Can't seem to wrap my head around this...

[TickleMyElmo]

Ok, I have a ProClear Aquatics Pro 150 wet/dry filter.

The problem I'm having trouble understanding, is that I don't know how you would prevent the filter from overflowing in the event of a power outage.

I have my overflow box on top of the tank the water is about halfway up the little gates where the water enters.

In the event the power goes out, my return pump will shut down and water will continue to flow through the overflow box through the siphon and down into my filter. Because the return pump is no longer operational, the filter would then quickly overflow because there is still plenty of water draining into the overflow box in the DT.

Scenario 2: Say I raised the siphon tube to just below the surface of the water. Now if the power goes out the siphon will soon break and no water will overflow the filter. Great. Buttt, when the power comes back on there will be no water flow to the filter which will cause the filter to run dry and overheating the working return pump because it is out of water and possibly causing a fire.

It so seems that I am screwed either way, but I always hear people saying that their filters don't overflow in a power outage and was wondering how the accomplish this?

The return nozzle in the tank has a hole for the siphon break which prevents water from flowing back down the return into the filter, but there's still the problem of water continuously flowing down the overflow and overflowing the filter...

Picture of said filter.....

[IMG]http://i31.*******.com/8zgz7q.jpg[/IMG]

[Curve]

Well I was worried about mine to but once I set it up I turned it off and on several times and I never got near overflowing. When the power comes back on it should automaticly restart the siphon for you and the pump should come back on and everything is fine. If it is overflowing out of the sump you may need to lower your water level in the sump and try that.

[Paul_PSU]

I had a hang-on filter similar to that minus the bio balls and ran it for a few years and several power outages and it never overflowed.

[creep]

The way to not have your sump overflow is to not fill it completely to the top. Fill it up some and have it run for a minute or so, then cut the power to the tank. Watch the sump, if it looks like it is about to flood turn the power back on to get the pump going. Take some water out of the tank and try again. If you still have a lot of room in the sump after you shut off the power, and all the water drains from your overflows to your tank. (there should be a point when no more water is draining) Then you can add a little more. It takes a little fiddling, but eventually you will find the right level to keep the water in your sump. I marked that line with a sharpie on the outside of the tank to make sure I never filled it past that line.

[pgaschulz]

Go buy a tub from any store (like a locking storage kit) and put it under the sump....it will catch any water that falls over if it does

[TickleMyElmo]

Originally posted by creep
The way to not have your sump overflow is to not fill it completely to the top. Fill it up some and have it run for a minute or so, then cut the power to the tank. Watch the sump, if it looks like it is about to flood turn the power back on to get the pump going. Take some water out of the tank and try again. If you still have a lot of room in the sump after you shut off the power, and all the water drains from your overflows to your tank. (there should be a point when no more water is draining) Then you can add a little more. It takes a little fiddling, but eventually you will find the right level to keep the water in your sump. I marked that line with a sharpie on the outside of the tank to make sure I never filled it past that line.

I think I understand, I'll try playing with it over the next couple days. The water level in the tank is already kind of low at around 1 inch below the bottom of the top frame...