Kbra
Valuable Member
I'm looking at switching my check valves out to soft close check valves. But as you'd suspect they are spring dampened. I found some that use stainless steel springs. Will that be ok in the reef?
Stainless Steel Spring in Reef OK?
- Thread starter Kbra
- Start date
- Tagged users None
_Alex_
Valuable Member
Get this a you won't have to worry about it
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/spears-true-union-check-valve.html
-Alex-
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/spears-true-union-check-valve.html
-Alex-
Why do you have a check valve in the first place? They are not recommended in reef systems and are a flood waiting to happen. If the return is designed properly a check valve should never be needed since only a very small, easily calculated amount of water can possible backsiphone before the return is exposed to atmosphere and you have an air gap, the best method of backflow prevention known to man and which requires zero maintanance and cannot be defeated. I have a 100G display and only 3.5 gallons can possible flow back to the sump before the drilled returns are exposed and the siphon breaks. No need for any drilled holes or check valves and I can sleep soundly at night.
With check valves, it does not have to be a catastrophic failure, even a trickle from a grain of sand, small snail, chunk of food or algea or anything can defeat it and flood given time. Plus check valves cause headloss in the plumbing you must overcome.
With check valves, it does not have to be a catastrophic failure, even a trickle from a grain of sand, small snail, chunk of food or algea or anything can defeat it and flood given time. Plus check valves cause headloss in the plumbing you must overcome.
OP
OP
Kbra
Valuable Member
With a 500 gallon system that drain down is much bigger and yes so is my sump but not enough. I have a sump emergency overflow so if something did fail it won't flood. So I sleep well at night too. I just want to eliminate the water hammer effect
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 4 Beta
The surface area of your 108"x30" display is 3240 square inches. If the returns are 1" below the surface the suction would break at that point and a maximum of 14.02 gallons could possibly flow back to your sump from thedisplay. Thats not really that much water to provide room for. Your 60x24 sump should hold 6.2 gallons per vertical inch and I am cinfident you do not run your sump clear to the top so only a little over 2" is all the room that is required to contain than 14 gallons. Your sump probably has that much room at all times if it is like most?
I just hate to see check valves relied upon when so many fail every day. They are a false sense of security at best.
I just hate to see check valves relied upon when so many fail every day. They are a false sense of security at best.
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2007
- Messages
- 6,381
- Reaction score
- 4,853
- Location
- Waukesha, Wi
- What state or country do you live in
- Wisconsin
How did you come up with 35 gallons for 1" of the tank and some 1.5" piping?
108"x30"x1"/231= 14.02 gallons and 1.5" Sch 40 PVC pipe holds 10.6 gallons per 100 linear feet of pipe and I'm pretty sure you don't have 100 feet under your stand? Sch 80 pipe holds 9.2 gallons per 100 feet so is even less if thats what you used.
108"x30"x1"/231= 14.02 gallons and 1.5" Sch 40 PVC pipe holds 10.6 gallons per 100 linear feet of pipe and I'm pretty sure you don't have 100 feet under your stand? Sch 80 pipe holds 9.2 gallons per 100 feet so is even less if thats what you used.
