Drilling Return Line

[realfish]

Picking up on another thread, but since I hadn't done this yet I thought I would ask first. I have set up my tank using the Herbie Method. It was an old tank, so it only had two holes in each overflow which I used for the drain lines. For the return, I went over the back of the tank, splitting the returns before they went into the water. If the return is coming through the overflow, I usually drill the hole right in the crotch of the 90. On my setup, the 90 sits awfully close to the tank wall. If I drill a hole in the return to break the siphon above the water line, I am concerned that it may spray out of the tank.

I was thinking that I would just drill the hole slightly below the water line at a downward angle pointing towards the front of the tank. I think this will be fine, since the water level is going to drop to the level of the overflows anyway. BTW, I do have a check valve on the return, but I want another backup.

Thoughts?

 

[grouper therapy]

I would add a tee and then use a John guest valve with a short run of 1/4 tubing over to the overflow box. No splashing or bubbles and can keep it above the water line. Easily adjusted as well Did this on a friends tank and it worked well. Just one idea.

 

[rdnelson]

Grouper are you talking about the return or the drain? If you are refering to the drain that would be similar to how a Bean Animal is set up correct? But that wouldn't help with the siphon from the return.

Realfish, if you return discharges above where the water enters your overflow box (assuming that is at the top of the tank), you will be fine. As you said, you have to leave enough room in your sump for water to drain down to at least the overflow inlet or drain line bulkheads, whichever is higher. If however your return discharges below that point, you will need to break the siphon or it will continue to drain. That would mean that the return is normally submerged in water and you would drill the tiny hole just below the water line. Then, if the water drops at all, air will be introduced breaking the siphon. You can go very small which means that when the pump comes back on almost no water will exit through the weep hole because it is easier for it to run out of the end of the return line.

Hope that helps.

 

[realfish]

rdnelson99;760296 wrote: you would drill the tiny hole just below the water line. Then, if the water drops at all, air will be introduced breaking the siphon. You can go very small which means that when the pump comes back on almost no water will exit through the weep hole because it is easier for it to run out of the end of the return line.

Hope that helps.

That's what I was thinking of doing.

 

[grouper therapy]

No I was talking about the return line . The 1/4" line doesn't have to run into the overflow but doing so enables one to leave it exposed above the waterline with out injecting bubbles into the display. It also prevents algae from covering or restricting the hole and malfunctioning. I've seen hair algae grow around the small hole and when the siphon starts the hair algae gets pulled into the hole thereby causeing the siphon to continue.

 

[rdnelson]

OK, now I see what you are saying. And I like it. Seems like a very nice clean solution.