New sump "safety precautions"

[Workaholic]

What things has everyone else done in order to prevent a siphon effect if the power were to go out on their sump? I'm just trying to figure out how to keep my tank from dumping onto the floor if the power goes out while i'm away. I have a overflow box (similar to a CSR) I have a Mag5 for a return pump and octopus nw150 skimmer which will be housed in a AGA 20L. What are everyones thoughts on safety precautions?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[returnofsid]

You can drill 3/16" holes in your return lines, just below the water line. This way, when the water line starts siphoning back into your sump, once the water line falls to the level of the holes you've drilled, the return lines will suck in air and break the siphon. Works great but you've gotta clean out the holes once in awhile with a toothpick. Some people drill 2 lines in each return line, in case one plugs.

By the way, I'll be in the covington area starting Monday and for the following 5 weeks for work. We'll be setting up the new Home Depot that's being built in that area.

 

[lizardarm]

Drilling holes works pretty good, as said, as long as they don't get clogged. I've heard of people using solenoid ball valves the fail to the shut position in the drain line. Seems like those would require regular maintenance to ensure that they don't get encrusted on the inside.

 

[Workaholic]

You can drill 3/16" holes in your return lines, just below the water line. This way, when the water line starts siphoning back into your sump, once the water line falls to the level of the holes you've drilled, the return lines will suck in air and break the siphon. Works great but you've gotta clean out the holes once in awhile with a toothpick. Some people drill 2 lines in each return line, in case one plugs.

By the way, I'll be in the covington area starting Monday and for the following 5 weeks for work. We'll be setting up the new Home Depot that's being built in that area.

ok cool, so since I plan on doing a spray bar would that in effect work the same way?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[mfinn]

If the spray bar is at the top it will.

 

[dnjan]

Only if you put your spray bar just below the waterline.

The hole breaks the siphon by allowing air to enter. So the hole has to be just below the water surface or you will siphon a lot of water before it starts to work.

 

[BobinCovington]

hey Sid,
I am just down down the street from the new home depot. I am on 180th and 256th.

Can you make sure that store has a good selection of pvc, vinyl tubing, and all the other reef supplies I need for my tank on a regular basis?

 

[Katchupoy]

Sid... what do you do? for a living I mean...

 

[returnofsid]

BobinCovington...lol. I wish I held that kind of power!! Bob, I'm not at all familiar with Covington so those streets don't mean much to me....yet. Although, if I'm not mistaken, 180th ends up being the same street that the big mall in Tukwilla is on right? Drove that road every day while remodeling the Tukwilla store.

Katchupoy, this will answer your question as well. I work for a company that's based out of Bonney Lake, near Puyallup. We usually do resets and remodels inside Home Depots. For instance, for the past 6 months, I've been traveling around the country tearing out and replacing the old Pro Desk departments. I've also done several Floor Covering dept. resets. We also do major remodels inside, such as the one that just took place in Puyallup, Olympia, on Landers in downtown Seattle and one in Tukwilla. Every once in awhile, we get to do new stores. Basically, if you were to walk into a Home Depot, everything you see, other than merchandise, we installed. All the steel racking, displays, cash registers, kitchen/bath cabinetry and displays, desks....etc. Basically everything that's on the floor...and most of the hanging signs as well...lol. We just finished one in Snohomish.

 

[Workaholic]

Only if you put your spray bar just below the waterline.

The hole breaks the siphon by allowing air to enter. So the hole has to be just below the water surface or you will siphon a lot of water before it starts to work.

Thats actually what I am going to do. I'm going to let my koralia's take care of the spot flow.

sid: i'm also just down the street from the new home depot (about a 5 min drive) I cant wait to have that place up and running!

Tom

 

[BobinCovington]

I put the tip of my locline return just below the surface so if any power outage occurs , then the water level only goes down a fraction of an inch before it breaks the siphon. That makes a lot of surface waves that make the halides shimmer effect more. I also have a lot of free space (extra capacity) in my sump for water to fill. I have the CPR overflow and I hate having the "potential" for it to fail. That is a big reason I am going to the new elos tank with an internal overflow.

Tom, we are probably neighbors...I am in woodcreek near the intersection of 180th (wax rd) and 256th, about 3 minutes away from Sid's home depot project.

 

[Workaholic]

I put the tip of my locline return just below the surface so if any power outage occurs , then the water level only goes down a fraction of an inch before it breaks the siphon. That makes a lot of surface waves that make the halides shimmer effect more. I also have a lot of free space (extra capacity) in my sump for water to fill. I have the CPR overflow and I hate having the "potential" for it to fail. That is a big reason I am going to the new elos tank with an internal overflow.

Tom, we are probably neighbors...I am in woodcreek near the intersection of 180th (wax rd) and 256th, about 3 minutes away from Sid's home depot project.

what kind of failure of the cpr overflow are you talking about? and as for living close by. you are very close I'm just off 164th? behind the library.

Tom

 

[BobinCovington]

the cpr overflow is great, but like all over the top overflows, runs on a siphon... so any break in the siphon would stop it from working. There is a small nipple on the top of the siphon that attaches with an airline to an aqualifter pump which is meant to be an insurance policy so it will suck out air bubbles and restart in case of a siphon break.

One time I was doing a water change and messing around with things and not thinking I took the airline off to replace it. Dumb move! I watched the siphon break and my water level raise up and go over the top of the tank spilling on the floor before I could get to my pump to shut it off.

So now my new elos system has an emergency overflow drain built in that is about half an inch higher than the normal drain. So now if one drain clogs then the other takes over. It's funny how once we have something "happen" we plan ways to prevent it from ever happening again