Sump water levels Help!

Jhillreef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
393
Reaction score
54
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
when my sump fills up in the return sends the water in the overflow comes down and fill the back up is a fluctuation between the water level how my supposed to run a ATO I'm supposed to put the ATO in return section correct? It fluctuates slightly when the pump sends water back then goes back to normal when the return pours into the sock. But with an ATO this work work as it would just keep pumping water help please
 
Sounds like your drain has an instability causing varying flow rates. Likely noisy too. What type of drain system are you using?
 
Your best bet since it sounds like you don't have a check valve to prevent the water coming back done and you don't have a controller as well
I'm under the impression this is your problem
Why don't you turn off your ato and wait ten minutes until after your return pump starts back and then turn your ato back on?
 
I don't have a check valve. The pump is always pumping. The drain line will drain then stop for a second start back up during that fluctuations it lowers and rises
 
Hmm the drain line flow should be constant and consistent with your return pump. If you turn off your pump the flow should stop ( your right there should not be a check valve in yourcdrain line I thought you were talking about you line going back to the tank
Your drain line should be opposite from your return pump on the other side of your sump
So there should be no fluxations
Strange
 
Yeah, so my drain line goes into the sump sock. Then the return pump at other end pumps back in. I think the fluctuating is from the water stops for that 1-2 sec then resumes. But don't know why it's doing that wish I could send video
 
That is strange. What's the GPH on your circulating pump and what size is the return line? Does your return line follow a straight path down to the sump, or does it go down and up before it gets there?
 
What type of drain configuration do you have?

Sounds like you are experiencing a drain that oscillates between full siphon and not full siphon. When the drain is completely below the water level and no air is being sucked in, it will have a higher flow rate and fill your sump up. Then the water in the overflow will drop and the drain will suck air and the flow rate will reduce. In that condition the return pump has a higher flow rate than the drain and the overflow water level raises. It will oscillate like this until you match the pump flow rate to the drain flow rate.

With out knowing the drain configuration you have, I wouldn't be able to tell how to set the drain and return pump.

If you only have one drain. Then you need to put a valve in the return pump outlet and lower the pump flow rate.

If you have a primary and secondary drain then, put a valve in the drain line and reduce the flow rate of the drain so the primary stays in a full siphon and the secondary is just just flowing a trickle.
 
Sounds like you may be using a Durso drain that momentarily goes full syphon until it drains the overflow sufficiently to break the syphon. Is this what you observe? If so, it could be a clogged vent hole or the pipe needs to be set a little higher.
 
Take a picture of your sump and post it for us. Also one of your drain in the DT so we can see what your describing.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%

New Posts

Back
Top