Sump

[nathan01]

When having the return pump from the sump can i cut a hole in the bottom of the tank then have the return pipes fed up through they and spread accross the tank, or would there be a risk of water emptying back into the sump.Can you get valves to stop this,As i dont really want pipes at the top of the tank.
Advice appreciated

 

[andywg]

When having the return pump from the sump can i cut a hole in the bottom of the tank then have the return pipes fed up through they and spread accross the tank, or would there be a risk of water emptying back into the sump.Can you get valves to stop this,As i dont really want pipes at the top of the tank.
Advice appreciated

You could try non return valves, but few are 100% and even those can fail.

When doing a sump I always plan for the worst, including the worst possible system of failures.

One possible way it would work would be to have the pipe come up through the bottom and rise straight to just above the water surface. Then have the pipe go back down under the water. Just above the water surface drill a couple of holes in the return pipe large enough to break the syphon should the return pump be turned off for any reason.

By having more than one hole you reduce the risk of a snail covering the hole as the return pump fails.

 

[nathan01]

ok well im going to put a weir in there so would i do something inside the box of the weir in some way so i see as little pipe as possible
Thank You

 

[nathan01]

I have tried to draw what you have explained, is this correct and would this prevent the water going back into the sump, or could i even make the pipes shorter or would they need to be above the water line?
P.S sorry for the poor drawing lol

Thanks

http/s110.photobucket.com/albums/n86/sto...urrent=Weir.jpg

 

[nathan01]

bump.

 

[andywg]

That should work fine. I employed something similar on my old reef, but the hole was in the back not the bottom. So long as you have the pipes break the water's surface and have holes above the "resting" water level (where the water falls to once the pump is turned off) you should be fine.

To save people clicking out I have IMG tagged the pic to here.

 

[nathan01]

THANKS i cant do that lol.

 

[andywg]

THANKS i cant do that lol.

It's easy.

With photobucket just copy the [ img] line from under the picture.

With any other picture, just find it's address and do

[img]picture address[/img]