Aqua lifter and TOP-off question

[BCT182]

Well, after 6+ years in this hobby I haved finally added a top-off to my system.

My question is this. I had hoped to use my aqualifter as its slow to pump. Hopefully I could catch a stuck float before it becomes a flood. However, when power cuts out it continues to pull water because of the siphon. It there any check valve or modification I could do to prevent this?

Thanks
B

 

[lizardarm]

Just have the line that's going into your sump (discharge from Aqualifter) high enough that it's not actually in the water. Mine ends about four inches above, no siphon.

 

[lizardarm]

I don't know what your evap rate is, but if I recall you've got a fairly big system; will an Aqualifter be able to keep up?

 

[BCT182]

That's the way I had it set up. Once the floats cut power to the AL it continues pulling water from the barrell and dumping it into the sump.

 

[BCT182]

It's 330 gallons total. Evap is a couple gal a day.

 

[lizardarm]

Roger, misread what you were saying.
http://www.thefilterguys.biz/fittings.htm
Found this one, it's about half way down the page.
If not, have you tried puting the end of the discharge hose at the bottom of your sump?
Maybe the added back pressure (sea pressure) would be enough to override the syphon.

 

[BCT182]

Good looking out. I'll give that a try!

 

[returnofsid]

If the end of the line going into your reserve container is lower than the line dripping water into your sump, you won't end up with this siphon problem, in the event of a power outage. As long as the end going into the sump is kept a couple inches above the water surface, you won't end up with a reverse siphon.

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

NVM read wrong...

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

can you just raise the AL up higher than sump? water shouldn't siphon either way then. I have my AL higher than my topoff water, like 2 feet higher.

 

[moto826]

set your hose above the water so it wont create a siphon

 

[returnofsid]

Aqualifter will still siphon into the sump, even if higher than sump, if outlet of AL is lower than inlet line, OR if both lines are below the water surface and one is higher than the other.

 

[moto826]

o sorry its lower than the sump sorry

 

[user 26995]

I am guessing that your reserve container is larger than your sump? Is the water level in your reserve lower than the sump or vise versa.

If the water level in the reserve container is higher than the water level in the sump, it will continue to siphon into the sump until both containers are at the same level, which would probably mean the sump would overflow, unless...The line coming out of the pump to the sump is routed so that it goes up to a point above the water line in the reserve container, Which would mean the end of the supply hose would be as high above your sump as the highest water level in your reserve, it would break a siphon. Water will not siphon out above the highest water line.

If the end of the supply hose is higher than the water level that it is pulling water from and it is not submerged in the sump water you should not have any siphoning in either direction.

 

[user 26995]

Another thought.

In keeping the end of the supply hose above the highest water level in the reserve container means that the end of the hose is too far above the sump, what about running the top off supply hose to your overflow. The flow would pull your top off water with it thru the sump before returning it to the tank and the end of the supply hose would be above the water level of your reserve container. It would also not create a reverse siphon because in a power outage, the overflow would empty into the sump and the end of the supply hose would not be below water. Now that I am thinking of it this could be the solution I was looking for too. Whats your all thoughts.

 

[user 26995]

Another thought.

In keeping the end of the supply hose above the highest water level in the reserve container means that the end of the hose is too far above the sump, what about running the top off supply hose to your overflow. The flow would pull your top off water with it thru the sump before returning it to the tank and the end of the supply hose would be above the water level of your reserve container. It would also not create a reverse siphon because in a power outage, the overflow would empty into the sump and the end of the supply hose would not be below water. Now that I am thinking of it this could be the solution I was looking for too. Whats your all thoughts.

This seems to be the way others are using it.
Quote from a comment on the product.
"I gave it a try and it worked beautifully. The aqualifter rests on a shelf in my tank's cabinet and pulls water from the bottom of the reservoir up to the pump (about 2ft) and then pushes it the rest of the way up and over the rim of the tank (another 2-3 ft). "

 

[burning2nd]

hmmm... Where useing the Aqua lifter 2 bring water from a water source to the sump via float valve and selinod?