water change w/sump

[hoycetee]

question is for people with sumps. what way do you do water changes? now that i have a sump and due for a water change i was wondering how you all do it. do you turn off pump and do the change then start you shiphon again

 

[dvincent]

By the way you are asking i assume you have a hob overflow. if you set your overflow up correctly it should not loose siphon, if using a u-tube both ends will stay submerged, if using a weir type they will only loose siphon if the overflow side goes dry. but to answer your ? i turn everything off during water changes.
FYI If you install a ball valve between your overflow and sump it will help with keeping siphon. Darrin

 

[joker_ca]

i have check valves in my return line so the water doesnt syphon out of the tank when i turn the pump off, then i change the water in the main tank and syphon any waste that collects in the sump

 

[hoycetee]

i have the weir type from cpr and also have ball valves on both intake tubes, just wanted a little input and thanks, cause this well be my first water change since setting up sump

 

[acekjd83]

i "macgyvered" my own overflows out of biowheel housings... cut a hole in the bottom, run a pipe in, goober with silicone, VOILA! self-starting overflow. i cut off the intake tube at the desired water level, so it will only drain tank to that point, and setup a durso standpipe in the box above the impeller level, so the box wont drain below that level.

i also have a shutoff in the line to the sump so that i dont have to turn them off when i want to empty sump. i just close the shutoff, empty the sump, fill it again, then open the shutoff. i dont even have to shutoff any of the pumps, since the return pump is in its own compartment and is setup to remain submerged even if it pumps out as much as it can.