Overflow Problems?

[sjm817]

ek9vboi, you are correct. The tall standpipe is the problem. It would be a very simple matter to fix it. A 1" drain can handle a lot more than what a mag5 can deliver.

Below is a pic of a Lifereef. It uses a baffle instead of a standpipe to keep the U Tube submerged. Notice how much lower the baffle is as compared to the skimmer box.

 

[MayoBoy]

I could understand if it was the 1" hose because the outter HOB overflow box was overflowing due to the drain on it restricting it.... BUT this is the tank that is overflowing.

No, read it again - they're both "overflowing".

Notice where he said that he is getting almost an inch of water over the standpipe? He should be getting about 1/4". The water can't drain fast enough which in turn is slowing down the siphon causing the tank to fill up. Make the outside box drain faster, the siphon will then keep up with the pump and the problem is solved.

p.s. look at the big picture you posted. Carry the line from the top of the standpipe to the skimmer box and you'll see that it hits right about at the bottom of "U" bracket on the skimmer box. That puts it a good 2 or 3 inches below operating level which is plenty low to create a proper siphon.

 

[ek9vboi]

Another thing... as to why I think its user error again is the u-tube.

notice the u-tube and how short it is compared to the picture you posted MayoBoy. Looks like that side should be on the prefilter side. I didn't know this overflow has an adjustable outter box? Adjust that to be low as well.

Add another flexible airline tubing so more air can get in, maybe that will bring down the water level in the outter overflow box.

 

[MayoBoy]

It's a true U tube, not a J tube:

It's sitting up becuase he has the sponge under it since he took the lid off.

 

[ek9vboi]

Right I forgot.

 

[jeffs86GT]

Well guys I got it to work. I cut the standpipe and I can now adjust the height of the prefilter to adjust the height of the water in the tank. I cut off about an inch off the standpipe. I did have the u-tube in correctly. I do have to work on getting this thing more silent. Seems to be taking in a lot of air and I have a feeling its due to my "T" over to the refuge. If I adjust the gate valve to divert water over to the refuge side it seems to surge. The water pulses out and really makes a lot of noise.

Thanks again guys for all your help. I'm just glad that I got it to work finally.

Jeff

 

[ek9vboi]

So it was the standpipe that was causing the water to overflow correct?

Do a search on Stockman Standpipe, its what I made above. The reason why it surges when you adjust it is because it is not getting enough air... sort of like how a toilet works.

 

[MayoBoy]

In other words, now you've traded one problem for another.

I won't beat a dead horse (any more than I already have), but the manufacturer gives you a certain size line for a reason. If he could get by with a smaller line, he would have used it as it would be cheaper for him and he'd make more money. However, he gave you 1-1/4" because he's determined that 1" is too small.

 

[sjm817]

I run an Eheim 1260 return pump which has A TON more flow than a Mag5. At least double and a 1" drain works just fine. Larger drain will do nothing to help. His problem was too tall a standpipe.

1" plumbing will handle 600 GPH which is a lot more than a Mag5 can deliver.

 

[MayoBoy]

Then why does the exact same overflow work perfectly for everyone else without modifying the standpipe?

edit: after a quick google search, the only thing I can find about anyone having a problem is someone who plumbed his with 1" PVC...

http://fishheads.org/viewtopic.php?p=83938&sid=8c589e4980f57d5f142f7a75d7495543

 

[sjm817]

Other pics of that overflow in this thread dont show a tall standpipe. How could the thing possibly work with a standpipe that is as high as the top of the skimmer box? Water doesn't flow uphill. If I put a tall standpipe like that in my Lifereef, I'd have the same problem.

Irregardless, drain diameter is/was not the problem. Maybe 1/2 the capacity of the 1" drain is being used. Increasing that wont do a thing.

 

[ek9vboi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8271721#post8271721 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MayoBoy
Then why does the exact same overflow work perfectly for everyone else without modifying the standpipe?

edit: after a quick google search, the only thing I can find about anyone having a problem is someone who plumbed his with 1" PVC...

http://fishheads.org/viewtopic.php?p=83938&sid=8c589e4980f57d5f142f7a75d7495543

Just keep digging a hole. Dude, like I said... tons of people on RC run 1" drains including me and there is no problem. I would just unsubscribe to the thread because you are in fact beating a dead horse by doing the search for problem.

 

[sjm817]

 

[tkeracer619]

poor horsey

 

[MayoBoy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8271764#post8271764 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sjm817


Irregardless, drain diameter is/was not the problem.

Actually we don't know for sure do we? The only thing we know for sure is that he followed your advice and still doesn't have a correctly functioning overflow...:lol:

 

[sjm817]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8272812#post8272812 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MayoBoy
Actually we don't know for sure do we? The only thing we know for sure is that he followed your advice and still doesn't have a correctly functioning overflow...:lol:

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8270648#post8270648 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeffs86GT
Well guys I got it to work. I cut the standpipe and I can now adjust the height of the prefilter to adjust the height of the water in the tank. I cut off about an inch off the standpipe.
..
Thanks again guys for all your help. I'm just glad that I got it to work finally.

Jeff

LOL Give it up already.

 

[MayoBoy]

Well guys I got it to work. I cut the standpipe and I can now adjust the height of the prefilter to adjust the height of the water in the tank. I cut off about an inch off the standpipe. I did have the u-tube in correctly. I do have to work on getting this thing more silent. Seems to be taking in a lot of air and I have a feeling its due to my "T" over to the refuge. If I adjust the gate valve to divert water over to the refuge side it seems to surge. The water pulses out and really makes a lot of noise.

If that's your definition of a correctly functioning overflow, it explains a lot about your advice...

 

[sjm817]

He had more than one problem. Having an overly tall standpipe caused the level of the skimmer box to be too high. That was fixed by lowering it.

His 2nd problem is very common to any overflow, HOB or internal. Noise/Surging can be fixed a number of ways. Putting a piece of airline down the standpipe is one of them

But let me guess. Your answer is he needs larger diameter drain plumbing to handle the massive 300 GPH that the Mag5 is pumping in. Nowthat will help! :lol:

 

[jeffs86GT]

I gotta say the horse gif is great but let me clarify a few things. What I thought was an overflowing condition was really just a way to high of a water level condition for my liking (I'd get scared of it overflowing and shut the pump off). I think that the overflow was working in its original condition but not for the water level height that I wanted. So cutting down the standpipe definately solved that problem.

As sjm817 has pointed out I do now have a new problem which is the noise and surging. I've tried the airline tubing down the standpipe because that is how the quietflow is supposed to work, and that hasn't worked yet. I'll start looking into setting up a stockman and see if that will help.

Thanks again.

Jeff

 

[sjm817]

The high water level would cause a problem that you never had a chance to see. The overflow would not surface skim. In order for that to happen, the water has to "fall" into the skimmer box. The level inside the box has to be lower than the bottom of the teeth. You will have a surface film on top of the water if you aren't surface skimming.