Lots of time and money wasted- HELP!!

findingnemo2

New member
For three days now, my son and I have tried to get a new sump up and running to no avail. I am setting here with tears running down my face and have never felt more stupid and ignorant and defeated.
No one knows anything about sumps or anything, and I have have no reef club or anything where I live.
I have tried to explain to my son how and why they work and gave him all the supplies and spent a small fortune and lots of time gathering everything.
I am beginning to think I bought all the wrong stuff. I researched this saltwater hobby stuff for almost a year before doing anything, read everything I could get my hands on, and it seems all that research was for nothing. Here is what I went out and bought, and I chose the things I did because I want to be able to keep anything I want in this tank.
Up and running as we speak is a 110g. tank
Metal halide light with acentics
Rena filtar filter 3X
Magnum 350
For my new sump I bought a 30 long glass tank, put baffles in it
Octopus 150 recirculating protein skimmer
Mag 12 return pump
Eshopps double overflow box-1000
Mag 1.9 which is used to feed the skimmer
I want this plumbed inline and not in sump, saving more room for my fuge which the system will look like this http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/glass/index.html
When he went to put this all together, using pvc pipe, except for off the eshopps, its been one thing after the other.
First my son said this pump is too strong and filled my display to the brim and said he had to because the pump and overflow do not match. He used 1 and 1/2 inch pvc to plumb all of it, and its like nothing is going into my tank, which I know there is, but with those big elbows, which I wanted two simple returns made out of elbows, it really slows the flow down. Also, he said you can't cut back the flow, so he put a ball socket valve thing on the outlet and has it draining into my sump. It all has to come out and I have lost all this money and time. Him as well on the time part.
My tank is a long tank. Surely someone has the time and patience and kindness of heart to walk me thru this and tell me what I have done wrong here? What I need to rebuy?
Is there any way to match overflows and return pumps? None seem to, so how is it done if you can't power them back,(the pump) which I understood you could with a ball valve? He says it will burn my pump out and we can't do that.
Also, obviously, my tank is not drilled, that was a bad thing to start.
They say turn over around 5X tank size. I wanted to have plenty of the top skum coming off is why I got the double overflow box. Was that a mistake? Please someone, I am begging here for help to get my sump up and running. I am stupid when it comes to plumbing and still have a lot to learn about this hobby, which I love, love, love so very much. Thank you for reading this long thread and thanks for any help you will be willing to give me. Brenda
 
I don't understand?? You never explain what happens when everything is turned on? Are the overflows working? Do they keep up with the water being returned to the display?
 
So it can be done without ruining your pump right? See, he put a ball valve, but it only lets or stops water go back into the sump. In other words, it either is open or slightly open or closed, and he had it open slightly and water was running back into the sump, from the pump.He should have it not do that right? Plumbed inline so the flow can be regulated by the ball valve. Correct?
 
Are the overflows hang on the back, thus adjustable? If they are, you can lower them, thus lowering the water level in the display.
 
What happens when the valve is all the way open? Does the display fill up and the sump empty? If so than you need a valve on the return pump.
 
Yes, the overflows are working. My son says the pump is too strong for the over flows. Over flows rated at 900 gph and Mag rated at 1100 gph with 4 feet of head. I thought we could throttle the pump back? Thanks, Brenda
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12916725#post12916725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nano Chris
What happens when the valve is all the way open? Does the display fill up and the sump empty? If so than you need a valve on the return pump.

Yes Nano Chris, this is what happens. This won't damage my pump? Thank you! Brenda
 
Which side did the ball valve go onto, before the pump or after the pump? It should be after the pump.

Open it up all the way, turn it a bit and fire it up, see if the return can keep up, if not, turn it a bit more etc. You should have pretty much unlimited adjustment between full open and full close.

If you can, try to post some photos of your particular setup, use photobucket or picasa to store the shots. If you can't figure out how to show the images here, just provide the link to the album. Images should help diagnose the issue.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12916723#post12916723 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by uscharalph
Are the overflows hang on the back, thus adjustable? If they are, you can lower them, thus lowering the water level in the display.

The overflows are hang on the back and yes, they are adjustable. Awwww, I will have him check that out tomorrow, when I suggested adjusting the overflows he was like...." it won't make a difference, your pump is still too strong." He dipped water out of display, and of course, it made the sump shallower. Thanks for ya'lls help, he was up until 1:30 yesterday morning plumbing all of this and I think he's used too big of pvc pipes and glued everything already to boot. I sure hate to have to tear all of this out from under there, but, to get a shut off valve on that is what will probably have to happen. Brenda
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12916740#post12916740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FBNitro
Which side did the ball valve go onto, before the pump or after the pump? It should be after the pump.

Open it up all the way, turn it a bit and fire it up, see if the return can keep up, if not, turn it a bit more etc. You should have pretty much unlimited adjustment between full open and full close.

If you can, try to post some photos of your particular setup, use photobucket or picasa to store the shots. If you can't figure out how to show the images here, just provide the link to the album. Images should help diagnose the issue.
I will try to get the pictures on here tomorrow, before he comes to tear it all out. Hoping we don't have to do that tear out part! LOL!
He put the ball valve on above the output of the skimmer and has a pipe running from it, and the overflow cannot keep up and he opened it up some and water is going back into the sump. Thanks for the help so far. I know pictures will help and I will try to get some up and on here to show what he did. Thanks, again, Brenda
 
There are two of the 1' drains on the overflow box. We could not find flex to go up inside the drains, so we clamped as was suggested here on RC. Thanks, Brenda
 
It's usually ok to throttle a pump down 10%, but you need more like 20% and that is if the overflow is at peak performance.

I say smaller pump or a different (or additional) overflow. For a tank of this size the pump is perfect, its the overflow that is undersized.

Best of luck.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12916785#post12916785 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by findingnemo2
There are two of the 1' drains on the overflow box. We could not find flex to go up inside the drains, so we clamped as was suggested here on RC. Thanks, Brenda

If it has (2) 1" drains it should be rated to 1200 GPH - I think. What kind of overflow is it?
 
TikiDan, I like the saying at the end of your post. Tonight I feel "like giving up" sorry to say, but have decided to "fight like hell" I keep telling myself-- this is doable, people do it everyday all over the world, it CAN be done, It is possiable, and its not rocket science for goodness sake!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12916788#post12916788 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by joshkennedy07
It's usually ok to throttle a pump down 10%, but you need more like 20% and that is if the overflow is at peak performance.

I say smaller pump or a different (or additional) overflow. For a tank of this size the pump is perfect, its the overflow that is undersized.

Best of luck.
joshkennedy, could I just add another Eshopps 1000 to the other side of the tank, balancing it out so to speak and it will end this?
I felt the mag 12 was the perfect size for the tank also, I bought it from Dr. Foster and Smith. Should I use a smaller one with this 1000, but if I do that, wouldnt it throw my tank off balance a little?
Thanks so much! Brenda
 
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