I need help guys! Water level in return pump chamber

[Areeflover]

how do I increase water level in my return chamber!! It pushes out so much water that it sucks air and makes noise

 

[Dennis McGrath]

Need to know what tank you have and pictures would help too.

 

[Areeflover]

I have a IM NUVO 25 lagoon ext.. and here is the sump

 

[WVNed]

How do you decide when you need to add water to your tank?
Usually the return chamber level is what goes down as water evaporates.

 

[Dystinction]

Trying to verify what I see in the sump photo...
Does your first chamber flow over the top to the second chamber, then the second chamber flow over the top to the return chamber?
Are all of the baffles the same height?

 

[Larry L]

You just need to add more saltwater to the system. If you are using an auto-topoff, you need to move the float switch or sensor higher up to allow of more water in the return section.

 

[theMeat]

Or the return pump is too big for the drain plumbing to handle

Is that a homemade sump?

 

[Larry L]

Or the return pump is too big for the drain plumbing to handle

No, if that was the case the tank would overflow.

 

[justin.k.nelson]

I would install a with a ball valve or gate valve and redirect some of your return back to the first chamber of your sump. Sounds like your return is oversized for your flow through your tank. If you add more water, you risk overflowing your tank. Best to create a t and cycle some of your return back through to your sump. That way you can dial your return to where you need it. You could also just put a ball or gate valve on the return itself but I don't like to put that much resistance on the motor head

 

[Erica-Renee]

There are steps and a Safety check you MUST DO when you start a sump based system for the first time..

1.Run your system 10 minutes then add enough water to the return pump chamber to a level that the pump is not sucking air.
2.Mark the sump tank at this level.
3.Shut off the return pumps power .
4.When the water stops draining down from your weir and emptying the plumbing pipe. Mark this water level..
4-a If the sumps return chamber or sump over flows .. That chamber or tank is not large enough and changes must be made.
4-B .. If the water in the Return chamber is at a position below its baffle and lower then the top of the tank. I recommend adding some water to a level you are comfy with. Mark this level on the sump (max fill level)
5. start the pump and wait until it becomes stable again 5-10 minutes depending on your drain type.
6. Now Make this water level as your Running level. The first make (2 above) will be your Min Running level.. This will be your Max Fill level... Set your ATO (AUTO TOP OFF) To this level. or manually top off to here.. Never fill the sump chamber beyond this level. Because a power outage or pump failure will cause the sump to over flow.. (If you followed the steps above)
here is a example


hope this helps

 

[Erica-Renee]

 

[drcrook]

Thats one heck of a system there. Where are the display tanks?

 

[Erica-Renee]

Thats one heck of a system there. Where are the display tanks?

Not a good image and very old.. Need to take some newer and better pics. The sump also runs a few other small tanks .a 75 and i think 45 hex tank. I made the sump area so large just because We have the room (its on the basement ) And the larger water volume helps keep maintenance Down...

Thanks

 

[Larry L]

If you add more water, you risk overflowing your tank.

This is just not true. If the drain was undersized the tank would already be overflowing.

 

[gtrider]

i 2nd ball valve.

 

[Erica-Renee]

i 2nd ball valve.

where would you put this ball valve and why?

I am always up to learning something new.

 

[Erica-Renee]

I just want to add one more bit of info to my above post.

Two things that determine flow ....
1. The size of the pump.
2. Capacity of the Over flow. (such as pipe diameter and type) Ie full siphon and so on.

Your pump should have a Ball valve on its OUTPUT SIDE..
Never put a Ball Valve or valve of any kind on the Drain to sump side (unless you really know what you are doing) I have several to divert water to different tanks .I also have a Safety in case one of them stops up or i push to much water up to tank that drain can handle.

You want to set your pumps output by turning ball valve to be sure your not pushing more water into your tank that your drain can handle. Or lower the speed of a DC Controller . For me i Bypass some water into my sumps chambers to keep debris from settling on bottom as i do NOT!!! Use filter socks ..There is a Detritus settling area that i siphon out as needed .

So if your Return pump is Sucking air. turning down the pump or restricting it with a valve is not a solution . You need more water in the pump chamber . A ball valve is only useful to slow water flow up into the Display tank. This helps can help with noise of over flow , and slow water if over flow is being over run by pump..

You can see by the images of my Sump room i know what i am talking about.. My Return pump can over run almost any Aquarium . its capable of 6000 gph .

 

[WVNed]

reducing a pumps output with a valve on the return
https://cyclestopvalves.com/pages/choking-the-flow-from-a-pump-makes-it-work-easier

Centrifugal pumps are counter-intuitive. As pressure on a pump increases, the power required decreases. In other words, if you put a valve on the discharge of a pump and begin to restrict the output flow, the power required by the motor will decrease. Most people already have it in their head that choking a pump back will make the pump work harder and use more power. This is incorrect as the pumps work is easier, and the motor uses less power as the flow from the pump is restricted.

 

[arshish1612]

There are steps and a Safety check you MUST DO when you start a sump based system for the first time..

1.Run your system 10 minutes then add enough water to the return pump chamber to a level that the pump is not sucking air.
2.Mark the sump tank at this level.
3.Shut off the return pumps power .
4.When the water stops draining down from your weir and emptying the plumbing pipe. Mark this water level..
4-a If the sumps return chamber or sump over flows .. That chamber or tank is not large enough and changes must be made.
4-B .. If the water in the Return chamber is at a position below its baffle and lower then the top of the tank. I recommend adding some water to a level you are comfy with. Mark this level on the sump (max fill level)
5. start the pump and wait until it becomes stable again 5-10 minutes depending on your drain type.
6. Now Make this water level as your Running level. The first make (2 above) will be your Min Running level.. This will be your Max Fill level... Set your ATO (AUTO TOP OFF) To this level. or manually top off to here.. Never fill the sump chamber beyond this level. Because a power outage or pump failure will cause the sump to over flow.. (If you followed the steps above)
here is a example


hope this helps

Hi,

I know this is a very old thread but was wondering what the steps would be if one were using a PVC siphon system. Because the PVC siphon would be sucking at full speed independent of the return pump.

Unfortunately I could not drill my glass and my tank is very old with a 3" bracing all around so a ready made HOB siphon would not fit. Hence I went with a PVC siphon.

I'm facing the same issue as the OP. The level of the water in the return pump is always fluctuating. I just cannot get it stable. I've added a ball valve to the return but it's either too open or too close.

I am running a full open siphon from the main tank with the depth of the pipe in the main tank adjusted and cut to ensure the sump can accomodate that levelnof water