heater in sumpfugium question

[leigh]

hi folks,
so this morning i was thinking...see the way i have my sump set up my heater and pump are in essentially the same chamber/water level. In doing a search of other sump designs i see this is pretty typical. So, I was doing the hypotheticals--hypothetically speaking, say I'm out of town and I loose suction for my overflow. Then water is no longer flowing into the sump, but the pump is continuing to pump water into the main tank thus flooding my living room. Okay...that's no fun, but manageable. But, how low will the pump lower the water level in the sump? Will it empty the sump? Will it lower the water level enough to expose the heater...will the heater keep trying to heat my whole house--eventually catch on fire and leave me with an unpleasant return trip?
Does this make sense? What am I missing?
-leigh

 

[leigh]

cool, thanks,...yah, my next tank will definitely be drilled...this was more just the sort of thing you think of lying in bed first thing in the morning listening to the overflow box. (yah, i guess that means i worry too much ) thanks again!

 

[sarahmorton2003]

Our heater is literally laying on the bottom of the sump. So say that happens their is still a good three inches of water below the in and out take of the pump. I would look at your pump and see how high yours is.

 

[leigh]

yah, i was thinking of doing something more like that. this might be a silly question, but why do you need those two other chambers between the heater and the pump?
thanks! -leigh