Siphon question

[maleficent]

I attempted a trial run of a below tank sump/refugium and am plagued with problems. First trial I flooded my carpat because I did a trial run and had the pump return line to the main tank below the main tank waterline which then became a siphon when I turned the pump off. I fixed that. Then, I tested the system again and everything operated as it should, I have 2 holes drilled in the siphon line from the main tank to prevent flooding. The holes worked great, the water level equalized and siphon was broken. My problem now is this: I can't seem to get the siphon working without repriming the siphon line. Does anybody have a solution for this? I know the set-up would be better above tank but I am not exactly a silicone artist and displaying the refugium is not an option. PS: How funky is my carpet gonna smell from 2-3gallons of SW on it? Any good safe cleaners out there? Thanks, Vicki

 

[bang guy]

You would be better off (MUCH better off) buying a high-quality hang-on overflow. CPR makes a pretty good one IMO.
Your siphon setup is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[njdiver]

Like Bang said, you need to go with an overflo box. You can buy one, or make one if you want. I think someone else posted a DIY plan here just recently.
On my set-up, I made my over-flo, not sure what the rate is but its working just fine for me. The basic concepts are that you have an inner and an outer box. Water skims into the inner box and is then siphoned into the outter box with a U-tube. The outer box then has a drain on it which leads to the sump.
A few key things is that the bottom of the inner box should be higher then the bottom of the outter box to create a siphon from inner to outter. Then the drain to the sump should be higher then the bottom of the inner box, but lower then the top of the inner box.
When the power goes out, water from the tank drains until the tank falls below the skim line of the inner box.
Water from the inner box flows into the outer box until the water level in the outer box falls to/below the drain of the outer box. This should leave both ends of the U tube underwater (in the inner and outer boxes) so that once the power comes back on and the pump starts pumping back to the main tank the siphon continues un-broken.
-Scott