more questions

[frisco]

hello all, I have more questions for you all. last night did a initial test with my 50gal, filled up with freshwater to test equipment. I have a wet dry del-ray 125, with a rio 1700 pump, took out all media and left it as a sump only. so a friend and I were working on the tank and got the sump going. my question is on the actual wet/dry, were the pump sits, the is a mark saying water level. is this were the water level should be at all the time? next question. once we got it running and the initial water level goes down from the tank do we add water from the top or from the sump it self. well we did found out in a quick way. we began adding to the water level on the top and the wet dry over flowed!! only alittle leaked out to the carpet but flooded the inside of the stand!(thank god we were still sitting next to the tank when it happened!!) I also have a concern, my understanding is if for some reason the power would go out, pumps stops working and i would have that same problem over again, how do I go about preventing this problem? Is this what an overflow is for and how do i get one? I don't want to be worried about my house being flooded if I am not their. what kind do i need ? does it have to do how powereful my pump is?

thanks for all your responses!!

here is the specs on the rio 1700 pump
Rio 1700(5.1"x2.7"x3.7") Flow (gph) 642 620 486 418 352 165 23

 

[Barney]

I'm going to draw up a pic for you to see what need to be done.

 

[Barney]

notice the set up I have drawn. Look for the red dot, You will need to drill a 1/8 of a inch hole just right underneath the water level when the tank is in operation. This is creating a siphon break should power fail. This would help stop the water from continously backflowing into your sump/wetdry.

The water level in your sump will go down just enough to the water line, When the pump cease to operate, the water level will rise in the sump but should automatically cut off with the siphon break.

Hope this helps, I too have been where you are when I first set up my first wet dry.

 

[frisco]

0k, I am a little confused, you say drill a hole in the tank below water line? will their be a tube placed in their for the water? not sure what you mean. thanks for your response. I'm new to all this.

thanks

 

[Barney]

ok.. water will be flowing right? when power stops. it acts like a vacumm going the oposit direction. you will need to break that vacumm by allowing air to enter as the water get lower about 1/8 th to 1/2 inch drop.

Makes sense?

 

[frisco]

ok i see, at that point does the water flow into the overflow box or into the sump. sorry for all the questions

 

[Barney]

it will flow from both point into your sump.

Your overflow should quit depending on how you have the overflow inside the tank set.

The other end, will continue to backflow unless there is a siphon break.

 

[d9hp]

Barney, that is some good explaining. I like the diagram

With my system, you do not need a syphon break because the level in my sump is so low.

 

[Barney]

thats great... you have a 10 gallon sump and a 7 gallon bowfront right? so it kinda balance out depending on how you had the returns and overflows set. Some of the ready made returns and overflows are so deep into the water that it takes a lot of water before it finally break. I think it all depends on the brand, how it is set up, and the user.

 

[d9hp]

I did it myself and the return is just nylon tubing connected onto an elbow. I need to find a way to secure it, right now it is tied on with yarn to my hood (I know really sucky engineering) Help please.

 

[Barney]

thats great... you have a 10 gallon sump and a 7 gallon bowfront right? so it kinda balance out depending on how you had the returns and overflows set. Some of the ready made returns and overflows are so deep into the water that it takes a lot of water before it finally break. I think it all depends on the brand, how it is set up, and the user.

 

[Barney]

do you have a photo? I would be glad to offer my assistance.

 

[d9hp]

Ok, I took some pictures. I am think some kind of clamp that I can just hang it onto the back pane of the tank, I dont like turning off the pump just to get into the tank.

 

[d9hp]

I am not the smartest person in the world, It seems I always forget the pictures.

 

[Barney]

If there is a possiblitiy of you making this change, I think it would work. I know there is a pvc set up just like that on mine.

 

[Barney]

I am not the smartest person in the world, It seems I always forget the pictures.

Well me either, I can't spell this evening.
8)

 

[d9hp]

BUMP*

Barney, I dont understand what you mean? Mine is like that put blows around when the pump is on if i dont have it secured

 

[Barney]

let me see if i can find a way to get a picture of what i have and how it is set on my tank.... Sorry i wasn t clear with the diagram.

but my hose is snug from where it rest on the tank all the way to the pump, so not much room to move it around. I have to lift the pump a little bit to get it off if i need to, but lately i have not.