sump draining?

fish_NEMO · 03/24/2006, 12:27 AM

I understand the sump and how it works, but what happens if their is a power out and the return pump turns off woudnt i end up in a huge mess and dead fish?

mikenpam · 03/24/2006, 12:33 AM

Your sump plumbing set-up should be designed to prevent overflow in the event of a power outage. There are different options to prevent this such as check valves and Durso type drains for the main tank.

mg426 · 03/24/2006, 12:35 AM

You should test this out before it happens. because sooner or later it will. (power failure that is) have you got siphon breaks in your return lines ?? these will limit the amount of water that makes it into your sump. best to know before hand just how things will turn out.

jdieck · 03/24/2006, 12:44 AM

Not if you have an overflow in the main tank.
The sump runs at half level, when the power goes off some water from the main tank drains back to the sump until the level reaches the top of the overflow. The sump volume capacity shall be such that it shall be able to take that additional volume without overflowing.

Besides the overflow there is an effect from the return pipe. If the output of the return pipe is too deep and below the top level of the overflow in the main tank, when the power goes off the return pipe flow reverses and it acts like a syphon then potentially draining more water to below the top level of the overflow. To prevent this drill a little hole right on the underside of the return pipe at the water level. If the power goes off the hole will suck air braiking the syphon.
As the return pipe gets empty (not only due to power failure but I turn the pump off for feeding) when restarting there will be a lot of air blown into the tank, to prevent this in addition to the hole you may want to install a check valve so the pipe does not empty.
The attached drawing may help you visualize hou it works.

fish_NEMO · 03/24/2006, 12:54 AM

i have got my tank drilled at the bottom though..

mikenpam · 03/24/2006, 01:09 AM

Then a Durso type drain will stop draining your tank at a certain level and the return line plumbing info jdeik passed on remains the same.

jdieck · 03/24/2006, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fish_NEMO
i have got my tank drilled at the bottom though..

You need to add either an overflow box or a stand pipe to drain at the top and not at the bottom and as high as the water level you want to keep in the tank when the pump is off. (About 1 to 2 inch shorter than the maximum level when running.

03/24/2006, 12:27 AM	#1
fish_NEMO Moved On Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 247	sump draining? I understand the sump and how it works, but what happens if their is a power out and the return pump turns off woudnt i end up in a huge mess and dead fish?

03/24/2006, 12:35 AM	#3
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	You should test this out before it happens. because sooner or later it will. (power failure that is) have you got siphon breaks in your return lines ?? these will limit the amount of water that makes it into your sump. best to know before hand just how things will turn out. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

03/24/2006, 12:44 AM	#4
jdieck Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maumee, OH Posts: 15,673	Not if you have an overflow in the main tank. The sump runs at half level, when the power goes off some water from the main tank drains back to the sump until the level reaches the top of the overflow. The sump volume capacity shall be such that it shall be able to take that additional volume without overflowing. Besides the overflow there is an effect from the return pipe. If the output of the return pipe is too deep and below the top level of the overflow in the main tank, when the power goes off the return pipe flow reverses and it acts like a syphon then potentially draining more water to below the top level of the overflow. To prevent this drill a little hole right on the underside of the return pipe at the water level. If the power goes off the hole will suck air braiking the syphon. As the return pipe gets empty (not only due to power failure but I turn the pump off for feeding) when restarting there will be a lot of air blown into the tank, to prevent this in addition to the hole you may want to install a check valve so the pipe does not empty. The attached drawing may help you visualize hou it works. __________________ Did I write what I wrote? What the heck am I talking about! Well..... Nevermind. Current Tank Info: 225 gal reef, DSB, 40 g sump w/ LRT100 return, 37 g pre-sump, 3 MH 250 W 15K, 4 96 W PC dual actinic,ETS 1500 Skim.w/LRT70, 20 lb Ca R., 40 W UV, 1/3 HP chiller, two 350 W Htrs, Neptune II Cont., 330 P LR/ 330 P LS. 55 gal Refugium

03/24/2006, 12:33 AM	#2
mikenpam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 326	Your sump plumbing set-up should be designed to prevent overflow in the event of a power outage. There are different options to prevent this such as check valves and Durso type drains for the main tank.

03/24/2006, 12:54 AM	#5
fish_NEMO Moved On Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 247	i have got my tank drilled at the bottom though..

03/24/2006, 01:09 AM	#6
mikenpam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 326	Then a Durso type drain will stop draining your tank at a certain level and the return line plumbing info jdeik passed on remains the same.