possibly stupid megaflow question

[ernestlives]

Recently I've noticed that airhole thing on the very top of the megaflow tube in my 75. Well, when i put my thumb over it, I've noticed my overflow works ten times more efficiently, pulling off a ton more surface junk off than when the airhole is not plugged up. I put a cap over it the other night and my water has never been clearer. Nothing seemed to change other than that... should I not be capping that hole even though nothing bad seems to be occuring?? Or am I missing something completely obvious???

 

[stingythingy45]

If it doesn't cause any noise then I don't see any problem doing that.Your return pump must be very closely matched to the Megaflow GPH.I've blocked mine off in my 90 gallon and noticed no difference.

 

[ernestlives]

AaaHHH That makes sense..thanks Stingy. Do you think that I could risking a loss of syphon by doing this?

 

[billdogg]

if i'm thinking this through, the problem would actually be that you are creating a siphon - as long as your sump is big enough to handle it and it is still quiet, should be no problem?

 

[ernestlives]

Yea, its still quiet as ever. No change at all. 20 gallon long sump so it didnt change the water level either.

 

[stingythingy45]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13037799#post13037799 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by billdogg
if i'm thinking this through, the problem would actually be that you are creating a siphon - as long as your sump is big enough to handle it and it is still quiet, should be no problem?

I'm not sure if this is actually a siphon that is caused by blocking that hole.There's also an anti siphon hole in the megaflow besides the top hole.But if it's below the water level then it would definitely be a siphon.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=12078&c=3578+12079&

 

[ernestlives]

No. I'm blocking the top hole...and now that i look at it, it looks like the water is going through that lower "anti-siphon" hole when i have the top one blocked. But still everything seems fine and the overflow seems to work more efficiently.
What would be the problem with creating a siphon? I thought that was what it would be trying to do in the first place?

 

[stingythingy45]

No, it's not suppose to act as a siphon,just as a drain pipe.
There's really no problem with a built in overflow box and Megaflow.The water will only drop as far as the anti-siphon hole and then the siphon will break.Sometimes all that water flooding down the pipe can cause microbubbles in the sump.

 

[ernestlives]

Yea, I've found i get microbubbles either way though