Sump overflowing when a fuse jumps

[RafaelAtkinson]

Okay. So I just bought a new 55 gallon tank. Upgrading from my 10 gallon nano tank. I was wanting to put a Sump in my new setup but I do have a lot of issues when it comes to power outages. The issue lies within my fuses, they always seem to jump because my house electrical wiring was not correctly installed I guess when the house was built. I am worried that if I install a Sump and a fuse jumps my Sump will over flow and I'll come home to water on the floor.
Is their any way to prevent this?
I know I could set up a battery but can't really find any info on this.
Our can I get away with not having a Sump and just do weekly water changes and have a good Skimmer?

But i really would like to have a Sump.
Thanks in advance!

[pmrossetti]

Your system needs to be designed so that the sump can handle the backflow when the power goes out.

[RafaelAtkinson]

How do I do that?

[pmrossetti]

Have a sump that's big enough to handle it. Have your intakes from your tank up high enough so they don't syphon much water down into your sump.
Or drill small hole in your intakes just below the water line.

[RafaelAtkinson]

When you refer to intakes your referring to the over flow box?

[RafaelAtkinson]

Oh and I'm thinking of using a 10 gallon tank I have laying around to make the Sump.

[Mike Ordner]

How will the water flow from DT to sump back to DT be set up? Somewhere in there you need something to break the siphon. Easiest is drilling small holes just below the waterline on the return pipes from the sump to DT as mentioned above. Really need more information to help you out. But all good designs will take power outages into account.

[pmrossetti]

Originally Posted by RafaelAtkinson

When you refer to intakes your referring to the over flow box?

Sorry, your returns from the sump to the tank.
If they're above the water they wont backsyphon.

But your sump still needs to be able to hold the water from your overflow and plumbing.

[Rocko1]

+1 for above, also if you don't want the return to shut off after a power outage, you can use an APC back up it will only last awhile depending on the wattage draw of your return

[ca1ore]

A good rule-of-thumb for a typical reef ready tank is to have a sump be about a third of the size of the display. For a 55, I'd view a 10 gallon tank as too small - I'd go with a 20.

[sowildpaul]

What about a check valve like this on a return pipe?


BRS recommends it.

[RafaelAtkinson]

Okay so what I'm planning to built a Sump from the 10 gallon. I plan on having an eshopps over flow box PF-300, rated 300gph. For up to a 75 gallon tank. The Sump will be 3 compartments. First compartment is the drain from the display tank. In their I will have a filter sock and Skimmer. Middle compartment will have live rock and sand. This compartment will be the return pump.
I'm using a 10 gallon because that's the only size that would fit in my stand.
So if I have my return higher than the water level it won't syphon back. Right?
So than would I have to worry anything about the over flow box of the power goes out?

[RafaelAtkinson]

Or I might have my Skimmer in the third compartment which is the return pump compartment. Since I believe having that compartment be the biggest of them all. Am I correct?

[RafaelAtkinson]

Pic of my new tank, got it for$90.
Pretty good deal if I don't say so myself :-D

[sowildpaul]

Originally Posted by RafaelAtkinson

So if I have my return higher than the water level it won't syphon back. Right?

Yes, that's right.

Originally Posted by RafaelAtkinson

So than would I have to worry anything about the over flow box of the power goes out?

http://reefcentral.com/index.php/sump-volume

[RafaelAtkinson]

Originally Posted by sowildpaul

What about a check valve like this on a return pipe?


BRS recommends it.

Ya that's a good idea. Would I be able to do that on the overflow drain line to? Or should I not even consider that.
Sorry guys... I'm very new to this an not relatively knowledgeable about plumbing.

[EllisJuan]

You are going to need a bigger tank for your sump. You are not going to be able to fit everything you are going to want for a 75g tank in a 10g, especially if you are planning on having a refugium in it.

[sowildpaul]

Originally Posted by RafaelAtkinson

Ya that's a good idea. Would I be able to do that on the overflow drain line to? Or should I not even consider that.
Sorry guys... I'm very new to this an not relatively knowledgeable about plumbing.

NO NO NO! That's for return pipes, especially with bulkheads on the back or bottom of a tank that they are located much lower than water level.

Did you use the calculation in the link I gave you? It tells you the recommended minimum gallons of a sump for your tank. If 10 gallons sump is too small, then you have to replace the stand and get/build a larger sump to be placed inside a new stand if you don't want it to be placed outside of the current stand.

[ca1ore]

Check valves invariably fail - a really bad idea to be relying on them! Also note to do both parts of the sump calculator; the first part just tells you how much water will drain down with power loss, not total sump volume.

[sowildpaul]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Check valves invariably fail - a really bad idea to be relying on them! Also note to do both parts of the sump calculator; the first part just tells you how much water will drain down with power loss, not total sump volume.

Even an expensive check valve like the one BRS recommends will also fail?

[ca1ore]

Problem with check valves in a reef tank is that they build up crud inside (like every part of your plumbing). Said crud can then prevent the weight from sealing properly and it will leak. I used to use the exact same Y check valves all the time until I realized they all leaked - or the weight got stuck in the open position. OK, you can clean them frequently, but still doesn't preclude them from leaking. Far better just to have your return just slightly below the tank water surface to prevent siphon.

[Macimage]

Do not rely on check valves or holes drilled in the return, they will eventually clog and fail.

Plan your plumbing so that your returns are high enough up in your tank and your sump is large enough to handle any back flow when the inevitable power outage or power failure occurs.

[sowildpaul]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Problem with check valves in a reef tank is that they build up crud inside (like every part of your plumbing). Said crud can then prevent the weight from sealing properly and it will leak. I used to use the exact same Y check valves all the time until I realized they all leaked - or the weight got stuck in the open position. OK, you can clean them frequently, but still doesn't preclude them from leaking. Far better just to have your return just slightly below the tank water surface to prevent siphon.

Oh, that's bad news so they are unreliable. Thanks for the explanation.

[Randy Marsh]

Hi I have started a second 75 gallon aquarium and need some help. I've done a treatment with a powder called cyano x. My protein skimmer is overflowing for the last three days. I've changed at least 25% water and am concerned to do anymore as tank has only been running for 4 weeks. Can I / should I change more water ? And will it calm down or should I be doing something else to the pump in my skimmer ?

[Randy Marsh]

I'm new her so I'm running a 75 gallon tank with a aquatic life T5 with lunar lights and a sump 40x16x16. My protein skimmer is a bubble magnus curve 7. Was awesome up until this point.