How to lower sump water level?

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Filter media or socks where ur return is. Than skimmer middle. Return where ur skimmer is? Get some eggcrate to raise ur skimmer up.
D

 

[Evieeeeee]

That picture is much more useful(to be honest it was not clear before at least for me). Yes looks like you need to cut down that wier.

Thanks, do you think I need to drain & empty the sump to do that? Assuming small bits of acrylic isn't too good for a reef tank?

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Your lowest baffle will be your return section. Hths
D

 

[mdb_talon]

Thanks, do you think I need to drain & empty the sump to do that? Assuming small bits of acrylic isn't too good for a reef tank?

I certainly would. Mostly cause i think those ehavings getting into skimmer impellers and pumps could cause some issues

 

[Suohhen]

I think MonkeyC is right it seems to be backwards. You don't have to turn it around and there is no guarantee that you'll be happy with the water level of you do but I would be willing to bet it'll fix your issue.

 

[mdb_talon]

I think MonkeyC is right it seems to be backwards. You don't have to turn it around and there is no guarantee that you'll be happy with the water level of you do but I would be willing to bet it'll fix your issue.

I think you guys may be right other than it looks to me the section on right is smaller(and not big enough for skimmer maybe). May just be the angle though. I do think cutting down the right side would make it workeable though .

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

No thays the drain area. The incoming tank water area where u would have sponge or a sock filter holder.
Than reactors and skimmer in the middle. This is my guess

D

 

[RocketEngineer]

The issue is the teeth on the final baffle before the return pump aren’t letting enough flow through until the water backs up so much that it floods out the rest of the sump. The toothed baffle is the problem.

Drain it and cut off the teeth then refill and see how much better it works. I’m betting it will be just how you want it at that point.

 

[KStatefan]

I would guess by looking at the picture the far right chamber was meant to be a refugium section but the baffle does not seem to be high enough to utilize that correctly either.

 

[sp1187]

deleted. not enough caffeine at the time post was made.

 

[threebuoys]

Don't cut the baffle, I agree with others who suggest the return for this sump should be to the left of the over/under/over baffles. It appears to be a commercial sump, no way the manufacturer would make a mistake that requires the baffles to be cut as you propose to do. The new max water level will then become the height of the last over baffle.

 

[Evieeeeee]

Don't cut the baffle, I agree with others who suggest the return for this sump should be to the left of the over/under/over baffles. It appears to be a commercial sump, no way the manufacturer would make a mistake that requires the baffles to be cut as you propose to do. The new max water level will then become the height of the last over baffle.

I would guess by looking at the picture the far right chamber was meant to be a refugium section but the baffle does not seem to be high enough to utilize that correctly either.

No thays the drain area. The incoming tank water area where u would have sponge or a sock filter holder.
Than reactors and skimmer in the middle. This is my guess

D

the orientation is correct. Left is intake right is return.

It’s a custom design based on the last owners specifications. The left side isn’t the return because it’s the largest chamber and if that was the return a lot more water would need to evaporate before the ato kicks on since it’s so large. I’ve confirmed with the previous owner before installing that the orientation is correct anyways.

 

[threebuoys]

the orientation is correct. Left is intake right is return.

It’s a custom design based on the last owners specifications. The left side isn’t the return because it’s the largest chamber and if that was the return a lot more water would need to evaporate before the ato kicks on since it’s so large. I’ve confirmed with the previous owner before installing that the orientation is correct anyways.

i.e. then IMHO this is poor design by the previous owner, or whoever built it was off on the measurements. The level of the chambers will be determined by the height of the tallest baffle that touched the bottom of the sump, which is off course what you are experiencing. So, if you cut the last baffle, the water height will then be determined by the preceeding baffle which also touches the bottom..

Perhaps its too dificult to try, but I still believe what you have would work without any cuts if you flipped the location of the return and overflow chambers and move the skimmer to where the empty chamber is now. Depending on how you set your ATO float switch or sensor, I don't think you would be creating any problem regarding evaporation.

I just hate to see you make a cut and then maybe regret it later.

 

[RocketEngineer]

Is it possible to put the return pump in the middle chamber?

I ran my last sump with a center return. The drains went to the skimmer section then I used the pump to feed a refugium at the other end. This would let you solve the issue without cutting. Just an idea.

 

[nereefpat]

I agree that you need to somehow lower the height of the last baffle, which is that weir for the return section.

The first sections will be constant level. The only water level that will change as you adjust flow or add/remove water will be the return section, as you have seen. The height of the water in the constant water level areas is too high, because the return baffle is too high.

You could try cutting the teeth lower, or just cut the teeth off. Although the teeth might be there to keep chaeto or other macros in the fuge section from getting into the return pump.