Return Pump Fail = Wet Carpet

[energy_crisis]

Since a siphon-break-hole "spits" into the tank if it's above the waterline, can you just drill a small hole above the waterline angeled downwards so it spits back into the tank? If it's very close to the waterline and small it shouldn't splash much.

 

[JeffersonReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8352776#post8352776 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Corriander
Perhaps the stay voltage and failure were linked . . . or at least contributed to the failure . . .

This is why I am glad I have no carpets and my flat is a giant cement box. I am sure you can guess what I was thinking when I moved in to an old brewery.

Ha ha... lol.

--- that is actually a pretty good idea.... hmmm...
-TJ

 

[JeffersonReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8353720#post8353720 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Corriander
The 65ft x 40ft room used to be part of the chilling room. It has 1.5ft thick reinforced concrete floors with walls made from a foot of concrete, a foot of cork and a final 1in layer of concrete on the interior. The whole place is on a 2degree slope towards the 'slop' hallway. The 16ft ceilings are high enough my wife can train on her trapeze (yes, I said trapeze) and is the OTHER reason we moved in to the place.

I am building a fish room (the only enclosed space aside from the bathroom) that is 12ft x 15ft. The first wall is already up and has a 150gal (6ft l, 1.5ft w, 2.5ft h) facing the 270sqft yoga/training studio I am finishing tonight or tomorrow. A 100gal Rubbermaid sump with a DIY 35gal Roughneck trashcan wet/dry filter makes up the heart of the system. An 80gal divided tank (old petco display) will be going on line as the first refugium and will provide snacks for a pair of propagation tanks below. The main display is going to be a 600gal monster built on site with an additional refugium overhead to feed it. We should start construction on the remainder of the room next week and on the tanks itself in early November.

Fortunately, there is a lovely bar/restaurant in the building right across from mine; so good beer is only one flight of stairs and short stumble away.

Wow.... I thought you were kidding. You really do live in a frikin brewery! SHWEET! Concrete floors... you can spill water on em all day, and then just mop it up. Im drooling right now. Im a new reefkeeper... and I find it VERY interesting how the carpet in my livingroom is starting to smell mildewish....

I see why so many people post carpet cleaners for sale on RC now....

 

[DRC69]

Are the check valves they sale no good??? The ones that are semi-clear that MD sell???
How long does it take for them to stop working???
Thanks

 

[Wilafur]

check valves are only good for reducing flow, increasing head pressure and failing.

 

[HenryTran]

what you need to do is check the capability of your sump, what i mean is, check to see the minimum level of water you can leave your sump at in the case of a power outage, so it does not overflow. if you have the water level at the lowest point in your sump (so return pump does not run dry) and still it will overflow, then two things1) your return line is too low in your main tank and it is siphoning alot of water to your sump when the power is out. you can try raising this and try again. (2) your sump is too small.

 

[echoplex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8356813#post8356813 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by energy_crisis
Since a siphon-break-hole "spits" into the tank if it's above the waterline, can you just drill a small hole above the waterline angeled downwards so it spits back into the tank? If it's very close to the waterline and small it shouldn't splash much.

It splashes too much and makes a really loud squirting noise. I had a siphon break above the water line, even tried a little plastic deflector over the hole to angle it straight down into the water and it was just too much of a nuisance. Obviously this effect gets worse when larger pumps are involved. Mine's a Mag9.5 through a 1" pipe, ymmv.

 

[rscott76]

make the hole just below the water level angled down

 

[CW from the OC]

Salt E,

Your thread sort of got derailed with the brewery discussion. Amidst all of that was some great advice.

To get your thread back on track, here is a summary:
1. Your sump should never overflow when the return pump is off.
2. You can fix this several different ways:
A. Lower the water level in your sump, to allow enough room for the extra water when the pump shuts off
B. Drill the return pipes, just below the water surface, with siphon break holes.
C. Raise your return lines in the tank so they break siphon sooner (I think you did this).
D. Use check valves. This is the worst idea, been there, done that, they inevitably fail and you are screwed.

The best solution is to do something that requires no maintenance. So that means lowering the water level in your sump to make room for overflow water, raising your return lines in the tank, or siphon break holes in the return lines.

 

[salt e]

thx much CW... i think that the raising of the return flex is pretty much the most failsafe idea so far... i even shut the pump off last night to see the effect.... WAaLah! worked like a charm, sump only took down about 1 gallon or less... looks like my days of wet carpet are a thing of last monday

thanks for all the tips guys...
Cris

ps.
i pulled the light that was causing the short apart... fixed the grounding issue... everything seems to be right baCk on track... fish and corals are happy again... just took a little DIY now im happy i can rest! back to the office for me

 

[integlikewhoa]

Glad you fixed your problem. Im really suprised how many people never thing of this and end up with floods. Everyone must turn off the tank after its up and running to check for an overflowing issue. So far even with all the plumming I ran I have never Had any floods. And unless a pipe brakes (which i dont think will ever happen) I see no reason to create a flood. The other thing people need to watch for is RO units plummed stright to the sump and the float valve quit working.

 

[Fmellish]

Exit reason #217