Not Enough Overflow

Frop · Jul 20, 2016

So I'm returning way more water than I'm getting in unless I complete close my pump off. If that is the case the amount of water I'm returning into the main tank seems way too small.

Any ideas? If there was any way to reverse a pump I could add this small 4 watt one I have and have it pull from the overflow box into the fuge.

I prefer to avoid having plumbing outside the tanks since that will increase risk of leaks and also an inline filter would most likely be too big for compartment one since I'm going to try and put a protein skimmer there.

Unless a low flow is acceptable then I can just add a fan to the main tank.

mcarroll · Jul 20, 2016

Frop said:
Unless a low flow is acceptable then I can just add a fan to the main tank.

Bingo.

2x to 4x your display size is all the flow you need through a typical sump.

(Are those tanks set up on a card table??)

ReeferBob · Jul 20, 2016

What is your overflow rated at? What is the pump rated at? Your drain is your drain it flows what it flows. If you want increased flow you'll need to get another overflow that moves more water or else modify it to go full siphon. But there is no prize for faster flow. If you decide to go with the flow you have, I'd get another pump that is sized better to your drain flow since this will reduce your electrical usage.

Frop · Jul 20, 2016

mcarroll said:
(Are those tanks set up on a card table??)

Haha naa. I have it on an audio video rack. It has about 3 wooden cubbies 8" tall. So I had to set both tanks on the top or find a more powerful return pump and put the refugium somewhere else (which I wanted to avoid). Eventually I'll buy a real stand for it or make something. This will do for now. Just trying to see how hard it is to keep a tank. Eventually I'll upgrade to a 40 gallon breeder. This is all just a temperary test run.

Frop · Jul 20, 2016

ReeferBob said:
What is your overflow rated at? What is the pump rated at? Your drain is your drain it flows what it flows. If you want increased flow you'll need to get another overflow that moves more water or else modify it to go full siphon. But there is no prize for faster flow. If you decide to go with the flow you have, I'd get another pump that is sized better to your drain flow since this will reduce your electrical usage.

Here is the overflow and the pump,

Overflow max @ 200gph
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004...erflow+box&dpPl=1&dpID=41-E-w9hSeL&ref=plSrch

Return max @ 300gph
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003SNG9I8/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought a small 100gph pump. I'm probably going to by a 1/2" to 5/8" hose converter and use the 100gph as the return. The thing is the 300gph I got is adjustable so I figured it would have to fight gravity and I can just tune it down. Well unless I literally have it completely closed it will return more than it gets in. Ya so I think my flow rates seem a bit high ;p