Powerheads vs. Return lines

[Deveausome]

I have an Iwaki 1800 gph return pump. I want to use the pump to return the water into the tank as powerheads. I have a six foot 125 gallon tank custom drilled with the overflows two feet apart in the middle of the tank and return lines coming off the bottom of the tank going upward towords the top in each back corner. I want to put a piece of pvc in each corner with three outlets one six inches from the top and so forth on both sides acting as the powerheads. I 'd like to know what people think about this idea and will I need more?
Thanks,
Eric

 

[Anonymous]

I think it's a bad idea. If you don't have a syphon break above the water line, and your pump goes out, your water will drain down to the pipe. 3" of water on a 125 is a lot of water to account for in the sump.

You could take the piping up to the top of the water and then back into the tank.

B

 

[Anonymous]

Good call, Bingo.

 

[Deveausome]

You guy's are absolutely right. I definitely need to go up to the top of the water with the return and then back down to the bottom again with the outlets making certain to have a siphon break close to the top of water level. I am glad you said something before I made that stupid mistake. Are there any places anyone could recomend I look for some diagrams on successful systems with this type of set-up?
Thanks,
Eric

 

[Tanker]

Just a thought but couldn't you add a one way valve to the return lines so that when you do have a siphon break the water would be stopped from returning to the sump ?

 

[Deveausome]

I will look into that!
Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Anonymous]

Just a thought but couldn't you add a one way valve to the return lines so that when you do have a siphon break the water would be stopped from returning to the sump ?

You could but it could get clogged with gunk, amongst other things.

For me, I'd do a closed loop with the pump to the tank, and then have a smaller sump return, since you really don't need that volume going through the sump.

 

[Tanker]

I was just going to add that to my post i would also guess you would lose a little more pressure from the pump having to keep the valve open.

 

[Anonymous]

Not if you use a sump check valve (no relation to our sumps ), their flapper has next to zero resistance, however finding one now without any metal in it might be problematic.

 

[mr_X]

Not if you use a sump check valve (no relation to our sumps ), their flapper has next to zero resistance, however finding one now without any metal in it might be problematic.

have you ever taken a good look at those? at first glance i would think a little algae would restrict the flap from fully closing. :?

 

[cindre2000]

Most will stop working after a month or two, and you will not know until the power goes out and your sump overflows (which of course happens when you are out of town). DO NOT RELY ON CHECK VALVES!!!

Over the side returns with siphon holes are nearly flawless.

 

[Tanker]

Well I have a sump currently in the works and was thinking of having the return as a spray bar above the water line suctioned to the back of the tank that way you wouldn't siphon any water back to the sump via return lines.

 

[mr_X]

i don't think you don't want it above the water. it will create alot of bubbles and salt creep. just below the surface would be better, then it would only siphon a little water until it is exposed in the event of a power outtage.

 

[cindre2000]

I sort of disagree. As long as there is not too much flow going though each of the holes in the spray bar, and it is not really high off the water, the bubbles would be manageable.

 

[mr_X]

well..you don't know until you try i guess :wink:

 

[Tanker]

Yeah the holes would be fairly large so that the water would pour out instead of actually spraying from pressure.

Hmm...what if you had the bar sitting half in the water and the holes were drilled in the top of the bar causing the water to overflow out ( did that make sense )

tanker

 

[Deveausome]

You Guys are GREAT!!!! I appreciate all of the good ideas. My last reef tank was extreamly sucessfull but my return line was drilled next to my overflow so I had to come up thru my overflow with my return line then out to the corners (At the top of the overflow) and back down at the corners to imitate powerheads. I drilled holes at the water level to create just a little turbulence and keep a break in the siphon. I just bought a 125 gallon tank for $150.00. It was custom drilled with 4 holes evenly spaced along the back of the tank. I purchased overflows and can install them either on the inside holes or the outside holes. I just get 6 bulkheads 2 for the bottoms of the overflows and 2 for the overflow at the glass level and 2 for the return lines. The overflows and extra bulkheads only cost me $100.00 so the price of the tank was still worth it. I have decided to to go to the surfase of the water drill a hole to stop the siphon and go down at the corners with the return holes to replace the use of powerheads. I am thinking about putting a srinkler system controler on the return line and putting the return lines faceing opposite directions and putting it on a 12 hours one way and 12 hours the other way to somehow mimic the tides.
Please let me know what you guys think.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[davidbryden]

why would a one way valve on the return pipe get jammed? if you are not running a fuge the water from the sump back to the tank should theoretically not have anything that would jam the valve

 

[Anonymous]

biofouling. Can't stop it from clogging or jaming anything that moves.

 

[Anonymous]

biofouling. Can't stop it from clogging or jaming anything that moves.

That and any thing that moves will fail at some point in time. In most cases at the worst possible time.