Help Installing Siphon Break on ATO

[Duncan Tse]

I moved my ATO line from the top of my tank down to my sump and it won't stop pulling water from the reservoir. I'm guessing I have to install some kind of siphon break since my reservoir is higher than my sump.

Do I drill a hole above the water line of the reservoir tank or the sump?

 

[dank reefer]

Your best bet is to install a check valve on your line.

 

[dbowman5]

kind of out of the box thinking but could you get a tube with a funnel to allow the ATO line to end above the reservoir and feed into the funnel draining through the tube into the sump. if you were using small diameter ATO line it could just pour into a larger diameter hose for the drop to the sump.

 

[SPR1968]

Assuming it’s not just gravity fed, you drill a hole above the reservoir end out of the water so when the pump turns off It sucks air in

It will however squirt water out when your pump comes on so you need to have it pointing back down into the reservoir

The other way is to install a T connector in the line and connect a piece of hose to the T part higher up so water doesn’t come out of it

i have both types in my larger system for different applications

 

[dbowman5]

I moved my ATO line from the top of my tank down to my sump and it won't stop pulling water from the reservoir. I'm guessing I have to install some kind of siphon break since my reservoir is higher than my sump.

Do I drill a hole above the water line of the reservoir tank or the sump?

to answer your exact question the siphon break would be above the reservoir level.

 

[bcarm]

Lots of good info here:

Please help me fix my ato siphoning problem.

Like that diagram above add a longer hose that goes up then down, this alone would fix the issue. Also move your syphon break just above your water line in the resevior, you don't have to drill a hole that's what the syphon break is for.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[JoshH]

kind of out of the box thinking but could you get a tube with a funnel to allow the ATO line to end above the reservoir and feed into the funnel draining through the tube into the sump. if you were using small diameter ATO line it could just pour into a larger diameter hose for the drop to the sump.

Not so out of the box, a very standard fix to this issue actually as it's incredibly easy to implement. Lots of ways to fix this issue and another is to take your 1/4" line and run it into a T fitting that is above the waterline in the ATO container. Have a short piece of 1/4" tubing (about a foot) run vertically out of the T and another run into the sump and you're done

 

[Duncan Tse]

Not so out of the box, a very standard fix to this issue actually as it's incredibly easy to implement. Lots of ways to fix this issue and another is to take your 1/4" line and run it into a T fitting that is above the waterline in the ATO container. Have a short piece of 1/4" tubing (about a foot) run vertically out of the T and another run into the sump and you're done

Thanks I like this idea. Can the airline coming out of the T fitting be placed below the water line of the reservoir or does it have to have be out of water?

 

[ca1ore]

Not so out of the box, a very standard fix to this issue actually as it's incredibly easy to implement. Lots of ways to fix this issue and another is to take your 1/4" line and run it into a T fitting that is above the waterline in the ATO container. Have a short piece of 1/4" tubing (about a foot) run vertically out of the T and another run into the sump and you're done

Yup …. that's the way I have always done it. Just like the airgap on those kitchen RO faucets. Earlier post suggested a check valve … which obviously won't work LOL.

 

[JoshH]

Thanks I like this idea. Can the airline coming out of the T fitting be placed below the water line of the reservoir or does it have to have be out of water?

I usually leave a gap of about an inch or two between the outlet of the RO line and the water level in the sump, this can help keep salt creep off the line itself over time however you can run it right into the sump water if you wish. Your siphon break is the T so once the flow stops anything from the T down will flow into the sump and anything from the T back to the ATO will flow back into the ATO container.

Quick little doodle to give you a picture

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I usually leave a gap of about an inch or two between the outlet of the RO line and the water level in the sump, this can help keep salt creep off the line itself over time however you can run it right into the sump water if you wish. Your siphon break is the T so once the flow stops anything from the T down will flow into the sump and anything from the T back to the ATO will flow back into the ATO container.

Quick little doodle to give you a picture

Old thread to bring up but thanks for the picture! I bought a big ole 8 gallon ATO and it was higher than my sump. I followed this picture and its all good.

 

[JoshH]

Old thread to bring up but thanks for the picture! I bought a big ole 8 gallon ATO and it was higher than my sump. I followed this picture and its all good.

Glad to see it working for you as well. It's never a bad idea to occasionally pop these threads back up for fresh eyes to see. You might have unknowingly helped out someone else by bringing it back up for them to read.