Unstable weir & sump levels

DanH86 · Aug 12, 2019

I filled my rsr 250 v3 on Saturday and have struggled to keep consistent water levels since - I can get the weir level to a trickle in the emergency drain and at the same time the return chamber in the sump to a depth of 6” as recommended. A few hours later the weir level will have dropped by an inch and the return chamber dropped by half an inch. Playing with the gate valve brings levels back up to where they should be then they move again some time later, either up or down.
Using the ato seems to raise levels in the sump as a whole almost to the point of overflowing the separator section between skimmer and return so at the moment I’m manually topping off with Rodi, but with such varying levels it’s very hard knowing what’s evaporation and what is not. (I have checked the ato float and it was stuck closed as many others experience, I have freed it up so it works as expected but will be putting in a tunze as soon as possible!)

Does anyone have any advice or is this normal during new tank break-in?

Jebao dc-4000 return pump set to 63%
RSR 300 skimmer going crazy due to breaking in
2 powerheads
Rsr ato float system (but not in use due to above level fluctuations)

AngryMike2016 · Aug 12, 2019

Following along

Sailingeric · Aug 12, 2019

I would turn off the skimmer and power heads until you get your water level you want. If the skimmer is going crazy and it is collecting in your cup that may where your water is going.

I would shut the gate valve to the main return line so water starts going down the emergency and then slowly open the gate valve, give it plenty of time to equalize between the DT and the sump. Keep doing it until you are happy with the levels. On my 75 gallon tank just a little turn on the gate valve from where it is set will either have too much water going down the emergency pipe or going down too fast in the main drain line.

lapin · Aug 12, 2019

I agree with the above post.
I would turn off the skimmer and power heads until you get your water level you want.
Once set, turn on the skimmer and leave the cup off until it settles down a bit. You prob have a lot of junk in the water thats causing the foaming. Open the skimmer exit all the way and dial it back a bit each day until you get it broke in.

DanH86 · Aug 12, 2019

Thanks guys.
I have set the levels and we’ll see what happens.

Being hopeful that the level issues might be coming to an end, I filled the ato tank and now it is constantly dripping from the white valve, not the float assembly so I have unregulated ato! Have closed the valve and will pull the whole assembly out and see if I can fix it.

DanH86 · Aug 12, 2019

Levels have been stable for 2 hours now

let’s see how it does overnight.

The ato float valve is beyond repair - seems to be manufactured wrong. The spine attached to the screw cap had a plastic bobble on the end that was a manufacturing defect so cut that off and I finally had a controllable drip from the tube but still had water coming out of the screw cap too. After checking it again, the threads seem too weak, I can push and pull the cap on/off without screwing it so it seems like a dud and I’ve got no ato for now. Looking into getting a tunze 3155 and ditching the whole tank/valve assembly with a new tank.

DanH86 · Aug 13, 2019

Providing an update for those that might face the same issue:

As per the advice provided, the new skimmer and an unsettled gate valve were causing level issues in tank and sump. Switching off everything and setting a desired level, then switching back on has settled levels completely and the skimmer is slowly getting better. I am manually topping off Rodi at the moment but my tunze arrives in 2 days.

jphilip813 · Oct 21, 2019

lapin said:
I agree with the above post.
I would turn off the skimmer and power heads until you get your water level you want.
Once set, turn on the skimmer and leave the cup off until it settles down a bit. You prob have a lot of junk in the water thats causing the foaming. Open the skimmer exit all the way and dial it back a bit each day until you get it broke in.

So I am having the opposite issue. My Return Pump chamber water level is TOO High, and my Skimmer level Chamber water line is too low...how can I fix that issue...I posted this in detail early this morning. Bottom line I recently converted my 120 standpipe to duel herbie overflow; with both emergency standpipes operating at a trickle flow.