sump device question

[waterlogged]

I bought everything I need to to have a sump/refuge. I bought a hob overflow with round u-tube.I have never built everything because I lost power so many times this summer that I am nervous that at some point the overflow would loose its siphon when the power comes back on and it would flood the main tank.
I was wondering if there is such a thing as this: an outlet strip or equivalent that you manually have to reset after losing power so I would have to be standing there for pump to start running again?

 

[emilaya101]

Originally Posted by Keebler
http:///forum/post/2813636
This may be confusing, so bear with me. It is easy to flood proof your system. The power goes out here very often for short periods of times and I have had no problems. I am using a U-tube style hob overflow and here is how they work. The pump from the sump pumps water to the tank and the overflow puts it back in the sump (duh!) In the case that the power goes out (ie. the pump fails) the overflow is designed to hold water in the tube. When the power comes back on, the water in the tube will start it up again. No problem. Correct me if i'm wrong but you thought that when the power went out the overflow would fail and when it comes back on you would have a flood? This shouldn't happen. Unless a fish jumps into the overflow and clogs the u-tube, I don't see how it can fail. Provided that you clean it regularly.
This quote is from another thread, but said exactly what I wanted to say, so here ya go

and thanks Keebler

 

[natclanwy]

Agreed as long as you are using the correct sized pump and you clean the intake of your return pump and the U-tube periodically there is very little danger of a flood. My return pump gets shut off daily for feeding and my siphon restarts without fail every time.

 

[robertmathern]

If you are concerned with it. Put a float switch in the return section of your sump. So when the water starts dropping and filling the DT it will turn off the return pump.

 

[waterlogged]

The u-tube just sits in there loose right? Do you do anything to make it hold in place?

 

[natclanwy]

Yes, it just sits there no need to hold it in place. Just make sure that the end of the U-tube sits inside of the baffle on the outside box.

 

[robertmathern]

+1 On that. You dont have to do anything but rutine maintance to it I.E. keep it clean as you clean your tank and your good to go.

 

[barchtruong]

I have my coralife 125 hanging just right on the side of my DT. I did some mods. to the return water to get rid of the micro bubbles. The skimmer ended up backing up the water and spilled water all over the place. I caught a couple time right on time, but there was one time I was at work and you know....on my carpet with about 5g of saltwater when the power went out and came back up. So, That was my nightmare, and so, I went and asked my Elect'l engineer to figure out something that can stop the darn think when the power is out and I will turn it back on when I am home. So, he asked the contractor to build me a what so called, "relate"....haha. And it works like a charm. I solved my headache...and best of all, that costed $100, I got it for free cuz.....