A flood when the power goes out
- Thread starter ninjamini
- Start date
pyro
Active Member
Do you mean that it creates a siphon from the return line when the pump shuts off? Just to clarify, this is beneith the tank, right?
If so, you can drill a very small hole at water level in your return line at the top. It will suck air in and stop the water from siphoning down the return line into the wet dry and onto the floor.
If so, you can drill a very small hole at water level in your return line at the top. It will suck air in and stop the water from siphoning down the return line into the wet dry and onto the floor.
k-rok
Member
I have my return line totally out of the tank water. There is pvc running up the back of the tank from the return pump in the sump. It has a piece of rubber hose clamped on to it from there that forms a "U" over the edge of the tank. At that point I have a pvc elbow clamped on the end of the hose. I put a zip tie around the hose and around one of the tank braces to hold it in position. The pvc elbow is about an inch away from the tank water and pointed straight down. Works well and I don't have to worry about a flood in a power outage.
ninjamini
Active Member
Originally Posted by jokerj
you could also put a check valve in the line for the return. this will also keep the water from comming back down. It only lets the water flow one direction. when the power goes out the water cannot flow backwards through the line back to sump only can drive to the tank.
To do list:
Get check valve.
What about the pipe that goes from the main tank to the wet dry? Whats that pipe called?
you could also put a check valve in the line for the return. this will also keep the water from comming back down. It only lets the water flow one direction. when the power goes out the water cannot flow backwards through the line back to sump only can drive to the tank.
To do list:
Get check valve.
What about the pipe that goes from the main tank to the wet dry? Whats that pipe called?
gatorwpb
Active Member
Ninja, if you have the Megaflow overflow from an All-Glass Aquarium, it should already have the siphon hole. Its small and just under the 90deg elbow at the top of the return pipe. When I unplug my return pump, I hear a sucking sound as the air is being pulled in through the siphon hole. Do you have this? If so, then you are not having a siphon problem.
Is there any way to reduce the water level in the sump? My fuge doesnt increase all that much, maybe 1" when the skimmer and return pump are cut off.
Good luck
Is there any way to reduce the water level in the sump? My fuge doesnt increase all that much, maybe 1" when the skimmer and return pump are cut off.
Good luck
adamc1303
Active Member
If you have a megaflow kit then you should not have siphoning problems like someone already mentioned. What may be the problem is that your sump is too small for the tank or you are filling it up to much. How many gallons does your sump hold and how big is your tank? Also how far away from the top of the sump is th water line?
bojik
Member
Originally Posted by ninjamini
Its a 55 gallon tank with a wet-dry that work for up to a 75 gallon tank. The stand is 3 feet high. I know the normal stand is 2'. Could that be the issue. Too much pipe?
IS there a way to create a overflow to a bucket so that it does not end up on the floor?
Yes you could. if you have room too put a mini bulkhead through the side of the sump below the top edge But above normal max water level.. and plump it into an adequate buket or container. Though, i'd try and reduce the water in the sump to acomidate for power failures better. That would be plan B.
Its a 55 gallon tank with a wet-dry that work for up to a 75 gallon tank. The stand is 3 feet high. I know the normal stand is 2'. Could that be the issue. Too much pipe?
IS there a way to create a overflow to a bucket so that it does not end up on the floor?
Yes you could. if you have room too put a mini bulkhead through the side of the sump below the top edge But above normal max water level.. and plump it into an adequate buket or container. Though, i'd try and reduce the water in the sump to acomidate for power failures better. That would be plan B.
adamc1303
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bojik
Yes you could. if you have room too put a mini bulkhead through the side of the sump below the top edge But above normal max water level.. and plump it into an adequate buket or container. Though, i'd try and reduce the water in the sump to acomidate for power failures better. That would be plan B.
Agreed you should try to reduce the water level in the sump. I can't imagine that an extra foot of plumbing holds that much water. But if it is the extra foot than use the modification mentioned.
Yes you could. if you have room too put a mini bulkhead through the side of the sump below the top edge But above normal max water level.. and plump it into an adequate buket or container. Though, i'd try and reduce the water in the sump to acomidate for power failures better. That would be plan B.
Agreed you should try to reduce the water level in the sump. I can't imagine that an extra foot of plumbing holds that much water. But if it is the extra foot than use the modification mentioned.
ninjamini
Active Member
Problem Solved
Ok Now I feel a little silly. I went to the LFS to pick up another battery powered air pump. There is a hurricane headed my way.
So I asked the LFS. He told me that my return pipes are angled down into the tank. Now I said yea they are. We said that it was syphoning all that water. Shure enough I pointed them to the surface and shut the pump. Whammo almost no water dumped into my wer-dry.
Its always the easy stuff. that gets ya stumped.
Thanx all for the help everyone.
Ok Now I feel a little silly. I went to the LFS to pick up another battery powered air pump. There is a hurricane headed my way.
So I asked the LFS. He told me that my return pipes are angled down into the tank. Now I said yea they are. We said that it was syphoning all that water. Shure enough I pointed them to the surface and shut the pump. Whammo almost no water dumped into my wer-dry.
Thanx all for the help everyone.
squidd
Active Member
I pointed them to the surface and shut the pump. Whammo almost no water dumped into my wer-dry.
This is what an anti-siphon hole woud do...suck air before it drains too much water from tank...
However in a Mega-Flow, the return does not come up high enough to allow an air break...
This is what an anti-siphon hole woud do...suck air before it drains too much water from tank...
However in a Mega-Flow, the return does not come up high enough to allow an air break...