Bad over sight snowballs to big problem
 

I thought I was brilliant in my new tank set up. I have drilled the 2 returns in order to eliminate the need for Power heads. The returns are about 6 inch's from where the water surface is going to be.

The Big Problem is I have no means to break suction when the power is off. Is there a plumbing fitting that is like a one way valve? or do I need to start planing some big overhaul before I even get water into it.

:redface: Jason

What I'd look at doing, is, instead of a 90-degree elbow behind the bulkhead for each return, is have a sideways "T", and continue the piping upwards until it reaches a point above the water surface. Then I'd cap it off. Problem now to solve is, because your piping is outside of your tank, you can't drill a hole and have it serve as your siphon break because it will have a small volume of water coming out. What I'd look at doing then, is basically have a small diameter pipe (or better yet, some 1/4" tubing) that continues on and drains into your tank, sump, or overflow. As long as the output of this tubing is above the waterline it will serve as your siphon break when your sump return is powered down.

Or .. you could just use your existing holes for a closed loop instead of a sump return, and have your sump return still go over the tank edge (which gives you an option to drill your siphon break hole anywhere you like).

Thanks Tony, You given me to solutions. I think I'll go with the syphon break with the "T".

Jason

Just talked to a plummer friend of mine. He has suggested a Check Valve. just after the return pump. I think I'll be heading to Terason to check it out.
It would be a much cleaner solution to my problem

Jason

Sorry, I forgot to mention this earlier. I actually recommend AGAINST a check valve.

It will work as a temporary solution but it's not good for a long-term solution. They put a lot of back pressure against the pump so you will lose a lot of flow. But more importantly, as your pipes will inevitably get that slime coating buildup on the inside (because you're not pumping sterile water), the seal will fail, and water will backflow through the check valve anyways. And that's not including things like getting a little bit of sand, or a small snail shell or whatever, stuck in there ... potentially one very big mess on your hands.

Also (maybe not as important) but sometimes check valves can be very noisy, depending on how bad the flapper valve inside rattles around in flow conditions. EmilyB had one that was so loud it sounded like a jackhammer.

It's really only a temporary solution ... you can try it, but if it were my tank, I wouldn't. I did this for a while on one of my tanks a few years ago and I found out the hard way that they can fail .. and I'm not interested in cleaning them out every week. Plus, after I took it off .. I couldn't believe how much flow came out of my sump return. It was as if I had added a second pump or something ... that check valve put a LOT of restriction on my sump return.

Here's another idea ... it's not as pretty, but it should work. On the inside of the tank, off the bulkhead, have another T. The straight-through part is your main output, and the T just goes into a little standpipe that goes up to just above the waterline. Cap it off, and drill a tiny hole in it. Voila! There you have your siphon break and you didn't need to mess about with tubing or checkvalves or whatever. :biggrin:

Crap. I thought I had a clean solution but your warnings have changed my mind again.
OK so I'll go with the airline tubing and seal it to a hole just after the bulkhead. I will then run it back into the tank just at the waters surface.

Thanks again Tony.

J

Definately NO to the check valve, for reasons already stated...they're evil ! Not that I'd know... :rolleyes: Tony's got lot's 'o plans ! I like the closed loop idea. Definately ugly on the first idea. The last one sounded like a good one too. I'd certainly recomend doing some friction fit test runs if your going with slip fittings, just in case Tony ain't so brilliant either :lol: . The siphon break holes will have water forced out so don't point them to the ceiling...that airline feeding back to the water surface has got trouble written all over it... :confused:

"I thought I was brilliant..." that sounds like te beginning of my posts... :lol:

Thanks Tman for the follow up. Ya you know when your suppost to be working and there is people frantically looking for answers from you, 5 reports do by the end of the day and all you can do is make lists of plumbing supplies your need.
That's me today. Actually about to go into a meeting with 3 dept. heads right now.
Don't they know I've got to get this finish so I can get water in my tank!

J

The only brilliance you'll get from me is the glare off my forehead! Hey, isn't that about the same brilliance you'll get from Doug?? :lol:

Just one last parting thought. If you go with the tubing or small pipe, just use bushings and hose barbs for 1/4" pipe thread. The parts might be a little more obscure to find, but it's worth not trying to fabricate your own thing, since it will have to hold back some pressure ...

And oh yeah, wet-test anything you try (make sure spouse is not around to notice the geyser in case anything pops off). It's easy to brainstorm when it's someone ELSE who'll get yelled at for the flood on the floor ....

Good luck, whatever you try, and let us know what you end up doing.