Return pump help

[DiverGirl82]

Is my return pump pumping water too fast or too slow? I bought the whole system used and was told it's a mag 9. The tank is 60g and the sump is 20g. I just filled the tank up and when I fired up the return pump it was pumping water out of its compartment faster than it could fill back up. So I kept adding more water. Now the water level in that compartment stays a bit more stable but the overflow keeps stopping and starting. When I went to look at the tank to consider buying it she had it filled up and I don't remember it doing this. Do I need to keep adding more water? I don't want to get my sump so full that there's no extra room in case of emergency.

 

[DiverGirl82]

I took a video of what's happening but I'm having trouble figuring out how to post it. Bear with me

 

[bct15]

The sump level dropping when your return pump on is normal, this is from the extra height of water in your display and the water in your pipes. You need to be sure your sump can hold all of the water when the pump is off.

The surging is probably coming from poor air flow, or to much flow through your drain pipe. Is there an air hole and hose in the top of your drain?

 

[DiverGirl82]

Ok neither my phone or tablet are letting me add the video so I guess I'll just describe it. The water coming from the overflow into the sump keeps stopping and starting. It flows fine for a few moments them gurgles and stops for a moment then starts flowing again.

 

[Bugsy_Barboza]

You should get to a stopping point on adding water and the level in the return section being stable. You could always put a ball valve on the return to have the option to throttle the back the return pump.... You may just need more water to keep the system circulating.

 

[DiverGirl82]

The sump level dropping when your return pump on is normal, this is from the extra height of water in your display and the water in your pipes. You need to be sure your sump can hold all of the water when the pump is off.

The surging is probably coming from poor air flow, or to much flow through your drain pipe. Is there an air hole and hose in the top of your drain?

As for the air hole and hose no I don't believe so. If the water level in my return keeps going up and down up and down won't that make my ATO go crazy? I thought that water level was supposed to be stable.

 

[Bugsy_Barboza]

Should be. There should be a happy medium where your reuturn pump and drains should even out. but yeah it would make ato in-operable

 

[DiverGirl82]

I've added more water and now the over runs longer before it sputters out and stops but it is still doing it. At this point there's only about 4 inches of free space left. That can't be enough can it?

 

[DiverGirl82]

Also, the water level in the tank itself has gone up now. So if the water level in the tank has gone up and the return area has stabilized some but the overflow isn't keeping up with it then doesn't that mean the return is pumping more water than the overflow can handle? Or do I have that backwards?

 

[KorL]

Add a ball valve on the return pump line

 

[Bugsy_Barboza]

Hard to tell without pictures, but a ball valve will give you more control over how much water is being returned to the main tank.

 

[DiverGirl82]

I called the nearest lfs and he said the same thing about the ball valve. He also said it sounds like the overflow is making a siphon because when the water is coming out of the overflow tube it's gushing out super fast. He's going to try to find someone knowledgeable in the area to come take a look at it.

 

[bct15]

The level in your sump should remain constant, especially in your return pump chamber.

The water level in your main tank will rise from the return pushing water to it. Then it will reach your overflow line, and go down the drain.

The airline on the top of your drain will keep the drain from creating a temporary siphon and surging.

 

[DiverGirl82]

The level in your sump should remain constant, especially in your return pump chamber.

The water level in your main tank will rise from the return pushing water to it. Then it will reach your overflow line, and go down the drain.

The airline on the top of your drain will keep the drain from creating a temporary siphon and surging.

So do I just drill a hole in the top of the drain pipe?

 

[DiverGirl82]

I was wrong there is a little hole up there already.

Here's inside. Drain on left and return on right.


And from the top of the overflow

 

[ATB USA]

I was wrong there is a little hole up there already.

Here's inside. Drain on left and return on right.


And from the top of the overflow

Make sure the hole is not clogged.

 

[DiverGirl82]

I made the hole a little bit bigger by sticking a screw driver head down in there and twisting it and that seems to have done the trick.

 

[DiverGirl82]

Thanks everybody.

 

[ATB USA]

I made the hole a little bit bigger by sticking a screw driver head down in there and twisting it and that seems to have done the trick.

It might have had salt or calcium buildup

 

[mfinn]

I made the hole a little bit bigger by sticking a screw driver head down in there and twisting it and that seems to have done the trick.

Be sure to clean it out every few weeks as salt builds up and it cause the same problems