Keep spray bar from siphoning???

[Anonymous]

I install a spray bar running along the bottom of my 75. However when the power goes out it drains back through the spray bar through the pump and overflows the sump. Any plumbing tips to keep this from happening? Obviously I could install a ball valve between the pump and the spray bar for when i need to shut the thing down but this won't help if if the power goes out when I'm not home. It's in the lobby of an office building so I don't thing they would like me very much if it flooded.

Glenn

 

[Anonymous]

If your going to keep the spray bar on the bottom of the tank where it wont break the siphon, you will have to install a oneway check valve, which you still have to be careful with because if they get something stuck in them like algea or sand, the might not close completely causing a flood anyway....hth

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My 180 Utopia: Updated 5/21/00

 

[Anonymous]

Is the spray bar installed such that it comes up from the bottom or is there a pipe that goes over the back of the tank down to the spray bar? In the case of the spraybar comming up from the bottom, you could probably plumb in a tube that goes up from the spraybar to just below the surface of the tank. In the case of a tube going down to the spray bar, you can just drill a hole in the tube just below the surface of the water in the tank. This is what I have on my return and it works like a charm. If you have a lot of coralline algae, you may need to clean out the hole occasionally.

btw, it is important that you keep the hole or the tube below the surface, otherwise, you could end up with that awful sucking noise.

Good luck,

-fizz

 

[Anonymous]

Drill holes just right under the water surface to break the suction when the power is out. Any size hole will work but just to be safe (from get plug up by a snail or coraline algae) I recommend drill several holes about 4 mm. This work like a charm. I keep aquarium for many years and never have this method fail. Check walve can fail very easy, thus, IMO, not usefull as a failsafe device.

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Minh Nguyen
Visit my reef at:
http://sites.netscape.net/austinnguyen/homepage

 

[Anonymous]

anti siphen and check valve Murphys Law one or th other may get cloged so use both for insurance. If I were to use one it would be antisiphen. With a powerful return pump and 3/16 hole it shouldn't clog if you drill it where light doesn't reach it like under the pipe . The top on that connects the 2 vertical ones. the horizontal pipe.

 

[Anonymous]

Drill holes right below water line at top of tank!!!

 

[Anonymous]

For what it is worth, I have my hole drilled just above the water surface and it has never clogged up (knock on wood). However, I do clean it once in a while with a brush. I also do not have any noises which some folks have mentioned. I simply placed a piece of hose, which I sliced down one side, and "wrapped" it around the return where the hole is to avoid any water spray, etc.

I don't know, it has worked for me for years.

Best of luck.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. It seems kind of obvious now.

=).....

Glenn