I’m going to use one of the four bulkheads in the internal overflow as a drain for changing water. My plan is to hook up pvc up and over the overflow to a level a few inches below the water line that will allow to pump out about 20% of the water before the water falls below the pvc end. If I set up the external pump underneath the tanks and run a hose from the pump output to the sink will the water drain when I pump the water on or will I have to prime it? If I have to prime it - how would I do this ?
Pump priming question
- Thread starter Picesduh
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Reeferdood
2500 Club Member
Can you post a picture or draw a schematic of your project? The only way I can think of not having to prime a pump is to use check valves and they sometimes fail due to bad seals...
marvelousone
Well-Known Member
By the way that's looks no priming will be needed. Make the overflow pipe like the bean style.
marvelousone
Well-Known Member
Look up bean style overflow where you use a tee and put a small hole in it so it will pull vacuum. I can post a picture later when I get home
chipmunkofdoom2
Always Making Something
The way the system is diagrammed might work. The valve you drew should be a regular ball valve, and I would put it closer to the pump. The first time you use the system, you'll need to prime it. After the first water change, shut off the pump and close the ball valve. Then, water will stay in that tube until the next time you need to do a change. Once you open the valve for your next change, the water in the tube will start a siphon, and turning the pump on will push the water up to the sink.
I personally don't think I would structure my system this way. I wouldn't want a piece of PVC to be in the tank all the time if I really only need it there when I'm doing water changes. But, the system you drew would work.
I personally don't think I would structure my system this way. I wouldn't want a piece of PVC to be in the tank all the time if I really only need it there when I'm doing water changes. But, the system you drew would work.
KrisReef
10K Club member
If the sink is lower than the tank water level you will not need a pump except to speed up the water flow out of the tank.
The suggested addition of a small hole in the u shaped intake is so that the pipe will fill with water as you refill the tank. The current set up would pump the intake dry once the tank level is low enough to draw air. Once that line is filled with air, refilling the tank will not purge the air out of the line and you would need to prime it again for discharge.
The problem with the small hole is that it would cause the pump to draw in air with the current configuration. To avoid an air lock, this is a configuration that would function as self priming.
The suggested addition of a small hole in the u shaped intake is so that the pipe will fill with water as you refill the tank. The current set up would pump the intake dry once the tank level is low enough to draw air. Once that line is filled with air, refilling the tank will not purge the air out of the line and you would need to prime it again for discharge.
The problem with the small hole is that it would cause the pump to draw in air with the current configuration. To avoid an air lock, this is a configuration that would function as self priming.
