Can't stabilize the water level

[Dburr1014]

thats exactly what was happening, thats why i turned off the ato

The ATO should be in the last chamber with your return pump. And I mean the floats and the where the water goes in.

 

[Greybeard]

Seems like a design problem, but I can't really tell.

A sump system is _supposed_ to work like this: Main tank is 'full'. Any additional water put into the tank pushes water out the overflow, to the sump. Capacity of the overflow system should exceed the capability of the pump pushing water to the tank. This way, the tank is 'full'... all the time. Pump is pushing water into it, but since it's full, that's just overflowing back to the sump. Tank level should NEVER vary.

From the tank, water flows through one or more areas in the sump. All but the last of these areas work just like the tank does. The area is 'full'. Any additional water flows to the next section. That's true until you get to the return compartment. That, and only that section has a variable water line. It'll go down as water evaporates, up as it's refilled, manually or by ATO system.

If your tank water level varies, then I'd suspect that the return pump is too big for the overflow. There is no way to 'tune' a system so that overflow and return are balanced... it'd be a constant game, risking wet socks every minute. There is no balance... overflow MUST have a greater capacity than the pump. Level can't fall in the main tank, because it'll stop overflowing. Level can't rise, because it'll overflow.

 

[dnprall]

I've got a Red Sea set up with a diaphragm valve. What I don't understand is how I can have it adjusted to where the water level is just below the emergency return (and it'll be happy for the whole day) and then the next day, the water level would be way down in the return box or pouring down the emergency return. I just don't get why it fluctuates so much. I have an ATO. I don't want a lot going down the emergency return as it bypasses the Reef Mat.

And when I turn off my skimmer for maintenance (or the pumps too), do nothing to change any other setting (i.e. leave the diaphragm valve where it was), the water level in the return box doesn't go back to where it was! I will wait a good 60 minutes to see if it'll settle down to where it was before but it usually doesn't. Anyone know why on this??

I'm with OP, that this drives me nuts.

 

[Tahiti]

thats exactly what was happening, thats why i turned off the ato

I feel your pain brother. My Reefer 250 is new and I wanted to sell it because I was sooooo frustrated with the fluctuating water level. I came from an all in one tank and I never had these issues. So try raising it all the way to the top of the overflow and see if that fixes it.

 

[OGKro]

Yep! I knew this was a Red Sea tank before I even clicked on it. My tank was doing the same exact thing and it drove me crazy. What fixed it was raising the water level to the top of the overflow pipe. Basically raise it as high as it will go. If I don't do that, the water level will just fluctuate and the ATO will just dump tons of water into the sump. I might just change out the diaphragm valve for a spears gate valve.

But by doing that the pump is going to start sucking air because theres not enough water in the return pump chamber. Does that mean that i'm missing water in my system ?

 

[Tahiti]

I've got a Red Sea set up with a diaphragm valve. What I don't understand is how I can have it adjusted to where the water level is just below the emergency return (and it'll be happy for the whole day) and then the next day, the water level would be way down in the return box or pouring down the emergency return. I just don't get why it fluctuates so much. I have an ATO. I don't want a lot going down the emergency return as it bypasses the Reef Mat.

And when I turn off my skimmer for maintenance (or the pumps too), do nothing to change any other setting (i.e. leave the diaphragm valve where it was), the water level in the return box doesn't go back to where it was! I will wait a good 60 minutes to see if it'll settle down to where it was before but it usually doesn't. Anyone know why on this??

I'm with OP, that this drives me nuts.

I don't even want to do water changes anymore lol. I bought a spears gate valve and I've read its much better than the crappy diaphragm valve and will not fluctuate like that. So I might just install that over my xmas break coming up.

 

[Tahiti]

But by doing that the pump is going to start sucking air because theres not enough water in the return pump chamber. Does that mean that i'm missing water in my system ?

You're gonna have to add water to the return pump section to where it's touching your ATO sensor. That's where I have my Tunze ATO. I'm telling you bro, that will fix it. Raising the water level as high as you can.

 

[OGKro]

You're gonna have to add water to the return pump section to where it's touching your ATO sensor. That's where I have my Tunze ATO. I'm telling you bro, that will fix it. Raising the water level as high as you can.

stupid question: If i add the saltwater of the same salinity is that going to increase the salinity overall ?

 

[Tahiti]

stupid question: If i add the saltwater of the same salinity is that going to increase the salinity overall ?

Just mix a little that matches what your current salinity is at.

 

[Tahiti]

How do/did you have your ATO hooked up?

 

[OGKro]

How do/did you have your ATO hooked up?

I have the reef ato+ that attaches to the sump, theres a dedicated spot for it. I have a g2 reefer 250. So i don't know if they changed the sump setup

 

[Tahiti]

I have the reef ato+ that attaches to the sump, theres a dedicated spot for it. I have a g2 reefer 250. So i don't know if they changed the sump setup

Ahh ok. So you have the G2+. I have the G2 and the only difference is mine doesn’t come with the ATO. Which is fine because I like my Tunze ATO.

 

[OGKro]

Ahh ok. So you have the G2+. I have the G2 and the only difference is mine doesn’t come with the ATO. Which is fine because I like my Tunze ATO.

oh okay i get it

 

[OGKro]

You're gonna have to add water to the return pump section to where it's touching your ATO sensor. That's where I have my Tunze ATO. I'm telling you bro, that will fix it. Raising the water level as high as you can.

so should i let the water trickle down the emergency drain or close to trickling down ?

 

[Tahiti]

so should i let the water trickle down the emergency drain or close to trickling down ?

Both are fine. Just as high as possible.

 

[Tahiti]

so should i let the water trickle down the emergency drain or close to trickling down ?

When I get home, I’ll take a couple pics and show you how mine is.

 

[OGKro]

When I get home, I’ll take a couple pics and show you how mine is.

Thanks a lot bro. This is driving me insane

 

[Tahiti]

Thanks a lot bro. This is driving me insane

 

[OGKro]

@Tahiti Is there somewhere i can add you on ? Just to share information or other stuff ?

 

[Tahiti]

@Tahiti Is there somewhere i can add you on ? Just to share information or other stuff ?

I have WhatsApp. Private message me your number and I’ll add you.