HELP! Red Sea 170

[Bertle92]

I just set up my new red Sea and was all excited to get going but every time I plug the pump in it's gurgling and overflowing the one box. From what I've read online you're supposed to turn the knob on the pipe clockwise until this stops but it is impossible to turn. I don't want to break anything. Does anyone have any experience with these tanks?

 

[GoVols]

@HolisticBear

Any thoughts?

 

[HolisticBear]

1. Not sure what overflowing the box means, can you upload a camera video?
2. The valve that controls the amount of water is the same on all the reefers, it's not unique to the 170. It should turn reasonably smooth. A few people have had them stick and they managed to open them up and fix it. But I might just call red sea and have them mail you a new one.

In general, you want do tune it such that the water level is 1/4 an inch below the emergency/backup drain.

 

[Bertle92]

1. Not sure what overflowing the box means, can you upload a camera video?
2. The valve that controls the amount of water is the same on all the reefers, it's not unique to the 170. It should turn reasonably smooth. A few people have had them stick and they managed to open them up and fix it. But I might just call red sea and have them mail you a new one.

In general, you want do tune it such that the water level is 1/4 an inch below the emergency/backup drain.

Crap I may have to do that. I was debating opening up the valve but didnt know if that would just get water every where

 

[DoobDob]

if its overflowing I think you need to go counter clockwise?

 

[Bertle92]

if its overflowing I think you need to go counter clockwise?

It doesn't really turn either direction. The valve has screws in it and I am considering tinkering with those but I'm not sure if that's going to create a bigger problem lol

 

[Bertle92]

Update : I finally got the dang thing to turn. So I went counter ckickwise a bunch and it is still way too full in that back area but at least it is not spitting out over the edge like it was before. I'm going to watch it for a little bit and then try turning it some more

 

[Bertle92]

1. Not sure what overflowing the box means, can you upload a camera video?
2. The valve that controls the amount of water is the same on all the reefers, it's not unique to the 170. It should turn reasonably smooth. A few people have had them stick and they managed to open them up and fix it. But I might just call red sea and have them mail you a new one.

In general, you want do tune it such that the water level is 1/4 an inch below the emergency/backup drain.

Do you possibly have a pic of the sump and what the water levels are supposed to look like?

 

[HolisticBear]

Do you possibly have a pic of the sump and what the water levels are supposed to look like?

Not handy, but the water level in the sump should be a bit below your filter socks. You don't want water flowing over the filters socks into the tank, so the water level is maybe 1" below that. Look at the area where you skimmer drains into your return section. You don't want the water going OVER that last baffle, it goes under. The reason is to prevent bubbles entering the tank, so the water level is just below that final baffle (with the sponge), so water travels thru the sponge (not over).

In the overflow, you emergency drain is the one in the middle with just an empty open pipe. The water level should be ~ 1/4" below. Water can be slightly flowing in, you balance that more for noise that anything else. Water flowing into the emergency will make noise (alerting you to a blocked primary), so you adjust the level so everything is silent.

 

[Waynerock]

Do you possibly have a pic of the sump and what the water levels are supposed to look like?

Here is where I have mine

Hope that helps mine was a PITA and once I got it where I thought it was ok I set my ATO (3152) to that level and have not touched the dial since. It is a pain to dial in and every time I made a tiny adjustment I would wait 5 min or so to adjust again. It seemed to take that long to catch up. Once you finally get it where you want it don’t touch it again

 

[Bertle92]

Not handy, but the water level in the sump should be a bit below your filter socks. You don't want water flowing over the filters socks into the tank, so the water level is maybe 1" below that. Look at the area where you skimmer drains into your return section. You don't want the water going OVER that last baffle, it goes under. The reason is to prevent bubbles entering the tank, so the water level is just below that final baffle (with the sponge), so water travels thru the sponge (not over).

In the overflow, you emergency drain is the one in the middle with just an empty open pipe. The water level should be ~ 1/4" below. Water can be slightly flowing in, you balance that more for noise that anything else. Water flowing into the emergency will make noise (alerting you to a blocked primary), so you adjust the level so everything is silent.

Here is where I have mine

Hope that helps mine was a PITA and once I got it where I thought it was ok I set my ATO (3152) to that level and have not touched the dial since. It is a pain to dial in and every time I made a tiny adjustment I would wait 5 min or so to adjust again. It seemed to take that long to catch up. Once you finally get it where you want it don’t touch it again

So pardon me for the dumb question but is the water by your drain pipes almost all the way full? I keep reading that water should be 1)4 inch from pipes and i was thinking that meant the back compartment would be almost completely devoid of water

 

[Bertle92]

It's hard to tell from the pic but the water by the pipes is almost all the way to the top but the tank is quiet right now. If I remove anymore water from the sump it just makes it so there isn't enough water to pump. Is this getting close to right? From what I read it sounds like there isn't supposed to be hardly any water by those back pipes?

 

[Ly78]

I think 1/4" from the pipes are meant for the overflow at the back of the tank, not the sump.

 

[rhastareefer]

After a few years with one of these tanks, expect regular fine-tuning if you want it to stay silent. Good idea to replace it with a better gate valve for more precision.

 

[Bertle92]

I think 1/4" from the pipes are meant for the overflow at the back of the tank, not the sump.[/QUOTE
The over flow in the back and the main sump part are all connected.

 

[Bertle92]

I think 1/4" from the pipes are meant for the overflow at the back of the tank, not the sump.

Sorry sent that too quick... So the over flow and the main sump part are all connected so I don't know how to make the water leve in the over flow box lower with out lowering the water level in the entire sump. In other photos I've seen the sump water level is about as high as mine in the main part. Am I missing a piece or something that is supppsed to block off that ov r flow section?

 

[Ly78]

This is the level in my main overflow , is yours the same? It should be about there.

 

[Ly78]

Usually its up to here... and its still quiet. Just realised how dirty it is heh... full of pineapple sponges

 

[Bertle92]

Usually its up to here... and its still quiet. Just realised how dirty it is heh... full of pineapple sponges

Ohhhhh THATS the over flow. I kept thinking it was that back area of the sump. Ok yeah mine is almost the same I just have to turn the knob a little more but it's almost there. Makes sense now
Geez I feel like a dummy. Thank you!!

 

[Flameback Pair]

One more thing you might have to do to adjust the level in the top box of the aquarium and the level in the return chamber of your sump is add or remove water to get the level so they make the least noise going through the main drain-pipe.