|
|
|
|
#1
10/10/2007, 02:22 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Why on earth is there a whole in my overflow return?
My return lines that send the water back from my sump to the tank has an elbow on top of the riser tube and then this is connected to a loc-line piece with a nozzle. This elbow has a whole in it drilled by the manufacturer to stop siphoning or something. But a crapload of water shoots from them and hardly any gets through the locline. This creates alot of loud splashing as well as most of the water just goes back behind the overflow box instead of back to the tank. Can I close this whole or at least make it smaller somehow? Any ideas how?
|
|
#2
10/10/2007, 02:42 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
This is a siphon break. If your power goes out, this hole draws air and prevents a siphon from emptying the contents of your tank into your sump. Be sure to keep this hole clear; make it a habit to poke it every water change.
I drilled several in each return to prevent the loud splashing you get with one hole, and I made the holes a bit smaller than stock.
__________________
The irony of 2007 is a disgustingly fat multi-millionaire trying to tell me I need to cut back on my consumption. |
|
#3
10/10/2007, 02:45 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
but wont the siphoning stop once the water level reaches the height of the end of the loc-line nozzles? i have those right near the water surface so the level wont have to go down very far at all to stop siphon break.
or am i setting myself up for disaster? my aga overflows also have a small hole but it does not have the same problem.maybe cause the hole is smaller? |
|
#4
10/10/2007, 02:49 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
As long as you keep the LocLines close to the surface and/or maintain enough room in your sump for a worst case backsiphonage you are good. Thats the same method I use as an air gap is much better than drilled holes or a check valve which can both fail.
I siphon 3.8 gallons worst case so I keep at least that much free in the sump at all times, I actually keep about 8 gallons free just for extra safety. |
|
#5
10/10/2007, 02:53 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Just make your sump big enough to handle a siphon 'event'. I flooded my floor for years, finally got smart and got a larger sump. I can shut everything down now and not have to worry about flooding the floor.
__________________
90gal display 40gal propagation/refugium tank 30gal sump |
|
#6
10/10/2007, 03:22 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Also, if your not comfortable with the height of the loc line, put a small hole in it facing down just under the surface. This will break the siphon as well, and put all the water into the diplay.
__________________
Landon |
|
#7
10/10/2007, 05:21 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
You are correct. Once the water hits the BIG holes, the siphon will stop. It sort of depends on how you have the outputs configured. Mine are on the outside holes of each overflow and point straight down; this may empty 50 gallons of water on my tank before the siphons break (not good!!) You are not setting yourself up for disaster. Once in a while, shut everything off just to simulate a power outage. This way you will be sure of what will take place when (eventually) the power does go out.
__________________
The irony of 2007 is a disgustingly fat multi-millionaire trying to tell me I need to cut back on my consumption. |
|
#8
10/10/2007, 06:08 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Go to home depot or lowes and get a replacement elbow, then set the lock line where you want it and drill a hole in the bottom of it. Eliminates noise and drains about a gallon and a half before siphon breaks.
__________________
"It does not require many words to speak the truth." Chief Joseph |
|
#9
10/10/2007, 06:22 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Just keep the LocLine close to the surface and don't worry about any holes, they will plug and fail anyway.
|
|
#10
10/10/2007, 06:44 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I drilled my holes just below the surface of the water on my elbows. This prevents them from being cloged from salt and I don't get any splashing. By the time the sump even starts to show a few extra inches of water in it the holes are exposed in the display and you hear the sound of air being sucked and the syphon is broken. Works great for me.
|
|
#11
10/10/2007, 06:48 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Until a snail covers it, or a flake of food , or a piece of algae. They will fail eventually even with all the regular maintenance in the world just like a check valve. You could clean them and 10 minutes later have a snail park over the hole or holes and its all over. They are not foolproof like an air gap.
|
|
#12
10/10/2007, 06:57 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
My output nozzels are high enough that even if I didn't have the holes the water line would go below the output nozzels before my sump overflowed.
|
|
#13
10/10/2007, 07:00 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Smart!
|
|
#14
10/10/2007, 07:02 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
That would have to be some super flake food to withstand the suction. Also if a piece of algae got stuck I still have a backup hole. Two snails would have to be on both holes at the exact same time... What are the chances? The holes I have drilled are probably larger than your average though. I drilled 1/8" holes. |
|
#15
10/10/2007, 07:07 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I would like to agree with you but there are horror stories posted here every day about floods. Its not cut and dried unfortunately. The air gap method is the only foolproof system thats why its the number one preffered method used in backflow prevention and plumbing codes.
|
|
#16
10/10/2007, 09:21 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
|
|
#18
10/10/2007, 10:34 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
You are talking about and air intake, or vacuum relief.
A true air gap is a physical seperation between the returns and the tanks water, so when the flow stops water would have to jump up to get back into the Loc Lines. Since we know this leads to splashing and salt spray we choose to put the LocLine returns slightly below thesurface so there is a slight backflow but once the ends of the LocLine are exposed its impossible for the water to physically jump up into the pipes. I suppose you could call it a modified air gap. |
|
|
Linear Mode
