Return pump startup splashing

[DrBoxedWine]

Hello everyone, I've looked for an answer to this on Google but have found surprisingly little. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who gets some splashing when restarting the return pump (I shut it off for feeding). It's mostly from the little hole above the return inlet to break the siphon. It splashes a bit, and also just shoots a bunch of air into the tank which causes splashing when the little bubbles hit the surface. My Hydras are maybe 10" above the water and do get splashed a little. Not a ton, but a little bit every day adds up over the years.

Right now I push the return into the water a little with my other hand when I hit the restart switch and that works pretty well. Kind of a pain but it works. I also might be getting an apex soon and would love to do a 'feed mode.' Has anyone out there found a solution to this?

 

[Miz40B]

I don't turn my return off...just put my power heads in feed mode

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Interesting... Yeah I guess if I shut the powerheads off and dumped the food in on the side of the tank without the return) overflow that'd probably work. Thanks! If anyone has any other ideas I'd love to hear em!

 

[rockworm]

Is the siphon break on the top side of your return inlet (i.e. the hole is pointing to the light)? If so, that may be your problem.

I have the siphon break pointed inside the tank so never have a splashing issue.

You will always get air from the return when you start up the pump. The siphon break uses air to prevent over siphoning.

I am not sure if these answers address the issue. I am having a hard time trying to visualize the return and location of the siphon break.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

No its on the front side of the return, like 1" or so above the inlet, facing toward the front of the tank. But obviously when the siphon breaks, it drains down to that hole so it's exposed when the pump turns back... It's not a massive amount of splashing, but it does get some bubbles popping up onto the lights.

 

[rockworm]

Ok. I understand. Not sure why this is happening. It may be a too strong return pump or even bad luck. The siphon hole may be in line with water arcing through a bend in the pipe. Sorry I could not be of more help.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Is your siphon break hole not exposed when the pump is off? It's just a lot of force when the pump starts up (eheim 1262).

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

I was always told the hole should point down towards the water & some splash would be covered by the pipe.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

I was always told the hole should point down towards the water & some splash would be covered by the pipe.

Yeah this thread has made me consider that... Do you have it that way?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

My returns are high up so they do not need a hole, I drain roughly 20 gallons on a shut down on a 250.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

My returns are high up so they do not need a hole, I drain roughly 20 gallons on a shut down on a 250.

Interesting. What kind of returns do you use?

 

[rockworm]

Is your siphon break hole not exposed when the pump is off? It's just a lot of force when the pump starts up (eheim 1262).

Yes, the siphon hole is exposed. It is about 3/4 inch below the waterline. I have a split return and a low gph to my tank. I have about 1300gph that splits to the two returns. I have a 220 tank and rely on powerheads for water movement in the tank.

 

[Baldguy]

You don't need the siphon hole as long as your return outlet is at the surface of the water. I get less than inch that siphons down to the sump.

 

[Indymann99]

You don't need the siphon hole as long as your return outlet is at the surface of the water. I get less than inch that siphons down to the sump.

+1 position the return outlets just under the surface and dont bother with siphon holes.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Indyman, is that a locline sort of deal you have there? I don't have a reef ready tank... What sort of return nozzle do you guys use? With the standard U-nozzle I don't know how to really control how far the inlet is below the water.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

http://gmacreef.com/return-line-plumbing-reef-aquarium-sump/

I'm thinking maybe something like the first option here for mounting to a tank with trim... Thoughts? Am I missing an even better idea? A loc line where I can control the nozzle and raise it up a bit and split it off into 2 might work well too...

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

I use 2 Sea Swirls for the return lines.

 

[davocean]

I think if I read this right it is not a purposely created siphon break hole, but rather the hole on the pump itself, and if so I have seen people use a zip tie and sometimes even a little piece of tubing or something pinched under that zip tie to block that hole and prevent splashing.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Nah mine is the siphon hole I drilled into the return nozzle... Thanks tho. I'm thinking I'll build the idea in that link and just not use my return for much flow. I'll just use powerheads. Seems like the easiest / cheapest solution. Those sea swirls look awesome but are too rich for my blood at this point.

I'm pleased with the decision I came to, and you guys help me come to that, so thanks!