Re: [APD] The siphon saga continues...need safety shutoff!

[Laura Burbage <leuhrich at yahoo_com>]

Hi again,

I looked around and found a website where someone
diagrammed an overflow box and explained how it works.
 It's quite a nice site.  The link is:
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/overflow.htm

The nice thing about an overflow box is that if your
power fails, you won't lose the siphon, then get your
floor wet when the power comes back on.  

The only change I might make to the diagram he gives
is to make the drain to the sump taller, so the top of
it is above the bottom of the siphon.  That way, you
don't have to build the partition in the overflow box.
 Water will remain at the height of the standpipe in
the event of a power outage.

ALSO - it just occurred to me - this type of siphon
SHOULD solve your air in the siphon problem!!!

Additionally, if you went with the 2-siphon route, you
could probably put some sort of seal on the overflow
box (the outside the tank part) to prevent evaporation
from that side.  With the second siphon, the inlet box
would be slightly above the box for the other siphon. 
Water won't flow into it unless the first siphon
stops.  None of this is absolutely fail-proof, but if
you seal the box, I bet it would last until you get
back from your trip.

These boxes can be made from anything.  The inside
tank box part can be just a piece of PVC that is
bigger than your siphon, with a cap on the bottom
(bigger the pipe, the better, to prevent clogging). 
For a quick-and-dirty screen, you could use a couple
layers of cheesecloth.  Or even panty-hose.  The
hardest thing is finding a good way to attach the
outside box to the tank.  Still working on how to do
that.  Something like plastic window box holders,
maybe.  Or nylon bolts to connect it to something
bracket-y around the tank.  Some people shell out the
cash to use those hang-on tanks that they use at the
pet store for this purpose, and I'm sure it works
quite well.

Be sure to note the comment on that site about putting
a tiny hole in the top of the J in your return water
pipe, so that if the power goes out, it doesn't drain
the tank into your sump.  Point the hole down, not up!
(unless you want a tiny fountain!)

Hope this helps,
Laura

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