check valve question

[scarface70706]

ok so my line of defenses for power outages are siphon breaks, a decent size sump, and a check valve from lowes plumbing area. i was looking at the check valve online specifically for our salt water aquariums and was wondering if theres any difference between my spring loaded one compared to the swing one at marine depot. im sure ill get better water pressure but the real deal break to me is if its safer then mine. when i mean by safer if by the internals not containing any metal? my check valve is a standard check valve with a metal spring and was wondering if this could cause problems with my water quality. ive been running it for almost a year and its got me thinking what if. so far all corals (lps & zoas), mushrooms, RBTA, and fish are all doing just fine but shortly here im going to get into some sps so i want to do this right and not risk killing future sps corals due to metal being in my check valve. what do you guys think? anyone have any experiences with this particular topic? also opinions are welcomed as well.

 

[tkeracer619]

Check valves are not suitable for marine applications. They simply are not reliable in reef tanks due to the things that freely grow on all surfaces.

If it has been a year with your current one. It probably has a stainless spring which depending on grade may or may not be harmful.

Can we see some pics of your setup. Maybe we can help you figure a way to plumb it without a check valve as its not if but when it fails.

 

[scarface70706]

yea i understand check valves are not the best way to prevent back siphon and im not trying to sound rude by saying this but thats not answering my question. like stated above i have three lines of defenses for a power outage and the check valve is just one of them and im always going to use one with every tank i build. im just asking if anyone has had any good or bad experiences with check valves with the metal springs in it. but thank you for your input on the metal spring.

 

[tkeracer619]

I have actually seen the flapper ones split in half along the molded seam.

I will never use a check valve on any system I plumb. They decrease reliability.

 

[scarface70706]

dang thats crazy to hear. i guess this is a case of if its not broken dont fix it. any tips to how to prevent back siphons? so far i have my back duel return lines at the surface of the water line in the DT and i also have a hole drilled as a break in the 90 right before the duel black tubes. my sump is a good size so it can hold the water in the lines. ill see if i can post my plumbing in the big pic format.

 

[scarface70706]

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these are the only ones i have on file of my plumbing.

 

[tkeracer619]

Yeah. It was crazy and a lot of water hit the floor unfortunately on a very expensive setup.

You are already taking the proper precautions with the siphon breaks. Just make sure they are clear during your regular maintenance. It looks like you have a good amount of capacity. Problem with a check valve is if it happens to be working you can't test what happens without it.

If your sump is close to overflowing you can always throttle the return slightly. Slower flow = less water above the overflow weirs to drain into the sump.

 

[scarface70706]

ok cool thanks for the tip.