What happens when the power goes out?

[reef dude]

What happens when the power goes out and i am not home? The water is drawn out by a siphon method into my wet/dry filter and then pumped back up by a rio 2500. The pump will obviously stop pumping if the power goes out but it will create a back-siphon and also the original siphon wont stop at all until the water goes below the siphon tube, but thats like 6 inches into the tank! (alot of gallons worth)?!?!?

 

[broomer5]

If you have this system up and running right now - I would highly advise grabbing your drill, and drilling a hole in the return piping "just" under the normal water level in your tank.
Drill a 1/4" hole in the return spraybar or whatever you have returning the water to this tank - or else - you will drain down the 6 inches upon a real power outage.
This is about the only thing you need to concern yourself with - it's very IMPORTANT !!!!!
This hole will allow the siphon to break, and not allow the water in your tank to flow back under - to your wet/dry.
Then - cycle the power off your pump - several times to insure you don't overflow your sump/wet/dry.
Do it !
Check it !
Check it again, again and again !!!!
Get on it pronto ! Really !!!

 

[diatom]

and when it's all done and working correctly...make sure to check it when you clean your tank to make sure the hole isn't covered over with coraline or gunk

 

[david s]

yea thats real important because u dont want a flood i had same setup and bought a new end for line that is even with water line it breaks siphon i turn my pump off to feed fish everday and it is a good test for power failure

 

[wildblue4]

ok if you drill a hole and the power goes off the water will stop at the level of the hole. then when the power comes back on and you are gone for lets say 6 hrs or whatever your wet/dry pump just pumped it dry. now you bioballs have been dry and your pump has been dry running and is probably over heated. why not just get you a backup battery supply and be done with it. they are cheap and can run your wet/dry pump for a long time while the power is off. just a thought.

 

[richard rendos]

Dave - either drill the hole in the return or get a check valve to prevent back siphon.
wildblue4 - when power comes back on, things will be back to normal. Your pump will pump water back to tank, water level in tank goes up, siphon in overflow starts again bringing water back down to the sump. Your pump should not pump your sump dry because it is being filled again from the overflows.

 

[wildblue4]

richard- what i was saying is that if you drill a hole in the siphon tube to make it break suction then when the tube gets air in it and your power comes back on then it will not be able to start siphoning again, right. maybe im missing the boat on this one. by the way i see where you live close to paducah, just wondering where you go to get your fish supplies?

 

[squidworth]

Yep you did miss the boat. JK. You drill you RETURN FROM the sump/wetdry, not you siphon tube. Your overflow box should be adjusted so it wont cause a flood. when power goes off the overflow wont break siphon, it just comes to a stop. Your return on the other hand is usually much deeper into your tank and it WILL START a back siphon and fairly quickly with what little experience I have had. HTH