Where to drill holes in return for anit-siphon?

DGlove904 · 09/10/2009, 11:02 AM

Where to drill holes in return for anit-siphon? Below or above water line?

Holyreefer · 09/10/2009, 11:05 AM

if your return is on a elbow just drill your holes at the top so air will consume the return pipe from water

DGlove904 · 09/10/2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Holyreefer
if your return is on a elbow just drill your holes at the top so air will consume the return pipe from water

So just drill a hole on the elbow that is attached to my locline?

epstein · 09/10/2009, 11:18 AM

Best place to drill it is right at your water line.....Therefore when its squirting water out which it will it will agitate the surface.......When it is needed it will suck air just as the water line recedes from that level

BTW 1/8 inch hole is plenty

Brian

seapug · 09/10/2009, 11:19 AM

drill the hole on just below the waterline. when the water level drops it will expose the hole to air and break the siphon. If this is your only method of preventing a flood you will need to be very diligent about keep the hole clear of debris.

sean A. · 09/10/2009, 11:21 AM

Instead of drilling holes could you use a check valve on the returns to
Stop the water.

DGlove904 · 09/10/2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sean A.
Instead of drilling holes could you use a check valve on the returns to
Stop the water.

I have those just wanted to make sure things would be ok if I am not home and the power goes out.

seapug · 09/10/2009, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sean A.
Instead of drilling holes could you use a check valve on the returns to
Stop the water.

Check valves are almost more prone to failure in a reef tank than a siphon break. The only sure way to prevent a flood in the event of a power outage is to leave enough room in your sump to accommodate the volume of water that siphons back when the return is shut off.

DGlove904 · 09/10/2009, 11:55 AM

doing that as we speak

Quote:

Originally posted by seapug
Check valves are almost more prone to failure in a reef tank than a siphon break. The only sure way to prevent a flood in the event of a power outage is to leave enough room in your sump to accommodate the volume of water that siphons back when the return is shut off.

kikireef · 09/10/2009, 12:10 PM

I purchased a check valve and it was my only way to avoid disaster and it failed after the system was up and running for only about 6 months. They WILL fail. You can use them as an extra means of precaution but DO NOT RELY on them. My sump broke and dumped about 20 gallons of water out on the floor, the pump had nothing to suck up since the water was on the floor which then created a backsiphon, then the check valve didn't do its job and it emptied out about another 20 gallons or so. Just food for thought. If I were doing it over again, I would drill anti-siphon holes (which i have now) and get a large enough sump that can hold the extra water in case the holes get clogged and dont work. I wouldn't even put in a check valve again.

TP123 · 09/10/2009, 01:12 PM

Best place is to put the hole right below/at the water line.

If you put it above the waterline, water will squirt out of it all the time. That's not a horrible thing, as long as the water is going somewhere "good" and not into your lighting. It can also splash water if above the water line, and lead to some salt deposits nearby.

Holyreefer · 09/10/2009, 01:35 PM

the check valves are your best option to increase your assurance

sean A. · 09/10/2009, 02:36 PM

Ok in my case tho my return lies go out of the side of my return box
about 5 inches below the water line. I have locklines that I have go
up to just about a inch below water line

09/10/2009, 11:02 AM	#1
DGlove904 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Jacksonville,Florida Posts: 733	Where to drill holes in return for anit-siphon? Where to drill holes in return for anit-siphon? Below or above water line? Last edited by DGlove904; 09/10/2009 at 11:08 AM.

09/10/2009, 11:05 AM	#2
Holyreefer Octopus Extreme 300 Skimr Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,242	if your return is on a elbow just drill your holes at the top so air will consume the return pipe from water __________________ Life is what you make it, so make something out of everything you do! Current Tank Info: GYRE 150,Seaswirl 1.5, Barcuda Pump, Custom LED system, Extreme Reef Octopus 300 Protein Skimmer, 80 watt Aqua UV, Korallin BioDenitrator Nitrate, Hydor Magnum 8 Powerheads

09/10/2009, 11:18 AM	#4
epstein Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NYC transplant now in CT Posts: 1,501	Best place to drill it is right at your water line.....Therefore when its squirting water out which it will it will agitate the surface.......When it is needed it will suck air just as the water line recedes from that level BTW 1/8 inch hole is plenty Brian __________________ I'd Rather be a failure at something I love , Than a sucess at something I hate . George Burns Current Tank Info: 150 DD Cube / 100 Gal Sump(basement) 30gal cube frag tank plumb Panworld 250ps return/ Reef Octopus SRO3000 Skimmer/ Bubble Magus Doser/Lumenmax reflector with 400 watt Radium bulb Ice Cap Ballast Apex Controller 2 MP40wes 2 gyre 150

09/10/2009, 11:19 AM	#5
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	drill the hole on just below the waterline. when the water level drops it will expose the hole to air and break the siphon. If this is your only method of preventing a flood you will need to be very diligent about keep the hole clear of debris. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

09/10/2009, 12:10 PM	#10
kikireef Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chino at The Preserve Posts: 1,107	I purchased a check valve and it was my only way to avoid disaster and it failed after the system was up and running for only about 6 months. They WILL fail. You can use them as an extra means of precaution but DO NOT RELY on them. My sump broke and dumped about 20 gallons of water out on the floor, the pump had nothing to suck up since the water was on the floor which then created a backsiphon, then the check valve didn't do its job and it emptied out about another 20 gallons or so. Just food for thought. If I were doing it over again, I would drill anti-siphon holes (which i have now) and get a large enough sump that can hold the extra water in case the holes get clogged and dont work. I wouldn't even put in a check valve again. __________________ Keith SCMAS Member Tank Info: 120 gallon 48"x30"x20" Leemar Rimless. 2 MP40w, 1 MP10w, SROsss Skimmer, ATI Sunpower 8x54w, Neptune Apex Controller with WXM module. 2 BRS dosing pumps. Check my homepage for the build...

09/10/2009, 11:21 AM	#6
sean A. Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Rio Linda, CA Posts: 896	Instead of drilling holes could you use a check valve on the returns to Stop the water.

09/10/2009, 01:12 PM	#11
TP123 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 205	Best place is to put the hole right below/at the water line. If you put it above the waterline, water will squirt out of it all the time. That's not a horrible thing, as long as the water is going somewhere "good" and not into your lighting. It can also splash water if above the water line, and lead to some salt deposits nearby.

09/10/2009, 01:35 PM	#12
Holyreefer Octopus Extreme 300 Skimr Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,242	the check valves are your best option to increase your assurance __________________ Life is what you make it, so make something out of everything you do! Current Tank Info: GYRE 150,Seaswirl 1.5, Barcuda Pump, Custom LED system, Extreme Reef Octopus 300 Protein Skimmer, 80 watt Aqua UV, Korallin BioDenitrator Nitrate, Hydor Magnum 8 Powerheads

09/10/2009, 02:36 PM	#13
sean A. Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Rio Linda, CA Posts: 896	Ok in my case tho my return lies go out of the side of my return box about 5 inches below the water line. I have locklines that I have go up to just about a inch below water line