how to stop sump from over flowing?????

[FishyThings]

I've plumed 3 test sumps with ball valves and flow adjustment valves and whatever else but it just wont work idk what i'm doing wrong!!
I can either set it to have to much water coming in or too much coming out. Do I just need to let it sit when its draining and that's how it evens itself out or should I just put my pump on a timer and see how long it takes before the thing will overflow?

 

[FishyThings]

I do have enough gph for my amount of head pressure for this last tank that I will try to plumb. So I will loose it if this doesn't work.

 

[HD_Reefer]

Sump or DT overflowing?

It can be a frustrating process to get it tuned, but once you figure out the trick, it's quite simple.

1 - fill DT until it starts going down the drain, then stop
2 - fill the sump to within 2 - 3" from the top
3 - open drain valves all the way
4 - turn pump on to the desired % if DC, just on if not
5 - slowly close drain valves until water starts to rise in DT, then stop and wait at least 5 mins
6 - if DT is not at desired level, open the valve in a very small increment and wait another 5 mins.
7 - repeat step 6 as many times as necessary to get the right level in DT

Making small adjustments and waiting until the water balances itself at that level will greatly improve your ability to reach full tune.

 

[Woodneers]

If you are using regular old ball valves you will have a much harder time with this. A quality gate valve is much preferred. I started with a ball valve and learned the hard way a few times... do you have pics of your setup by chance?

 

[mfinn]

When you are doing a flood test when you turn off the return pump and it does flood, the first thing I would do is raise the outflow nozzle ( what ever you use) in the tank so less water back flows

 

[FishyThings]

If you are using regular old ball valves you will have a much harder time with this. A quality gate valve is much preferred. I started with a ball valve and learned the hard way a few times... do you have pics of your setup by chance?

no I do not have any pics rn

 

[Snoopy 67]

Use GATE VALVES
Follow HD_REEFER's advice
The sump should run about 1/2 full.

 

[FishyThings]

im not using an overflow box I am using a canister filter style intake that has the tubing this is what it looks like

 

[mdb_talon]

The sump should never overflow because you should always have enough available volume to handle as much water as will be there when the pump turns off (power outages and pump failures will happen eventually). If it is your DT overflowing then you have a way too overpowered return pump and/or there is an issue with your overflow/return plumbing.

mfinn makes a good point about the nozzles that go into your tank. Raising them to about water level will reduce stop the siphon back into the tank sooner (assuming a standard overflow setup). The alternative is leave the nozzles wherever you want but drill a small anti-siphon hole near the top of your return plumbing which breaks siphon (just be aware water will squirt out that hole during normal operation).

 

[mdb_talon]

Oops just saw you are not using an overflow so ignore everything I said

 

[FishyThings]

Sump or DT overflowing?

It can be a frustrating process to get it tuned, but once you figure out the trick, it's quite simple.

1 - fill DT until it starts going down the drain, then stop
2 - fill the sump to within 2 - 3" from the top
3 - open drain valves all the way
4 - turn pump on to the desired % if DC, just on if not
5 - slowly close drain valves until water starts to rise in DT, then stop and wait at least 5 mins
6 - if DT is not at desired level, open the valve in a very small increment and wait another 5 mins.
7 - repeat step 6 as many times as necessary to get the right level in DT

Making small adjustments and waiting until the water balances itself at that level will greatly improve your ability to reach full tune.

The sump is overflowing

 

[mdb_talon]

I am still confused. Are you pumping water into the sump and also pumping water back to DT?

 

[FishyThings]

no Im only pumping out of the sump

I am still confused. Are you pumping water into the sump and also pumping water back to DT?

 

[theMeat]

Need some pics of plumbing in tank (drain/drains)

 

[FishyThings]

heres the basic sketch

 

[sharpimage]

When you turn off the pump, what you are using will siphon into the sump until it gets air. What you have will always overflow. You need to ditch that whole set up

 

[FishyThings]

When you turn off the pump, what you are using will siphon into the sump until it gets air. What you have will always overflow. You need to ditch that whole set up

ok

 

[landlubber]

either the outlet is sitting too low in the display or the baffles are too high in the sump.
regardless of either, it sounds like your sump isn't big enough which should be a priority to solve as you're one power outage away from big problems.

 

[FishyThings]

either the outlet is sitting too low in the display or the baffles are too high in the sump.
regardless of either, it sounds like your sump isn't big enough which should be a priority to solve as you're one power outage away from big problems.

only problem is that the only thing that could really fit in the stand I have now is a basic 10g and 10g for a 55??? almost useless.

 

[FishyThings]

So since it seems as if a normal sump is out of the picture I guess I'll have to go with a Hob protein skimmer and the hated "Canister filter" obviously I'll have to configure the canister filter.