Sump spilling in the drain section

[alex277]

So I’ve recently set up my first reef tank, a Waterbox 220.6, and have it filled. When getting the return pump up and running though I’m having an issue with the sump overflowing a bit. The section of the sump where the water drains down from the tank is sometimes overflowing a little bit, but this bit of water spilling out starts to add up and I keep needing to wipe it up. I have it off until I can figure out the issue to prevent damage to the stand or anything, but what could be causing this? Is the sump too full, and I need to take water out? Do I need to adjust the valve on the drain to be more open or more closed? Also, the drain on the back of the tank, should this be filled up to the top, or lower? I’m having a little bit of a hard time tuning the drain to the pump I guess. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I’m new to this and didn’t expect the tuning of the drain and return pump to be so hard

 

[MnFish1]

It SOUNDS like there is too much water in your system. The only thing that can flow into your sump is the water that is pumped up from the return pump into the main tank - which drains down into the sump.

The level in your main tank (your overflow) should not be that high.

The other possibility - which does not make sense - is that there is some 'blockage' between the return pump and the chamber thats overflowing In that case, though, one would expect that your return pump section is running dry.

So you have an ATO? Could that be intermittently putting too much water into the first chamber?

 

[Homers]

To me it sounds like your pump isnt keeping up with your overflow rate. What size plumbing, type of drains, pump size etc would be kinda useful too.

 

[MnFish1]

To me it sounds like your pump isnt keeping up with your overflow rate. What size plumbing, type of drains, pump size etc would be kinda useful too.

The problem - lets pretend everything is shut off. Then the pump is turned on. The only thing that will overflow is what the pump pumps into the tank. So - The pump cannot be the problem - it has to be a problem with the overflow - or the plumbing to the sump, right?

 

[JoshH]

To me it sounds like the return pump is set too high and the sock chamber can't handle the flow.. might be time to reduce the flow on your main drain as well as your return pump.

A picture of it running and empty would really help diagnose the issue

 

[Fredrxn]

Did u add the two extension pipes that came with ur plumbing kit to ur over flow pipes that go into the sump?

 

[Homers]

The problem - lets pretend everything is shut off. Then the pump is turned on. The only thing that will overflow is what the pump pumps into the tank. So - The pump cannot be the problem - it has to be a problem with the overflow - or the plumbing to the sump, right

The problem - lets pretend everything is shut off. Then the pump is turned on. The only thing that will overflow is what the pump pumps into the tank. So - The pump cannot be the problem - it has to be a problem with the overflow - or the plumbing to the sump, right?

I see what you're saying, that makes sense. So ill use my tank as an example just because i know the flow rates and stuff. So my tank moves just over 3600gph through the sump. If i were to cut my return pump to half, my drains would still want to take that massive amount of water. Which in that case, you could be correct with having too much water and it overflows depending on how the set up is built. This was part of the enjoyment i had when i set mine up

 

[Homers]

To me it sounds like the return pump is set too high and the sock chamber can't handle the flow.. might be time to reduce the flow on your main drain as well as your return pump.

A picture of it running and empty would really help diagnose the issue

Wouldn't that cause the tank to overflow and not the sump and run pump dry? If pump is over speeding the drains? Yeah if the socks cant handle the flow, it would definitely cause some spillage.

 

[MnFish1]

I see what you're saying, that makes sense. So ill use my tank as an example just because i know the flow rates and stuff. So my tank moves just over 3600gph through the sump. If i were to cut my return pump to half, my drains would still want to take that massive amount of water. Which in that case, you could be correct with having too much water and it overflows depending on how the set up is built. This was part of the enjoyment i had when i set mine up

I probably was a little unclear - and I just re-read the OP. My understanding is that the sump portion near the outflow is overflowing. This could be a misconfigured sump - because if the outflow from that one area is somehow blocked (and there is no automatic overflow) - I can see how the pump could be pumping too much water. Most sumps, though, have an overflow - such that if the socks were 'full' - water would simply flow over into the next chamber.

But - if the water level in the sump was correct - what would happen is that the pump chamber would run dry, the flow would decrease - until the water from that first compartment re-entered.

You're right - a picture would be worth a thousand words

 

[JoshH]

Wouldn't that cause the tank to overflow and not the sump and run pump dry? If pump is over speeding the drains? Yeah if the socks cant handle the flow, it would definitely cause some spillage.

It will only overflow in the tank if the drains can't handle the flow from the pump. What I am saying is both your drains and your pump are flowing too much water for the sock section in your sump to handle.

 

[Homers]

I probably was a little unclear - and I just re-read the OP. My understanding is that the sump portion near the outflow is overflowing. This could be a misconfigured sump - because if the outflow from that one area is somehow blocked (and there is no automatic overflow) - I can see how the pump could be pumping too much water. Most sumps, though, have an overflow - such that if the socks were 'full' - water would simply flow over into the next chamber.

But - if the water level in the sump was correct - what would happen is that the pump chamber would run dry, the flow would decrease - until the water from that first compartment re-entered.

You're right - a picture would be worth a thousand words

Yes that makes sense, i get what you're saying now.

It will only overflow in the tank if the drains can't handle the flow from the pump. What I am saying is both your drains and your pump are flowing too much water for the sock section in your sump to handle.

Lol yeah i just reread what you said, been a looooong day ‍

 

[JoshH]

Yes that makes sense, i get what you're saying now.

Lol yeah i just reread what you said, been a looooong day ‍

No worries, long day for both of us. I know that water box sumps don't leave a ton of overflow space in there sock sections so I figured that overall flow was a good place to start. A picture of where exactly it is overflowing would be Really helpful

 

[Homers]

No worries, long day for both of us. I know that water box sumps don't leave a ton of overflow space in there sock sections so I figured that overall flow was a good place to start. A picture of where exactly it is overflowing would be Really helpful

I googled it, came up with several designs. A video would be really helpful. I only have experience with my diy stuff. Never bought an already built set up. Yeah it makes sense if the system as a whole is moving more water than the sock compartment can handle, it will overflow.

 

[MnFish1]

It will only overflow in the tank if the drains can't handle the flow from the pump. What I am saying is both your drains and your pump are flowing too much water for the sock section in your sump to handle.

This does not make total sense to me unless the sump is extremely poorly designed (or is misconfigured). Lets take a couple scenarios:

1. What happens when there are no socks in the compartment?
2. Where is the water level in the sock compartment when the pump is totally off - does it drop quite a bit (in the sock compartment) - and then rise again and overflow the the pump is turned on? How long does that take?
3. Is the pump you bought the recommended flow for your tank?

But lets say - he decreases the flow into the sump - with a valve - that will cause the water level in the tank to increase until the pump section is 'dry' (and or the tank overflows)

Lets say he decreases the flow from the pump alone - in theory that should help. There would be no reason to decrease the flow from the tank into the sump (because the pump is pumping less water - less water will automatically go into the sump - i.e. less quickly).

I agree with you - I would definitely like to see a picture - perhaps with arrows showing the water flow - and where its overflowing.

PS - I didn't mean to debate or criticize your answer - there has to be some problem.

 

[Fredrxn]

I have the waterbox reef 130.4 with 1600 gph pump I don't have this problem

 

[Homers]

I have the waterbox reef 130.4 with 1600 gph pump I don't have this problem

Does that have a primary and secondary drain? I have no idea how those are set up. Like i have a bean animal and the primary siphon is pinched back and my secondary drain picks up some as well.

 

[JoshH]

There would be no reason to decrease the flow from the tank into the sump (because the pump is pumping less water - less water will automatically go into the sump - i.e. less quickly).

I guess I worded it poorly. When I said decreasing the flow of both. I meant decreasing the pump and then adjusting the drain flow lower to match it using the primary valve.

Technically yes, when you reduce the flow of the pump it automatically reduces the flow of the drain. But if you don't adjust the drain valve to the lower flow, it won't function properly

 

[MnFish1]

I guess I worded it poorly. When I said decreasing the flow of both. I meant decreasing the pump and then adjusting the drain flow lower to match it using the primary valve.

Technically yes, when you reduce the flow of the pump it automatically reduces the flow of the drain. But if you don't adjust the drain valve to the lower flow, it won't function properly

I am going to disagree with this - depending on your definition of 'wont function properly'. If you mean 'noise' - perhaps. But - looking at it logically - if you adjust the pump lower - and close the drain more - you're in exactly the same position - perhaps. Any sump that needs that amount of fine-tuning - is improperly designed.