E
eww
Guest
Dave, I am so on board with a remodel...but the fridge its not moving
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E
eww
Guest
Alright guys... that didn't work. I have the siphon break tube all the way up to 2" below the ceiling in the garage so it's just over 4' higher than the top of the barrel and when the ato pump kicks on it's pumping water both into the sump and out the top of the siphon break tube. This is without the added pressure of pumping through the Kalk reactor yet as well. If I plug the siphon break tube off with my thumb to stop the water coming out of it then the water keeps flowing into the sump even after the pump stops so obviously we need the siphon break. I guess it's back to my original inquiry... If I could find a little gravity ball check valve (not spring loaded as I think that would take too much pressure to seal it off) then when the water hit the top of the siphon tube, it would push the ball up and seal off the tube. Then when the pump turned off the pressure would drop letting the ball drop and letting air into the line to break the siphon. Anyone know where to get anything like this for 3/8" o.d. tubing?
jrgilles
Well-known member
My original solution would still do the job, not as pretty though.
As I said before, be careful of the check valves because they fail. I have had my kalk check valve fail and have had to have it replaced already.
What about this:
Here is how my kalk is set up (following instructions with the TLF kalk reactor):
Have it go from your ATO reservoir through a check valve to the kalk and then have that go to the sump. BUT, have the pipe terminate above the water so it drips into the sump.
If the check valve fails, it will suck the contents of the kalk reactor back into the reservoir, but it won't be able to drain you sump/tank, since the pipe terminates above the waterline.
What size check valve do you need? TLF sells one I use, but it is dual hose barb on 1/2 flexible tubing. Let me know what size pipe or tubing you are using and I can try to find something similar online.
rob
As I said before, be careful of the check valves because they fail. I have had my kalk check valve fail and have had to have it replaced already.
What about this:
Here is how my kalk is set up (following instructions with the TLF kalk reactor):
Have it go from your ATO reservoir through a check valve to the kalk and then have that go to the sump. BUT, have the pipe terminate above the water so it drips into the sump.
If the check valve fails, it will suck the contents of the kalk reactor back into the reservoir, but it won't be able to drain you sump/tank, since the pipe terminates above the waterline.
What size check valve do you need? TLF sells one I use, but it is dual hose barb on 1/2 flexible tubing. Let me know what size pipe or tubing you are using and I can try to find something similar online.
rob
jrgilles
Well-known member
E
eww
Guest
First the check valve will never come in contact with kalk water. It would be 25'+ before the kalk reactor and at the top of the siphon break tube.
Like this
Bigger picture again http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae103/ewward31/Fish Tank Cabinet/ATODesign-1.jpg
I believe the check valve you are talking about Rob is to stop water from traveling backwards back up the line. If you put one in-line that's all it could do right? It will allow the water to flow from the barrel to the sump but not the other way. This wouldn't stop a siphon as the water in a siphon is still running the same direction as the typical water flow we are trying to stop when the pump turns off, right?
Also I have no way of raising the lines from the barrel to the sump higher than the sump or raising the kalk reactor above the sump level. It just won't work in our kitchen cabinets. I could raise the reactor up high out in the garage but that would be pushing kalk enriched solution through 25' of tubing through the cabinets before reaching the sump and that just sounds like a hidden plugged line waiting to happen. That's why we have the kalk reactor in the cabinet right next to the tank so the solution only has to travel about 2 feet before dispensing into the sump. The lines would still have to run low in the cabinets through the kitchen so the siphon would still be an issue even if the kalk reactor was high in the garage.
I hope this all makes sense. It does when you are here looking at it but it's hard to explain in typed words.
Like this
Bigger picture again http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae103/ewward31/Fish Tank Cabinet/ATODesign-1.jpg
I believe the check valve you are talking about Rob is to stop water from traveling backwards back up the line. If you put one in-line that's all it could do right? It will allow the water to flow from the barrel to the sump but not the other way. This wouldn't stop a siphon as the water in a siphon is still running the same direction as the typical water flow we are trying to stop when the pump turns off, right?
Also I have no way of raising the lines from the barrel to the sump higher than the sump or raising the kalk reactor above the sump level. It just won't work in our kitchen cabinets. I could raise the reactor up high out in the garage but that would be pushing kalk enriched solution through 25' of tubing through the cabinets before reaching the sump and that just sounds like a hidden plugged line waiting to happen. That's why we have the kalk reactor in the cabinet right next to the tank so the solution only has to travel about 2 feet before dispensing into the sump. The lines would still have to run low in the cabinets through the kitchen so the siphon would still be an issue even if the kalk reactor was high in the garage.
I hope this all makes sense. It does when you are here looking at it but it's hard to explain in typed words.
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