which valve

[spscrackhead]

i am adding a T to my overflow and off the T i am putting a valve which will normally be off and when i want to do a wc, ill open that bad boy up and water from the overflow will go into a bucket. which type of valve should i go with?

[Big Boy69]

You could use a regular ball vavle.

[spscrackhead]

ok thanks. which are the best check valves?

[hebygb]

will that be enough water for a water change... typically that would be less than an inch of water that would come out of the tank via the overflow... could be as little as 2% of the water volume.... Unless I am missing something.

[rustybucket145]

Check valves are notoriously undependable. I'd do anything I could to get around using one. And I especially would NEVER rely on one.

[spscrackhead]

owww good point. now the T moves to the return pump

[spscrackhead]

i will also incorperate a siphon break

[spscrackhead]

would that be a better choice?

[rustybucket145]

siphon break would be better than check valve but still not fail safe. The holes can become encrusted with salt creep and close up over time. You need to regularly 'poke' it to keep it clear. The best way in my opinion is to have one of your loclines positioned just barely under the water level. This will act as your siphon break.

Safest way of all would be to have a sump large enough to handle all the overflow but in some cases that's just not practical.

You do realize that the amount of water you will be able to drain off with your method is only going to be equal (or slightly greater) than the amount of water present in your sumps return chamber.

[flamenco-t]

do 2 siphon breaks and have one submerged under water at all time. This way you'll never have to worry about salt creeping in the hole.

stan

[rustybucket145]

do 2 siphon breaks and have one submerged under water at all time. This way you'll never have to worry about salt creeping in the hole.

Ahh! but you will then have to worry about coraline and algae growing over it. And corals. And the one above water would be 'peeing' all the time.

[bill_t]

Originally posted by hebygb
will that be enough water for a water change... typically that would be less than an inch of water that would come out of the tank via the overflow...

So long as the return pump is returning, the water level won't change in the main tank. The flow to the sump is being diverted to a bucket… the main tank isn't involved, business as usual as far as its concerned. The water level will change in the sump.

[spscrackhead]

well i have my return outlet about an inch or so under the water so i should be good.