Character85
Community Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2020
- Messages
- 86
- Reaction score
- 76
- What state or country do you live in
- New York
Hello all,
This is my first AIO tank and Im having a bit of an issue with the rear sump on my tank. Redsea Max E-260 with 75 gallons between display, sump and HOB fuge. I ran the tank completely stock without the skimmer running for a week with no issues.
I have put a pair of clowns in with Dr Tims to cycle. I wanted large clowns but got sent small ones who could not keep up with the flow of the return pumps. The stock pumps are rated for 1100 gph. In an effort to reduce stress I swapped out these pumps for 750 gph pumps. The tank and overflow worked fine for 2 days as I let bacteria settle in.
Then I turned on my stock skimmer. At first the only issue I had was microbubbles and the water volume in my rear sump was higher than normal by an inch or so. I was attributing the microbubbles wreaking havoc on my ato sensor. I placed a filter pad against the skimmer outflow to remedy the issue and siphoned out some water from the rear sump and let the tank run. I noticed that I had gained that inch and a little more in the sump overnight. I moved the ATO return line further away thinking it was my ATO line tricking out the sensor as it was quite close. I also pulled the pad away from the skimmer outlet a bit thinking maybe water was backing up from the pad. Later that night I turned the ATO off to test it and sure enough the sump gained water overnight again.
Im a little confused as to what exactly is causing the problem. Being used to sumps below the aquarium ive only experienced tanks overflowing at display level not down in the sump. Is my water volume in the tank too high? Are the pumps not keeping up with the drainage? Is the stock skimmer too powerful with the lower capacity pumps?
This is my first AIO tank and Im having a bit of an issue with the rear sump on my tank. Redsea Max E-260 with 75 gallons between display, sump and HOB fuge. I ran the tank completely stock without the skimmer running for a week with no issues.
I have put a pair of clowns in with Dr Tims to cycle. I wanted large clowns but got sent small ones who could not keep up with the flow of the return pumps. The stock pumps are rated for 1100 gph. In an effort to reduce stress I swapped out these pumps for 750 gph pumps. The tank and overflow worked fine for 2 days as I let bacteria settle in.
Then I turned on my stock skimmer. At first the only issue I had was microbubbles and the water volume in my rear sump was higher than normal by an inch or so. I was attributing the microbubbles wreaking havoc on my ato sensor. I placed a filter pad against the skimmer outflow to remedy the issue and siphoned out some water from the rear sump and let the tank run. I noticed that I had gained that inch and a little more in the sump overnight. I moved the ATO return line further away thinking it was my ATO line tricking out the sensor as it was quite close. I also pulled the pad away from the skimmer outlet a bit thinking maybe water was backing up from the pad. Later that night I turned the ATO off to test it and sure enough the sump gained water overnight again.
Im a little confused as to what exactly is causing the problem. Being used to sumps below the aquarium ive only experienced tanks overflowing at display level not down in the sump. Is my water volume in the tank too high? Are the pumps not keeping up with the drainage? Is the stock skimmer too powerful with the lower capacity pumps?
