Non Return Valve for 16/22 Eheim Hose

[TankWatcher]

Hi all

I was wondering if you can get non return valves, like you use on air lines, that would fit on a hose that is the thickness of an eheim 16/22 hose. I want to use it on the fill hose that connects to the pump that sits permanently in my water storage tank, to prevent that little bit of back syphoning that happens when I turn off the pump once a tank is filled from a wc.

I think at some stage I have contaminated my storage tanks by this annoying back syphoning that happens each time I turn the fill pump off.

Any tips appreciated :)

[DiscusOnly]

What you are looking for is a 16-22mm check valve.

Something like this.

http://www.coralculture.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=3681&osCsid=1fjuf21rjfuiek6huv2f54tcf6

Van

[Mr Wild]

Robyn I just went to the plumbing shop and got a flow through tap. I turn that off at the tank first then I walk through and turn the pump off. Has been working for ages. Tell me if you want a pic. HTH

[Armandi_Fishcarer]

Hi Kath, I will take you on your offer. Can you post a pic of the Tap?

Thanking you in advance!

Regards
Ahmed ;)

[Mr Wild]

Sure I will do it tomorrow when I do their wc and post it in the arvo, no worries!

[TankWatcher]

Hi Kath

Sorry, I missed your kind offer. Thanks for that. I forgot about this thread, as a forum friend is making me a non return valve to fit my hoses, from bits & pieces he bought in Bunnings. I should have it by Tuesday.

He said it cost around $10-12 to make. In case you're interested Ahmed, I'll post a pic of it as well.

I did find other non return valve options, but they were all much more pricey than the one my friend is making for me. He's a very handy, helpful forum friend to have. (He's the same one I mentioned in my sick albino thread - the one with the medical biological / chemistry degree that's got a great knowledge of discus & antibiotics).

[Mr Wild]

Sorry guys I have been really slack with this. Here is a couple of photos of the tap I purchased and put inline. All I do is fill the tank, when the water is high enough I turn the little tap off and walk in and turn my pump off. Stops all back flow. If you are really organised you can just take it to another tank and open the tap and continue to fill that up too!.

HTH

[discussmith]

I just mount my fill tube above the final water level so there can not be any siphoning back from the tank. This also allows the fill line to empty so there is no water remaining in it to get stagnant and cold for the next change. It also costs nothing.

[TankWatcher]

Thanks for the pic Kath - looks a great option, as you can turn the flow off from whereever you are. I'd have a quick connector, so that I could swap it for use on various fill lines. My only concern is if the tap is strong enough to hold off the pressure coming from a hefty eheim pump. What would happen if you got distracted & didn't shut off the pump straight away.

Discussmith, to mount the fill hose above the final water level high, enough to stop the back flow, I'd need to buy something to hold the hose up higher, so that would be a cost for me anyway. Currently, the fill line just hangs over & into the tank (each tank has it's own hose end, so tanks don't share anything that hangs in the water). I don't use hoods on my tanks, so have nothing higher than the glass tank itself on which to hang the fill line.

[tcyiu]

I just mount my fill tube above the final water level so there can not be any siphoning back from the tank. This also allows the fill line to empty so there is no water remaining in it to get stagnant and cold for the next change. It also costs nothing.

I wholeheartedly vote for this solution. The only incremental cost I can think of is a clip to hold the fill hose so that it does not spray water all over the room.

Tim

[TankWatcher]

Hi Tim & discussmith

Always keen to learn to do something in a simpler & cheaper way :) but having trouble picturing how to do this, without having a lower water level in the tanks than I'd like.

I've tried clips before to hold my fill hose in place on the tank (not to stop back syphoning, but to hold the hose in place to stop water spray all over the room ) & the clips I have found have not been strong enough. Often when the pump turned on, the clip couldn't hold the hose in place - so I gave up on that. (Probably, I just have used dodgy clips though.) Each tank has it's own hose end, joined to the main fill line by a quick hose connector. Each hose end is fitted with an eheim filter return hook (these were spares I had lying around). Makes it easy to just hang a hose over the tank rim. Even on those tanks where I usually have to climb up a ladder to feed the fish, I can just hook these over the tank rim without needing the ladder.

If there is a down side to using these hooks, it's that the hook extends into the tank a little bit. For the hook to be above the water fill line, it would mean leaving the tank filled to quite a bit below capacity. I'm not keen to fill the tank any lower, when a non return valve is not a big expense.

But maybe i am just not understanding how you mean for this to work????

[tcyiu]

Hi Tim & discussmith

Always keen to learn to do something in a simpler & cheaper way :) but having trouble picturing how to do this, without having a lower water level in the tanks than I'd like.

Methinks your dodgy clips are the culprit. :-)

I use wood working clamps like these: http://www.toolspot.co.uk/product/black-plastic-clamps. I bought mine at a place called Harbor Freight. A large pack with many sizes for very little money. The goal is to buy the cheapest you can find. We're working near water and these will eventually rust. You want these to be throwaway cheap.

The idea is this: Select a clamp in which your return hose will fit snugly within the "eye" of the clamp. Don't clamp the hose with the orange pads. The clamps are strong and if you squeeze the hose, it may constrict water flow. Clamp the orange pads onto the glass or acrylic, not the hose.

With the hose in the clamp, affix it somewhere along the top of your tank. Position the return so that water will gush out into the tank while making sure the opening is above your desired water level. You may need more than just one clamp to properly position your hose. Turn on the water and get back to the tank to make sure the hose has not shifted due to the sudden increase in water pressure.

Simple as that.

Water does not spray everywhere, and there is absolutely no siphon effect regardless of water level.