Is 1400 GPH too Much?

Discussion in 'General Reef Topics' started by asilefx, Feb 6, 2006.

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  1. Phil5613

    Phil5613 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    Was the leak in the elbow on the underside and a little round hole? that was the anti-siphon. its put here because it the part of the return line that is above the overflow. This means that on a power outage as the water has to travel up and the anti-syphon is there it stops draining the tank at that point. Where you drillied it allows more water to drain to the sump then where it is factory installed. Have you shut the pump down and checked how high it fills your sump when the sump is topped off?
     
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  3. asilefx

    asilefx Skunk Shrimp

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    The leak was coming out of where the elbow meets the ball pivot heads.
    I know there wasn't a hole there, I did try turning the power off several times before I fixed the leak, there was never a break in the suction. The leak was very small.

    I shut the pump down several times before I drilled or fixed the leak, the water just kept coming, when the sump almost overflowed I turned the pump back on.

    I'm waiting for all glass to call me back, the first person I talked to was rather new.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2006
  4. asilefx

    asilefx Skunk Shrimp

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    All glass got back to me, they are sending me a new elbow, $0.50, $5.00 shipping.

    I just hope the new one has a hole in it.

    The hole I drilled can easily be fixed, I have this cool rubber tape, fixes almost anything, doesn't even have to be a dry surface.

    If the new elbow doesn't work I'm opening my drilled hole back up, or drilling the elbow.
     
  5. kb.bear

    kb.bear Peppermint Shrimp

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    the tank level will drop before the syphon is broken
     
  6. asilefx

    asilefx Skunk Shrimp

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    In the overflow it will drop. Did you mean the overflow?
     
  7. Michaelr5

    Michaelr5 Coral Banded Shrimp

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    [​IMG]

    Refering to your picture, The overflow box will drain through the standpipe (2) until it reaches the bottom of the downward pointing spout. Tank water will drain backwards through the return pipe (3) until one of two things happens. If there is a hole (1/8" plenty big) in the corner of the elbow of return (3) as soon as the water goes below that level, the suction will break. Even if this fails, suction will break when the end of the return nozzle breaks the water surface. If you are looking for an immediate break in suction, it won't happen. water level has to go below the level of either the hole or the nozzles. Your sump level should be low enough to accomodate this amount of backflow.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2006
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  9. asilefx

    asilefx Skunk Shrimp

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    I tried a 1/8 hole, it didn't stop the suction, it took a 11/66th "

    1/8 might of worked with a bigger sump, mine almost overflowed with the 1/8, I had to turn the pump back on before it did. My sump has about 5 available gallons, they went real quick.

    I'm going to try a couple different things, see what works best.
     
  10. asilefx

    asilefx Skunk Shrimp

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    I forgot to mention, the water stops before it gets to the downward spout, there is a small hole in the side of the pipe.
     
  11. asilefx

    asilefx Skunk Shrimp

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    Well all is good now.

    I got the elbow today, with the hole.

    I plugged up my drilled hole with my magic rubber tape and all is ok.

    I do find it strange however, that the 1/8th inch hole I made didn't break the suction, yet the 1/8th hole in the elbow does. I guess it has to do with where the hole is placed and the fact that it's out of the water at all times.

    I'm sure in time my first drilled hole would have worked, but not quick enough to stop my sump from overflowing.

    Thanks everyone for all your help in resolving this issue.

    And thanks to All Glass for sending me a bad part and charging me to replace it. Not to mention the fact that my overflow kit didn't come with a 3/4th inch return tube, and they said they would send it with the elbow, hmm, didn't get it. I like the clear tube I bought better anyway.

    As far as I am concerned this doesn't really affect the way I feel about All Glass too much. They still make a good product. I'm surprised they even sold me the piece, considering they do not sell direct.
     
  12. kb.bear

    kb.bear Peppermint Shrimp

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    I'm glad to here you figured it all out.
    5 gallons! thats cutting it VERY close