for 140 instead of 200 but have to wait for November for shipping so I gives time to read more great threads like this one.

yeah the shadow is going to be amazing, better than the ghost i believe

Fishresponse · Sep 22, 2016

I wish they made the ghost in the 20'' version. I needed the higher flow for the 265g tank i'm setting up.

@cracker - Really clean plumbing!! Have you tested it out? If so, does it gurgle or make any noise? Have you had to make any adjustments since installed?

Mallard · Sep 22, 2016

Fishresponse said:
I wish they made the ghost in the 20'' version. I needed the higher flow for the 265g tank i'm setting up.

@cracker - Really clean plumbing!! Have you tested it out? If so, does it gurgle or make any noise? Have you had to make any adjustments since installed?

They make a ghost in a 20" model, but if you're referring to the shadow, I'd just buy two of them. You could either put them side by side or split them up. It'd give you a nice clean look with plenty of flow. I believe Reef Savvy puts them side by side for their larger tanks.

Fishresponse · Sep 22, 2016

I thought about doing that but wanted to limit how many pipes I was going to have going into my sump which was my reasoning to use just the one 20'' overflow.

cracker · Sep 22, 2016

Good evening, I have been running the system with just fresh water for now. I had to try differing lengths of standpipes to get it to quiet down. I mean the difference in height between the siphon and trickle. I'm pushing around 1200 gph thru it. I'm using open standpipes. No durso type fittings over them. I had to make the siphon stand pipe very short , 2 inches and the trickle pipe very tall. I had to make the trickle tall as the top of the bulk heads between the tank and the outside box.( I hope I'm making sense) any water " falling " from the tank into the outside box made noise. It's quiet but the water level in the outside box is only 1 inch from the top! The emergency pipe is like 1/2 to the top !
I will tinker with it some more for sure. Once it's salt water I'm sure it will all change. So Fish Res I'm sure You can push all the water thru this overflow You want. No need for two . also consider using thin wall 1.5 pvc. The thick pipe is a lot heavier . The gate valve ( BRS) I used and union weighed almost 1 lbs. You will need to support the pipes in some way. You get it right, it's creepy quiet !

Fishresponse · Sep 23, 2016

That's what I like to hear! This thing looks slick and getting it super quiet will make it all worth it. Thanks for the advice to use thin walled pvc. I've not ever seen the thin wall 1.5" stuff at lowes or HD. You know where to get it?

cracker · Sep 23, 2016

I got mine at Home depot. wonder if they don"t carry it in your area?

Fishresponse · Sep 23, 2016

Did it come in the 10' sections? Maybe they do have it and I just didn't notice.

cracker · Sep 23, 2016

It was 8ft or 10 maybe, It might be in the back of the long sticks. That's where I got mine.
also the adjust is very touchy on this particular build. so I don't have the ato installed yet. so after a few days the water level in the return section drops a couple 2/3 inches.
I learned that the pump pushes less water with less water than when it is full. I would have never known this but it was enough to throw off the adjust on the overflow.
So the deeper the water( in my situation) the pump pushes more water. Just a few inches is enough to affect it. Now how little a difference there is , I don't know .

Fishresponse · Sep 30, 2016

So are you saying that the overflow couldn't handle the amount of water you were pushing? Doesn't seem like it would matter how much water you have in the return section of the sump.