To trickle or not to trickle?

[BeaverLakeAndy]

@92Miata The main standpipe is 1.5" and the emergency standpipe is 1". The return pump is rated at 1,900 gph and runs at 50% power. So considering head height it's moving around 700 gph through the sump. Split that in half since there are two overflows each overflow is moving around 350 gph.

 

[ca1ore]

There's a full 6 inches of space between the main siphon standpipe and the emergency standpipe. Same setup in both corners. My the water level never drops far enough to catch air and break the siphon on the main standpipe, but it does fluctuate anywhere between 1 and 3 inches over the course of a couple days.

Strainer is fine. Might want to flip them though …. smaller pipe for siphon, larger for open channel. Also reduce the height of the siphon. I just use a strainer in the bulkhead on mine. Increases the dynamic headroom 'available' to the siphon.

 

[Fish man]

There's a full 6 inches of space between the main siphon standpipe and the emergency standpipe. Same setup in both corners. My the water level never drops far enough to catch air and break the siphon on the main standpipe, but it does fluctuate anywhere between 1 and 3 inches over the course of a couple days.

Hey I feel for ya with the constant adjustment issues! I have the same overflow you do. It looks like now your probably getting a good bit of noise from the cascade off the top of the weir to the waterline Could it be a sensitivity issue with your gate valve. I'm actually using a good quality true union ball valve. I can literally move it a hair and change my output. I have my trickle dialed in to where there is only a couple of very small rivulets of water going into my emergency overflow. Nothing significant enough to compromise the emergency status if I do get a blockage. It is absolutely silent. I also made a cover out of acrylic for my overflow so no critters or anything large enough to block my main siphon can get in. I can turn my system off and on and it returns to the same level every time. I also marked the position of my valve with a sharpy so if I need to close the valve I can return it to the same position. Maybe try a better valve. I think there's hope. You should be able to get to a set it and forget it state!

 

[Fish man]

I'm coming from using a ball valve in my first system to a gate valve with an external overflow in my new system. I rarely had any issues with the ball valve in my Waterbox 60.2--it kept the level in my overflow pretty consistent. With the new system I have been fighting this issue of maintaining a consistent level in my overflow. The biggest issue is if the water in my overflow raises, my ATO comes on.

It makes sense to have the water level right at the top my emergency drain or maybe "trickling" into it; this would solve the problem of lowering my water level in my return pump section with the fluctuating level in my overflow and therefore activating my ATO. I hope that made sense.

p.s. I am using the herbie system.

Makes perfect sense. I too have an ATO. Your right, the fluctuation triggers it. With the slight trickle my overflow level is constant and stable at the top of my emergency standpipe.

 

[Fish man]

The advantage of having a level that stays up is that the cascade from the skimmer of the overflow is minimized. The herbie trickle has the advantage of allowing the skim to go down the drain instead of accumulating on the surface above the siphon

+1

 

[S.Pepper]

I've got the water level up to the emergency drain with a small trickle--and no noise. Bringing the water level up added several gallons of water to the system and brought my salinity down from 1.026 to 1.025. Which is fine by me. Although it's a little scary seeing the water level that close to the top.