Pump & sump help - big time. Pleas help

[Ann1214]

Ok, I became convinced that my sump & pump were too small for a 90 gal tank. I went in to my LFS, and they agreed that a Rio 2100 was not providing adequate turnover.

I bought a "Supreme Magnetic Drive model 1200, and a larger sump box. I also added a new overflow. They recomended I use two seperate overflow boxes - each with 2 J tubes.

I am runing the return from the pump - to a T connector that then splits into two returns. The flow seems great. BUT; The system is an unbelievable amount of gurgling noise.

I have spent two days working on this.

One of the overflow boxes develops what looks like a water vortex - which I can only stop by laying the sponge over the stand pipe in the overflow box.

I don't know what else to do. I feel like an idiot. Can anyone offer any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong.

I feel like an idiot.

 

[EdKruzel]

I would add some type of baffle in the sump and a ball valve to each overflow line.

By slightly resticting one flow or another it will balance each to the same level.

Ed

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Try only one tube in each overflow box.
The best(Lifereef overflow)only use 1. Slow down the return with a valve & tweak the performance by slowly opening the flow back to the tank. Sounds like you are draining faster then refilling,but then the sump would fill.

 

[Ann1214]

EdKruzel;

What would you suggest for a baffle. I am running the return into a "sock" (the LFS sold with the sump), and a sponge on the inflow to the pump. There does not seem to be any turbulence to speak of in the sump.

One of the stand pipes has a very loud slurping noise. Do you think restricting the flow could hurt the pump?

 

[Ann1214]

Vinny;

We did try one tube in each overflow box - the sump got pumped dry very quickly.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

It really sounds like the boxes are too small for the flow needed. You can not beat a Lifereef overflow box.

 

[Fast Fred]

If the "vortex" is in the overflow box itself, I doubt a baffle in the sump will be useful.

What you need is a sponge in the overflow box just prior to the water going down the hose. The sponge is round and hollow. Looks like this:

http://www.seatrademarine.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=APFS&Category_Code=AFX

Your LFS may sell them.

 

[Ann1214]

We are using this sponge. It doesn't help much. We still get a very loud, sucking vortex inside the sponge. Works if we lie the sponge on it's side, on top of the stand pipe.

 

[Ann1214]

Should we be using one large overflow box rather than two modest ones?

 

[Fast Fred]

Maybe try installing a valve and throttling down the flow back to the tank. Or, get bigger overflows. Make sure that the overflow plumbing is larger also, or else the bigger overflows wont be quieter.

 

[Fast Fred]

Also, you may just want to give it a few days. If memory serves me, they do quiet down with age.

 

[sjm817]

Your LFS steered you in the wrong direction. You dont need or want a ton of flow between the display and sump. You only needed to increase display turnover. This should be done in the display itself without sending all that water through the overflow(s) and sump. A SEIO or Tunze powerhead in the display would have been the correct way to accomplish this.

 

[Ann1214]

Will the large flow between the display tank and the sump be dammaging? What size pump should I have for a 9o gallon tank?

 

[sjm817]

What is your whole setup? Sump size, skimmer type, refugium, etc?

 

[Ann1214]

I am new to this - the tank is 90 gallons, the sump is 24", 13 ", and 17 " tall. I am not running bioballs - the water is returning through a "sock".

I have 100 pounds live sand, 100 pounds live rock in the tank.

I have two overflow boxes - each with two J tubes. I am not running a skimmer yet, nor am I running a refugium.

(The skimmer is high on my list)

 

[sjm817]

You really only want like 3 - 5x display volume for return pump flow. That is with a skimmer and a fuge. Without, you dont even need that much. A 90G would be 270 - 450 GPH. You dont need a 1200 GPH pump. A single overflow and a Mag5 - 7 would be fine. Display flow is better done with closed loops or powerheads. Tunze Streams are tops here, with the SEIO being a more affordable brand.