keep water from going back up tubes

[jubjubrsx]

how do i keep water from going back in my returns...i currently have 2 loc-lines that feed my im just afraid if the power goes out its gonna go back down my sump and overflow.....

thanks

[firedogg2]

a oneway check valve from the hardware store.

[RocketEngineer]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-01/newbie/index.php

Look about 2/3 of the way down at "Preventing a flood"

[Derek03]

You could use a check valve in the line. If your pump turns off it has a spring that will close the line. Its about $5 at lowes or home depot.

Another suggestion is to not run so much water in the sump. If the tank is full already then siphon some water out of the sump and turn the pump off. Let the tank back flow into the sump. Once it stops add water back to the sump untill its at a level that you are comfortable with, I usuall leave about 2" or so. Then turn your pump back on. Let it run until the water level in the sump stabilizes. Then use a sharpie and draw a line at the water level.

This will show you how much evap water to add and you will never overflow. You can also keep track of how much you are evaporating each day.

[mfinn]

You could drill a small 1/8" hole just below the water line on the feed lines.
When the power goes off the tank will drain down to the holes and the syphon will break.
If you do this, you need to check them once in a while, algea has a tendency to cover over the holes.

[The Floodinator]

Drill a small hole in the return line at the level you want the tank to drain to. As the water level drops to the level of the hole you drilled, air entering the pipe will break the siphon.

[sjm817]

Position the return outlets just below the surface. You dont have to worry about algae covering small drilled holes. Coraline algae grows very quickly on plastic.

[mfinn]

Coraline is an algae and bubble algae will grow over small holes, even with fairly high pressure.

Placing the return outlets just below the surface seems like a no brainer, but I assumed that his loc-lone went well below the surface and that he liked it that way.

[sjm817]

I think a snaky loc-line visible in the tank is not good looking anyway. Having short lengths just below the surface is not only safer, it looks better (IMO).

[mfinn]

Originally posted by sjm817
I think a snaky loc-line visible in the tank is not good looking anyway. Having short lengths just below the surface is not only safer, it looks better (IMO).

Oh yeah,, I agree.