Emergency drain line - must have?

[roostertech]

Hey guys, just wonder how critical is having emergency drain. As in, having only one single drain line is ok?

How often would a 1" drain line need to be fully clean out to ensure maximum flow rate to prevent flood?

 

[csb123]

In this hobby I have learned that built in redundancy it extremely important. On a long enough timeline, if something can go wrong, it will. For a drain, a wandering snail, or clump of algae, will mean water on the floor. For me it usually happens when I'm at work or on vacation .

 

[snorvich]

In this hobby I have learned that built in redundancy it extremely important. On a long enough timeline, if something can go wrong, it will. For a drain, a wandering snail, or clump of algae, will mean water on the floor. For me it usually happens when I'm at work or on vacation .

This. And be sure to test a power failure.

 

[thegrun]

The other advantage of having a second emergency drain line is that you can then use a valve to restrict the flow in the primary drain and thus make it quiet, with a single drain you cannot restrict the flow and the drain will make a lot of noise.

 

[JohnnyHildo]

The other advantage of having a second emergency drain line is that you can then use a valve to restrict the flow in the primary drain and thus make it quiet, with a single drain you cannot restrict the flow and the drain will make a lot of noise.

while i don't doubt that a dual drain can be silenced i run a durso that i have to hold my head on top of the standpipe to hear. not exactly what i would consider "a lot of noise".

 

[WWIII]

I personally wouldn't run a tank with a single drain line, but if I did I would have some sort of feature to shut the pump off if and/or when the drain gets clogged enough to flood the room.

 

[Flagg37]

Why is it that you need to only run one drain?

 

[roostertech]

Why is it that you need to only run one drain?

I was considering buying used setup that only have 2 bulkheads, one for drain and one for return. So if I want an emergency drain I would have to run return outside of the overflow box.

 

[MiddletoM]

EDIT - Ignore

 

[kmbyrnes]

My tank also has just 2 bulkheads. Be smart and safe and run dual drains. Put the return over the edge in back.

 

[Bent]

Years ago I ran a single very large drain one time. It got blocked by a queen conch some how, some way.

Guess who had about 20k in water damage?

This guy.

Don't do it.

 

[JammyBirch]

Emergency drain line a must? The answer is no.

It's not required you can design around the lack of having it. I don't have one and have never had an overflow, the system is designed so that can't happen. I have a 25g reef ready that only has two holes drilled in it, a drain and a return. This was my first tank and I didn't feel comfortable drilling a brand new tank.

Because of this I'll never buy another reef ready tank, I'll drill my own and buy used.

It's a good idea to have if you can run one, some tanks just won't let you do it without drilling it.

 

[JammyBirch]

The other advantage of having a second emergency drain line is that you can then use a valve to restrict the flow in the primary drain and thus make it quiet, with a single drain you cannot restrict the flow and the drain will make a lot of noise.

I run a single drain line, restricted flow with a ball valve, and it's dead quiet. It can be done. The point of an emergency drain is redundancy, it boils down to redundancy in the system it doesn't have to be in the drain. It could be the sump to the same safety effect.

That's why this hobby is great, there is chemistry, mechanical and electrical engineering...it's got it all.

 

[heathlindner25]

No not really necessary.

 

[ca1ore]

It's one of those things that isn't 'necessary' but is a jolly good idea. There are lots of things that can go amiss on a reef tank, and sensible redundancy can reduce the risk of many of them significantly. If you do decide to use just a single drain (I completely understand not wanting an over the rim return pipe), then do three things. First, don't push too much volume through the pipe so that you have some reserve capacity just in case. Second, put a strainer/screen over the pipe. Third, under no circumstances restrict the flow of a single drain with any kind of valve.

 

[heathlindner25]

I like to drill 1/16th holes, about a quarter inch apart, and then lace it up like a tennis racket with fishing line

 

[JammyBirch]

Third, under no circumstances restrict the flow of a single drain with any kind of valve.

Unless you're willing to do the math and design correctly this is a true statement.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

Well let's say you own a home with a sump in the basement.... It works fine, everything is dandy, you think about not having buying a backup because it's been great since you have had it. Then it storms out, sump pump stops working, your basement has 6" of water in it. The backup pump would have solved that. Same issue here, your backup drain is just that, a backup in case the main is clogged. Saving a huge mess and a burnt out return pump. Well worth the extra time and money. My tank has TWO backups

 

[illjoshlli]

Unless you're willing to do the math and design correctly this is a true statement.

Any restriction to a drain introduces a place for clogs to occur. Math it out all you want, it doesn't prevent clogs. Because it hasn't happened, doesn't mean it can't or won't. Good reefing is building in redundancies.

If you're going to do one drain you should put a float switch in with it connected to your main pump to turn it off if something occurs.

 

[smeesh726]

The other advantage of having a second emergency drain line is that you can then use a valve to restrict the flow in the primary drain and thus make it quiet, with a single drain you cannot restrict the flow and the drain will make a lot of noise.

Exactly. This is how mine is set up! Helpful to always have backups