PLumbing dilemma !!!1

[reefer4eva]

Alright, heres the thing. Next year im building a 210 reef. And im having one problem with planning the plumbing. I want to have an emergency drain in the sump. NOw i dont know where to put it. Here is a diagram (look at the sump emergency drain ) :

Kk now i think that if i put it the way it is on the diagram that water will overflow in the protein skimmer compartment. Or do you think it won't. Also do you think that if i put the emergency drain on the protein skimmer tank it will overflow in the main sump ?? Any advice on this. Thanks :bounce1:

 

[reefer4eva]

THe thing is i dont know how the water level will work. I mean will the water level in both compartments (sump and protein skimmer container) be alaways the same ??

 

[poppin_fresh]

My only comment would be that the emergency drain will protect your floors, but not your tank. If your auto topoff fails "on" you may still lower the salinity of the tank enough to kill everything, depending on how much the topoff container holds.

 

[reefer4eva]

Yea this was pretty much made to protect the floors. Also its not an auto top off. The pump downstairs will be manually turned on and off by a switch upstairs. Thanks for the comment though.

 

[reefer4eva]

Anyone else to how the water level will work in the sump??? PLzz i need help here :bounce1:

 

[Ocean Image]

If your sump is large enough, and your top-off is manual, why do you need the sump overflow drain? Where could the extra water possibly come from?

Are you planning on having a sump that's not large enough to handle the drain volume when you turn off the main pump (power outage)? If so I recommend that you do not.

I also recommend that your sump and skimmer compartment be one in the same. As shown, the sump and skimmer container will essentially have the same level, only a small difference due to the pump. When the system is shut down they will have the exact same level. The connecting pipe between the two compartments should be labeled as orange.

 

[reefer4eva]

Even if the sump is large enough i still want to have the emergency drain. This is because i have hardwood flooring where the tank will be located. Its just to be safe. Thanks for the help Ocean Image. So youre saying that when the return pump is on the water levels will be slightly different (higher in sump and a bit lower in the protein skimmer compatment) and when the pump is off the levels will be the same ??

 

[mm949]

why not put the filters in the basement...??

 

[reefer4eva]

Though about it but too complicated. Thanks for the advice though :bounce1:

 

[Ocean Image]

reefer4eva...yes, that is what I am saying. Good luck with the project.

 

[besl]

I have to agree with OceanImage - if your sump is large enough the problem is solved. That is how my system (and most I have encountered) work. For a 210 display (depending oh how your drains are configured) a 55 gallon sum (minimum) which is very reasonable will do the job. You haven't yet spec' out your sump and this is something you should factor into your design - even with the emergency drain line or else your emergency drain line which seems to be a secondary protection will be your primary protection which I don't think you want (e.g. what happens when power is restored? - how does the system refill itself? water change even when you may not want one?). JMHO

 

[reefer4eva]

KK thanks alot for the help :bounce1:

 

[reefer4eva]

Lol i appreciate your concerns. I will definitly make sure the sump can handle extra water when the power is out. The sump emergency drain will pretty much be kind of like a net if when i top off or add water after a watr change that i do not add more than needed. I added this because the pump will be in the basement and there willbe a switch upstairs where the tank is and just to make sure that if anything goes wrong with the circuits that the tank will NOT overflow. Thanks.