Well, as I mentioned in my UV Sterilzers topic (http://mingle2.com/topic/show/234722), I got two water pumps and a 1 gallon tank. My original plan was to place the UV sterilizer in the one gallon tank and pump the water to and from the tank. I ran into a couple problems:

1) The one gallon tank was too small, so I used a 5 gallon bucket, which was just able to keep the UV sterilizer submerged, any evaporation would cause a problem. I'm going to need a bigger bucket.

2) Since the bucket is under the tank, water is flowing into the bucket faster than it is flowing out. I put the water flow on minimal on the pump in the tank, and on maximum on the pump in the bucket. I also ran a longer hose into the bucket and a shorter hose out of the bucket. Water is overflowing the bucket.

I'm sure the answer to my problem is pretty obvious, but I seem to be overlooking it.

Anyone have any ideas on how to get my plan to work?

My main reasoning for this is to hide my UV sterilizer, and to be able to do water changes without disturbing the tank.

You could either use a fish tank pump, which will be quieter but not flow as much, or use a submersible sump pump that will use 3/4-inch hose. The latter will have a greater flow rate, but you'll have to supply the hose.

I have two Lifegard Quiet one 800s. I have 1/2" hose I bought at Home Depot.

You could also try your hand at getting a submersible pump that will accept 1-1/2-inch fire hose, too. The throughput on those pumps is quite substantial and will help keep water flow flowing in and out equally. The only problem here is that you'd have to buy a length of fire hose and be able to keep it from kinking when you try to use it.

-OR-

You could also make up a kind of maze out of plastic gutters (or even PVC piping) to in essence slow down the water as it makes its way into your bucket. And then hook up the submersible pumps so they have a straight shot into the other bucket.

I was thinking of getting 20' hose to run into the bucket and about 5' running out of the bucket, while setting the pump in the bucket to maximum flow rate, and the pump i n the tank to minimal flow rate.

The problem is that the water going into the bucket is flowing downhill, and the water flowing out is going uphill. I think that's what is causing the overflow.

Would a flow restrictor solve my problem?

May I suggest partially clamping the downhill hose?

I've thought about that, but I don't have anything that I can use to clamp it.

Depending on the size and type of hose, you could use something simple you might have lying around the house. If it's just the thin clear type of hose typically seen for fish tank air and water circulation, then you could use something as simple as a paper clip, or fold the hose partially over a piece of cardboard and use a rubber band to hold a light kink in it. If it's a thicker hose, then they sell adjustable clamps at many pet stoires with aquarium supplies. They're pretty cheap. If not there, try a hardware store. You seem like a pretty smart guy, and clamping a hose is a pretty easy task. Surely you can figure out something.

just make the uv sterilizer tank a sealed tank

so it will not accept more than it can hold

or

put the tank at the same level as the source

or

use a smaller feed line into the uv tank than out of the uv tank


but hey

what do i know

Or connect both tanks together with different-sized PVC pipe, with once size being smaller than the other. I've done that before and it works pretty well.

OR go out and buy either some needle or ball valves so you can meter off flow if you need to. Just make sure the valve are of the same diameter as your hoses/pipes.

I can't put them at the same level, I don't have room to do so. I could try to build a sealed tank though, and try using a smaller hose into the sealed tank.

I could try the needle or ball valves also.

Thanks for the great ideas. I think I have a plan now.

I'm thinking you wanna go with some needle valves, as you can get more control with the amount of water you wanna send through the hoses or pipes. Ball valves will work too, but they're not as precise- they're more used for instant-on/instant-off applications.

Keep in mind that you'll wanna get some same-diameter nipples (either in galvanized or copper) and some pipe-to-hose-fitting adapters to go along with the valves, as you'll want a way to hook them up to your hoses and stuff. Valves don't come ready-to-install... you gotta set them up for use with your stuff, first.

I gather this is an aquarium setup we're talking about. I'm with adj4u. Instead of complicating things with with metal valves and such, I would make a simple sealable enclosure from a piece of 4" PVC pipe with a threaded cap on each end and a couple of PVC nipples. Drill a hole in one cap for inserting the sterilizing unit and seal it with silicone. Simple is good.