This ever happen to you?

[naso tang]

Was feeding the fish last night, turned off the pumps like I usually do. Come back 15 min later, and the sump is overflowing, dumped like 10 gals or more on the carpet. Guess my check valve got stuck open. Doh! Gotta take it off line and clean it, ordered As new one just in case....

[50 cube]

Never happened me, that's cuz I know
Check valves suck!!!!!!!!


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[h20poloman]

John! I'm stunned you rely on a check valve...tsk tsk tsk...never rely on one those man!

[naso tang]

I know, my return line from my overflow is low so I can't do anti siphon. I suppose I could do a gate valve but I'd have to close it every time I feed. Just lazy I guess, at least it's not a Home Depot check valve with a spring, learned that lesson already...

[DaveMorris]

Use an airline to set up a siphon break. Its not to tough.

[VW REEFS]

lol to many critters grow in those lines.....all my intakes have small holes drilled on the underside to prevent back suction...

[naso tang]

Use an airline to set up a siphon break. Its not to tough.

I'll have to look into this one, thanks. The return is halfway down the skimmer box, not quite sure how to make this happen but I'll look into it.

[naso tang]

lol to many critters grow in those lines.....all my intakes have small holes drilled on the underside to prevent back suction...

I wonder if it would help to drill a hole in the elbow inside the skimmer box and then stick airline into that. Will the return spray up the airline? Without the airline, the skimmer box would empty a few inches before the siphon break instead of the tank volume. Should work...

[DaveMorris]

Loop the airline so that it points back into the overflow, but above the water line. Be careful when you test it.

[jason142]

Not sure if everyone can do this but I always make sure that my water level in my sump is at the height if I loose power the tank siphons into the sump but does not overflow.

[naso tang]

Not sure if everyone can do this but I always make sure that my water level in my sump is at the height if I loose power the tank siphons into the sump but does not overflow.

Yeah the return is too low in the overflow box to make that happen. I had this tank custom built but they forgot to drill the return hole in the overflow so I made the error of picking a spot to drill to get under the standpipe due to space constraints in the overflow. I can drill the elbow but am afraid I have to drain the tank half way and take the elbow out to do it since i can't get my drill into the overflow box. Doh!

[naso tang]

Thanks a bunch guys, you've given me some solutions and helped me relearn one of the most fundamental lessons in plumbing setup! My other tank fortunately does have anti siphons in the returns which are at the top of the waterline, so no dependence on check valve on that system!

[BigAir]

You can buy a extra long drill bit to reach.

[naso tang]

I think I can reach the elbow with my drill. However, given the plumbing design I'm still not sure the anti siphon will eliminate the need for a check valve. This return is several inches below the water surface, so even if I break siphon with airline, nothing stops this sucker from draining by gravity w/o the check valve (I think). I'll drill it and put the airline in anyway. But won't know for sure if it's protective unless the check valve quits again.

[Jreed983]

Your right, with the return that far down, even with a syphon break it's going to keep draining because at that point it is pressure forcing the water down, not a syphon pulling it down.

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