U-Tube Failure

[dodgersfan]

just a quick question regarding my overflow:
what happens when my U-Tube stops siphoning water over? :notsure:
won't water from my sump continue pumping all the water in the sump into the tank and cause a flood of the main tank? is there anything to prevent this? how likely is this to happen?

 

[bigmac]

Originally Posted by dodgersfan
just a quick question regarding my overflow:
what happens when my U-Tube stops siphoning water over? :notsure:
won't water from my sump continue pumping all the water in the sump into the tank and cause a flood of the main tank? is there anything to prevent this? how likely is this to happen?

I ran a U-tube overflow for 10+ years...it never failed.

 

[fishsta]

i have run a u-tube for 2 years no failure

 

[turningtim]

As long as both ends are submerged in chambers of water (in/out of the tank) the siphon will not break and will restart when the flow resumes. I worry more about the MT overflowing the sump.

 

[dodgersfan]

hmmmm, okay, so i shouldnt worry about it? yeah ive had mine for about 4 months and its going fine.........but just a a thought that popped up.
thanks guys

 

[aw2]

Before I got into drilling my tanks, I had quite a few "U-Tubes" fail on me. All of you guys have been EXTREMELY lucky not to have one fail on you and cause a flood.
I'll never use a U-Tube again. If I absolutely have to, I'll use something like a CPR overflow but 99% of the time, I'll drill my tank.

 

[turningtim]

AW2, your right in that a drilled tank is the way to go. But If a u-tube is set up correctly there shouldn't be any problem. I haven't heard all good things about CPRs either. Don't they rely on a pump to start up after a power cut? The only way a U-tube can stop is if air is introduced in a large amount that it breaks the siphon. I have had them set for years without a problem. Years back this was the only way to do it.
Luck really has nothing to do with it. If U-tubes are set up correctly they just don't fail. Its just like anything else in this hobby, things just don't happen. There is usually a reason and 99.9% of the time its operator error.
JMO
Tim

 

[hurt]

I'd have to agree with Tim. I've had mine for 2 years without any incident. The power will go out, and it will not lose siphon. As long as you set it up properly you will not have to worry. The mistake I often see people make, is in the outer compartment of the overflow. If the drains are not high enough in this chamber, you may lose siphon when the power goes out. As long as these drains are high enough, you won't lose siphon. From what I have heard, the CPR style are the one's most likely to lose siphon when the power goes out. This should be a good poll ?

 

[fishsta]

Dont you want your u tube to lose siphon when the power goes out so it doesnt flood your sump?

 

[brolik1]

I see people drill holes on the top of the U tube and put and adapterwitha piece of hose to it.Does anybody have pics of what they did to their overflow box so that it wont loose siphon or to suck the air out?

 

[reefiness]

i clean mine out about every month to keep the algae out which slows down the flow a lot but the water in it has never actually failed.

 

[reefraff]

If you lose power the U tube will only siphon until the tank water reaches the bottom of the cutouts in the top of the box in your tank. If you have things set up right there will be no flood or loss os siphon.

 

[bigmac]

Originally Posted by AW2
Before I got into drilling my tanks, I had quite a few "U-Tubes" fail on me. All of you guys have been EXTREMELY lucky not to have one fail on you and cause a flood.

Luck has nothing to do with it....you just have to know what your doing and have it setup right. If it fails its because its not built, maintained or setup correctly...
I've had drilled tanks for years but when you stop and think about it, a HOB overflow is a much cleaner look because its smaller.
The only oveflows I've seen fail are the CPR's....I can't believe they still sell em.

 

[hurt]

Dont you want your u tube to lose siphon when the power goes out so it doesnt flood your sump?
Nope, not at all. If you lose siphon, when the power comes back on you will overflow your DT. Not a good thing; you don't want to lose this siphon. If you set your sump/fuge up properly you should allow for an extra 2-3 gallons at minimum(depending on the size of the DT) of extra water from your DT going into your sump/fuge in the case of a power outage. That's why my 20g sump/fuge normally operates with only 15-16g. This allows extra room in the event of a power outage.

 

[hurt]

If you lose power the U tube will only siphon until the tank water reaches the bottom of the cutouts in the top of the box in your tank.
That's half right. When your power goes out it will drain to either the top of your overflow box cutouts, or to the top of your return pipe from sump. Which ever is lower. But you can drill a small hole in the return line at the top of the water level which will allow air in to break the siphon, in which case it will drain to the top of the overflow box.

 

[hurt]

Does anybody have pics of what they did to their overflow box so that it wont loose siphon or to suck the air out?

I would take a pick but both the side of my DT and my overflow are covered in coraline. So here's a crapy diagram. In order not to lose siphon, you want at least a 1 inch difference between the bottom of the U-tube intake and the intake pipe directly to pump. If done properly, the U-tube will always be submerged and there will be no chance for air to enter and break the siphon. Hope this helps

 

[brolik1]

1)In my overflow there is 2 compartments in the back piece of the overflow, So you are saying to put the u tube in the same compartment as where the bulkhead goes and add a piece of pvc pipng into the bulkhead fitting that way it wont loose siphon? Is this correct
2)And when I buy the u tube I have to cut 1" off the end of the u tube where it goes into the intake(inner)box of the overflow?

 

[turningtim]

No, put the U-tube in the side without the drain(bukhead) this way the water will fill that compartment and then overflow and go to the drain. When flow stops this compartment will remain full and the U-tube will still be submerged (no lost of siphon). When flow resumes the compartment will overflow and go to the drain.
I don't think that was very clear????
HTH
Tim

 

[brolik1]

Originally Posted by TurningTim
No, put the U-tube in the side without the drain(bukhead) this way the water will fill that compartment and then overflow and go to the drain. When flow stops this compartment will remain full and the U-tube will still be submerged (no lost of siphon). When flow resumes the compartment will overflow and go to the drain.
I don't think that was very clear????
HTH
Tim
Ok tim thanks, that didnt sound very clear to me but now it does.

 

[turningtim]

To answer your other question (that I didn't before). Yes you can place a pc of PVC inside the drain chamber and also use a durso or gurgle buster to make the drains quite. Do a search on durso, tons of info. Just make sure that no matter what you choose the drain pipe should be lower then the U-tube chamber.
Again I need work on the clarity!
HTH
Tim