Where to add water from the ATO - Stop the SIPHON...

[Flexin]

Hi all, it's been a bit. I got a 15 gal IM ATO reservoir. Beautiful. Unfortunately it is higher than my sump so my hose can be below the water line. What is everyone else doing to stop the siphon of fresh water into the sump?

• I can raise the end of the exit side of the tube above the waterline in the sump. This will have water falling almost a foot since the waterline in my return chamber is much lower.
• I have an older Smart ATO that did not come with siphon valve. I can find one of those.
• I read someone someone was putting the exit hose in a larger tube, not sure about this one.
• Keep the water line in my ATO reservoir below by exit tube. (But that's why I got this large ATO Res right...)

Am I missing anything? There is no place for this in the DT since the water level does not go down even in the overflow.

Thanks for any help and hope everyone is well....

 

[LAChief]

The exit side of the Top off water should most definitely be above the water line in the sump. The fall does not matter unless your pump rate is high enough to cause splash and generate salt creep. You can add the top-off water anywhere in the DT or sump, it does not have to be at the return chamber. Only the sensor(s) need to be located in the return chamber.

As long as the exit of the top off water tube is not submerged, and it is located above the Max water line in the reservoir, you will not have a siphon in either direction.

 

[Reef.]

Not an expert on these things, but I would feel it safer to have the tube out of the water, a valve to break a siphon is all well and good but if it’s triggered would that stop the ato from working and need to be restarted?

I would go for the simple safe option.

 

[ca1ore]

As long as the level sensors are in the sump, you can have the top off water plumbed into the display. Just make sure the outlet is above the water level. Back siphon valves prevent water from backing into the reservoir. Easiest approach is to use an air gap. Essentially your ATO line attached to a larger pipe that has an air opening.

 

[Gtinnel]

An air gap as described above is how I prevent mine from siphoning. I attached a piece of pvc to the side of the pvc coming up from my return pump so that it stuck up nearly to the bottom of the tank. Then I just put the ends of any hoses just down into the top of that pipe. It allows me to have the output of the ato pump high enough that it won't siphon but still contained the water doesn't doesn't splash everywhere.

 

[58e970b2-3f88-4897-87ba-5]

If you need to have your reservoir above the outlet you could put a siphon break valve at the highest point in the line.

If that isn’t an option you can also split the line and run one up
to let air in. You just need to go high enough that the pump pressure won’t spray water out this tube. This may take some experimentation to get working.

Word of warning with these ideas. If your method of breaking the siphon clogs you will be in trouble.
I haven’t tried with RO, but with salt water algae and other growth in the pipes can cause it to clog and fail.

 

[Gtinnel]

If you need to have your reservoir above the outlet you could put a siphon break valve at the highest point in the line.

Assuming the siphon break valve you refer to is a one way check valve then I don't think this would work because the siphon would be in the direction of normal flow.

If that isn’t an option you can also split the line and run one up
to let air in. You just need to go high enough that the pump pressure won’t spray water out this tube. This may take some experimentation to get working.

I think this would work and actually on the air line you could use a check valve to allow air to flow into the line but not allow the water to flow out so that you wouldn't have to extend it high enough to have the head pressure prevent flow.

 

[58e970b2-3f88-4897-87ba-5]

https://www.boatus.com/expert-advice/expert-advice-archive/2018/april/anti-siphon-valve-basics
Looks like I had the name wrong.
If your setup is what I am imagining I think one of these is an option...if you can source one that fits with your setup.
Not saying you should use it, just want to make sure you have all your options on the table.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

this is what i do for a siphon break. My ATO is about 3 ft above my sump.

 

[Reef - Tripp]

Please help me fix my ato siphoning problem.

Hey guys, so I’m having an issue with my ato setup that when the pump shuts off, the water continues from the resevoir into the sump. Below I attached pictures. The red circle depicts the “anti-siphon valve” while the Blue circle shows the outlet of the ato hose. It’s hard to see in the pic but...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Flexin]

this is what i do for a siphon break. My ATO is about 3 ft above my sump.

Is that a big tube in a little tube?

 

[Flexin]

I will look for a longer tube and run it up to my overflow in the DT. Thanks everyone for all the info!!!!

 

[stanlalee]

I $2 one way check valve solved that for me. Only time I've really had a problem with the tubing siphoning is water changes when I fill the tank or turn the pump off for feeding and my back chamber level rose above the ato tube. As a bonus the added resistance helped slow the rate of the ato pump which was ideal in my case.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Is that a big tube in a little tube?

Other way around lol but yes. Blue line is standard ro tubing from the pump.