Water level is going up and down slightly

jazonPartij · Oct 15, 2016

I have a 40 gal AIO. I have my ATO set up in the chamber I have the return pump. The water level is going up and down, just a little, but it keeps turning on my ATO. It doesn't do it all of the time. Why do you think this is?

All the best,
Jason

cromag27 · Oct 15, 2016

What ato do you have?

Reeferdood · Oct 15, 2016

I think it might be your drain.. Is your return pump too big for your return?

cromag27 · Oct 15, 2016

I'm thinking something else but not sure until I know what ato he has.

Reeferdood said:
I think it might be your drain.. Is your return pump too big for your return?

jazonPartij · Oct 15, 2016

It's a tunze 3155.

jazonPartij · Oct 15, 2016

It's the same pump that comes with the Nuvo 40.

cromag27 · Oct 15, 2016

Is the sensor in the return chamber, where the level is consistent? is there a large amount of surface agitation that could effect the sensor? is there anything upstream that could effect flow?

Reeferdood · Oct 15, 2016

Well,
Typically when drains are overdriven they will flush.. This will make your return chamber go up and down.. I would try to throttle the return back a little & see what happens...

cromag27 · Oct 15, 2016

True, but stock pump shouldn't have that issue. there could be other factors that are effecting the flow. the overflow should be able to handle way more flow than the stock pump can even produce.

Reeferdood said:
Well,
Typically when drains are overdriven they will flush.. This will make your return chamber go up and down.. I would try to throttle the return back a little & see what happens...

Reeferdood · Oct 15, 2016

The 3152 is recommended for tanks under 50 gallons, your float switches might allow bigger swings on the level of your sump..
Maybe?

jazonPartij · Oct 15, 2016

I have my mp10 at a variable speed. Could that be it? The sensor is in the return chamber, but the return chamber is changing, duh let me just switch the chamber. Still curious why it's happening.

I like your theory that the pump is flushing the chamber but it's only moving a little and it's not constant. Right now the water is much higher than the sensor because the ATO kept going off. Once it stopped it was overfilled.

mcarroll · Oct 15, 2016

Perhaps a few things....

Voltage differences will alter pumps speeds if I'm not mistaken...something that can potentially happen throughout the day.

Also, the same things that make a skimmer level change also change how water in the rest of the tank reacts....so drains flow differently. This means water levels change.

jazonPartij · Oct 15, 2016

Never mind. I can't change the chamber. It has to be in the return chamber.

mcarroll · Oct 15, 2016

BTW, my ATO is not that consistent either...sometimes it'll do the same thing you describe. It's a reed-switch style ATO for what it's worth. I think it's totally expected and natural, all things considered.

Reeferdood · Oct 15, 2016

Ok,
Let us know what ya figure out!

jazonPartij said:
I have my mp10 at a variable speed. Could that be it? The sensor is in the return chamber, but the return chamber is changing, duh let me just switch the chamber. Still curious why it's happening.

I like your theory that the pump is flushing the chamber but it's only moving a little and it's not constant. Right now the water is much higher than the sensor because the ATO kept going off. Once it stopped it was overfilled.

jazonPartij · Oct 15, 2016

But it doesn't seem like it would be that. If the voltage changes it would go up or down for a period of time. But when my water level changes it goes up and down over and over very slowly and only like 1/2 inch of change. Then it'll settle at a higher waterline because of the additional water from the ATO. The ATO turns on and off again and again that's how I know it's happening.