Sump overflow...HELP

[rush07]

So I was getting ready to do my weekly WC and unplugged the sump return pump and my skimmer as I always do. Trouble is that I am getting a reverse flow back down the return hose and it overflowed the sump. I was standing nest to the tank and was able to turn it back on before losing too much water, but why is this happening? Is there a siphon break whole that could be plugged? I have never had this issue before and can't figure out why it is happening now.:mad2:

 

[davocean]

Siphon breaks can plug pretty easy.
My return is locklines, and I keep them fairly high so siphon is minimal and my sump will accomidate it.

 

[rush07]

Should there be a siphon break hole in the return somewhere? I have not been able to find it if there is. The tank is drilled with AGA Megaflow plumbing.

What are locklines?

 

[davocean]

Some people drill siphon breaks, but I wouldn't depend on that.
They can be clogged by coraline/ whatever.
Locklines are the flexable segmented return lines.
I bend mine so they are close to surface for this reason.

 

[PatMayo]

The siphon break is on the inside of the elbow where your return if located. It's on the inside. I took a heavy duty paperclip and bent it so I could reach in there and break any stuff away. I can tell when it starts to get plugged because I can't hear the water rushing out of it.

I suppose you can drill your own hole as well. But the is there. You just need to fine it.

Regards,

Pat

 

[rush07]

OK. Thanks for the replies. My tank is pretty much free of algae, but when I looked into the overflow, it is full on hair algae and I could not make out anything. I will search for it and also bend my locklines up toward the surface more. Thanks again.

 

[JOSEPHLB]

Not to hijack this thread or anything, but it is on the topic anyway

If you are DIY'ing a return line, couldn't a check valve be plumbed into it, preventing a siphon as well??

 

[rustybucket145]

Check valves become pretty much useless as coraline and algae grows in them. They no longer function properly.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Check valves and siphon break holes both fail. The best method is to keepthe returns close enough to the surface so with a slight amount of backsiphonage they break the surface and stop the siphon. Its almost foolproof as long as you keep them close to the top and always maintain enough room in the sump for a worst case backflow. My sump will safely hold 8 gallons of backflow above the high water level and my returns only siphon about 4 back so I have plenty of freeboard.
Think of your tank as a minature wastewater treatment plant, it has slime, algae, food, barnacles etc in it all the time so you can see how a grain of sand or grit or even a slime coating will defeat a check valve or drilled hole. They are last resort scenarios for a tank that has been modified after the fact. Do it right the first time.