U Tube and how to start water flowing?

[amanda46051]

How do you get water suction started through a u tube in the prefilter box?
On occasion we get critters in the box like our rose anemone or a bunch of turbo shells. Pulling the U tube out makes for easy clean up but its a pain to get the water started.

 

[tboy]

very simple
just take a tube and stick it into the u tube and suck the air out
that will start the suction

 

[amanda46051]

Thank you for your advice

 

[reefkprz]

occasionally when I'm lazy I just point a powerhead up into the u tube and plug it, in blowing water through it ( I have a tiny powerhead that just clears the bottom of the u tube inside the box, but I usually use an air line and suck the air out.

 

[frankthetank]

I just started mine tonight!
What does it mean if a air pocket is collecting in the U Tube? The siphon is still there... but it appears that tiny air bubbles are going thru from the overflow box. Does the box need to be lowered? Or another solution?

 

[frankthetank]

Ok... I figured out what was wrong. I just didn't have the overflow box leveled. It was slightly tilted... once I leveled it it works great!
I bought a digital timer from lowe's to operate the fuge light... yet even though I have the time set it seems to run 24/7 right now. I don't understand? Any suggestions?
Everything else seems to be going well!!

 

[frankthetank]

And finally... how big does the siphon break hole need to be on the return head?
I drilled one, but apparently it doesn't quite break the siphon completely. As it allows a small stream back to the sump. I'm drilling it one size larger now.

 

[bkoz]

You can use sarran(SP?) wrap or a couple of sandwich bags, dunk the tube in water put the sarran wrap or sandwich bags on each end of the full tube to hold the water in. Then put the tube in your overflow (make sure the overflow is full) and pull the surran/bags off and wallah, you should have siphon.

 

[amanda46051]

Thanks for the suggestions. We really like the saran wrap idea. In terms of the hole for the siphon break our hole is about 1/8 inch and it does break the siphon. We tested it. We also put our wet dry into a big tupperware like tote container to help contain an overflow in case of a power outage. We got the container at Walmart after we had a power outage and we had about 10 gallons of water on the floor.

 

[donald]

what kind of output do you have for your return? If you are using lockline you can adjust an outlet so that it is just below the water line and when the power goes out the water will drain down untill it hits the end and this will break the siphon.

 

[yerboy]

the best thing i have found is to run a small airtube into the U-tube and simply suck the water up into the U-tube.

 

[frankthetank]

Originally Posted by yerboy
the best thing i have found is to run a small airtube into the U-tube and simply suck the water up into the U-tube.
Yep, this worked the first time I ever tried it.