Overflowing

[deluxe_noob]

Ok my tank is a work in progress AGA 55/ 10g sump, mag 7 return, HOB overflow rated at 600gph. According to the headloss calc. im pushing 500gph back through the return. That being said i hooked everything up and it ran ok for about 5 mins sure enough i leave the room come back and water is pouring over the top of the tank. I flip cut the power and pull the return line up out of the tank to break the siphon. Someone throw me a bone or something i have no clue as to why this happened. I am totally bewildered by this and some help would be greatly appreciated!!!

o yea 1"bulkhead also running 1" sch 40 to and from sump...Thanks guys

 

[Markk96]

Got any pics of your setup?

 

[Homereef]

Your drain hole can handle it, but the little area that actually transports the water to the drain is usually grossly unable to handle that much flow.

On another note a 10 gallon is far, far too smal lof a sump.
a mag 7 needs about 10gallons to even get primed

Get a 20 long or even betetr a 29 gallon.

+ How much are you filling your sump up to ?
If you have too much water in the system, then you have too much water. Try filling your sump up only half way and stand by with 2 - 5 gallon buckets of water and if you need to add water to slowly equalize things then you can do it gradually.

You cant fill both tanks up to the very top.

 

[deluxe_noob]

no pics
yea my DT was real full but i didn't think i had that much water in the sump but yea i might have had to much it was for sure over 1/2 full prob closer to 3/4. Yea i had thought a 10 might be to small but i had 1 on hand so i fig i would give it a try.i can prob fit a 20L in the stand but a 29 is out of the question.
On a whole different note the bulkhead is dripping water slowly...due to my crappy gluing( i know its not glue) tech.. It is the cheap one that came with it. Plan on ordering a sch 80 to replace it. I dont know it just bothers me i been taking my time and trying to be as patient with stuff as i can be. Thought about running the clear plastic pipe not sure if thats gonna make a big difference or not. Sorry about the ramble im just typing what im thinking..heh well to a point

 

[Homereef]

You should not glue or silicone a bulk head. It should be hand snug then one good 3/4 turn with a wrench or what have you.

The gasket goes inside where the water is. and the nut outside of the box.

 

[deluxe_noob]

maybe you are mis understanding me i didn't glue the bulkhead i glued the pvc to the bulkhead.

 

[Reggae Fish]

What's the dim. of your stand??? I might have a sump you can have... I agree that the sump is an issue but I wouldn't run a Mag7 as a return on that h.o.b. overflow.

Are you just getting this set up? If so, I'd at least look at having your tank drilled but I'm guessing on a 55 it would be tempered. Just thinkin' here

 

[Homereef]

You mean the pipe coming down off the bulk head is leaking, not the bulk head itself ?

 

[Angler02]

Any pics of your set up, photos would help.

 

[deluxe_noob]

yes homer thats what i mean the connection between the bulkhead and my pvc is leaking very slowly al be it... my glue job sucked. the tank is tempered which is turning out to be a big pain in my arse.

stand has 2 compartments 23"w x 15" h x 12" d its the crap stand I've had for 10 years from walmart.

I willl take some pics but heh its kind of embarrassing...LOL

 

[teetimefun]

Your 1" bulkhead can handle 600 gph in a perfect situation but in real life applications the actual flow through rate is dramatically decreased. I use 2 HOB overflows both rated at 600gph and I max out around 350 to 400 each.

 

[deluxe_noob]

pics being posted to gallery now any and all advice is welcome and yes i over did it with the silicone some

 

[Homereef]

I would make your first baffle on the side that comes into the sump go over then under. Not under than over.

 

[panaboy95]

The return section is very small you will most likely want some kind of auto top off. since that is a 10 gallon tank the return section only hold maybe two gallons of water. all your evaporation will be in that section so if you evaporate 2 gallon the pump will be sucking air. just a thought. my sump for my 75 was set up the same way. it is a 29 and I had to top off almost every day. I just added a Kent float valve and gravity feed the top off.

 

[Jah2707]

Does your overflow have a u U-tube like this?

IMG]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:kG7CRXLOpqCHRM:http://www.lifereef.com/lg_pre.gif[/IMG]




If so I have the same one and I also use a mag 7 with a ten gallon sump. The only problem I have is getting all of the bubbles out of the U-tube. Once that is completely done you should be in good shape. I have to raise the U-tube up and down and shake it allot. LOL Pain in the butt, but it has never stopped on me.[

 

[Angler02]

I would suggest maybe a new overflow if it is the one shown in the link. I use two CPR overflows with aqua lifters and I have no issues "knock on wood". I have heard good and bad stories about those, but more bad than good.

 

[Schplitter]

Just add a valve to the pump and crank it back slightly. If it takes your tank 5 minutes to start overflowing then you are maybe pushing 100 gallons extra water up... If you need more flow then just add a MJ and you will be happy...

BK

 

[fazgood]

Just a sanity check,

Be sure to turn off your pumps when you get this set up and make sure you don't overflow the sump when you lose power.

Faz

 

[latazyo]

the HOB strikes again

I agree with homer that its probably the overflow teeth causing the problem more so than the drain

 

[deluxe_noob]

actually i do have a cpr90 overflow i am thinking that possibly the water in my sump was to much for the system to handle at first. I did order a aqua lifter along with all the other stuff i ordered still not here yet.... i do have a ball valve on the return line. What about using the flex tube on the overflow, since my bulkhead was leaking like i said and since im gonna replace it what about using the clear plastic tube? Would that help much?
Thanks again guys for the help so far...i really appreciate it and i hate to even ask . I've had FW fish for 15+ and have read about watched and wanted a SW setup for a real long time but something was always in the way, bills, kids,women, ect....
edit: i been sitting here a while pondering things and i think that maybe draining the whole thing and going and getting it drilled on the side since the bottom is tempered seems like a smarter and potentially safer avenue. I know its gonna suck taking all the sand out (85 freaking lbs.) but think it will save me alot of potential problems.