Drip systems.....who uses them?

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For you guys running a drip on large tanks with sumps, when the power cuts out how do you not lose a ton of water through the drain? I'm working on a tank now, it is looking like if the pump shuts off it will flow roughly 50 gal into the sump, if the sump is constantly at the drain level because of the drip doesn't that all flow right out? I'd like a drip system, however this is something I have no been able to find an answer to yet.
 
fishguy306 said:
For you guys running a drip on large tanks with sumps, when the power cuts out how do you not lose a ton of water through the drain? I'm working on a tank now, it is looking like if the pump shuts off it will flow roughly 50 gal into the sump, if the sump is constantly at the drain level because of the drip doesn't that all flow right out? I'd like a drip system, however this is something I have no been able to find an answer to yet.
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When you have a sump set up in a drip system your gonna have the drain in the sump and not in the tank........just make sure the drainnoutlets in the sump can handle the back flow from the main tank when the power goes off
 
That I understand, drain will be say 2/3 of the way up the side of the sump, water is dripped into the tank, the excess flows out of the sump.

But say my power cuts out, pump shuts off. The water level drops an inch in the tank, roughly 50 gal flow out of the tank into the sump, which rises above the drain for the drip, sending all 50 gals out of the system.

My question is do you guys have a way around this? I'm sure my sumps will be able to handle it, they wont run dry when the pump kicks back on and it'll only be 5 or 6 hours before the drip fills it back up, but if I could avoid having that much water flow out it would be good
 
fishguy306 said:
That I understand, drain will be say 2/3 of the way up the side of the sump, water is dripped into the tank, the excess flows out of the sump.

But say my power cuts out, pump shuts off. The water level drops an inch in the tank, roughly 50 gal flow out of the tank into the sump, which rises above the drain for the drip, sending all 50 gals out of the system.

My question is do you guys have a way around this? I'm sure my sumps will be able to handle it, they wont run dry when the pump kicks back on and it'll only be 5 or 6 hours before the drip fills it back up, but if I could avoid having that much water flow out it would be good
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Thats a good question......i guess just hurry up and fill the sump up when the power turns back on lol

Or u could connect it to another small sump/barrell which could also fill up from the back syphon from the tank.....when the pump starts back up it will drain most of the water back......honestly this was just an idea lol
 
I will be using a reefkeeper, so I might be able to set something up that says if the pump shuts off open valve for X seconds then close. Could connect that to a solenoid with a water barrel. That said, every time I want to turn off the pump for feeding or tank cleaning or anything having to deal with that would get old. I feel like I'm missing something lol
 
fishguy306 said:
I will be using a reefkeeper, so I might be able to set something up that says if the pump shuts off open valve for X seconds then close. Could connect that to a solenoid with a water barrel. That said, every time I want to turn off the pump for feeding or tank cleaning or anything having to deal with that would get old. I feel like I'm missing something lol
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I habe 2 above ground sumps for my 600 so my drip and drain are both connected to the tank......sorry i cant help much
 
fishguy306 said:
No worries! I appreciate the thoughts regardless!
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not a big issue imo... u just set ur sump drip drain to a level where if the power goes off ur pumps dont run dry, easy to test by unplugging the pump... u get a bonus water change as it fills back up... i actually flip my breaker off on purpose to dump all 10 of my systems for a "mini-change" sometimes.
 
Ok, so yes I am over thinking it then. I was just worried with the main tank, plus 4 or 5 smaller tanks between 75 and 125 being too much. But I guess if I put the drain near the top, my two sumps connected will have nearly 300 gal so it shouldn't be an issue
 
wednesday13 said:
not a big issue imo... u just set ur sump drip drain to a level where if the power goes off ur pumps dont run dry, easy to test by unplugging the pump... u get a bonus water change as it fills back up... i actually flip my breaker off on purpose to dump all 10 of my systems for a "mini-change" sometimes.
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Yea but what if the water that goes from the sump back into the main tank when the power comes back on isnt enough to overfloe back into the sump and the pump runs dry
 
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