SUMP problems

[MacLeanD]

Hello everyone, I'm having some technical difficulties with my homemade sump, and I just can't figure out how to get it working properly. I'll try to get a pic up here in a few min, to give you and idea of what I'm working with.

The sump itself is a 10 gal tank, that I installed all of the baffles/dividers in myself. The "overflow" coming from the 55gal tank was given to me, so I don't know the manufacturer or the flowrate of the overflow. I'm having problems getting the sump to stay at a "constant" level...

Most of the time, its either that the overflow can't keep up with the pump or, I try adding another U-tube and then the pump can't keep up with the overflow box.

The pump was also given to me by a friend, and I think its a Penguin 660. Is there something I'm doing wrong, or is my sump the problem? Maybe there is a formula I can use to figure out the correct size pump to use.

Please help.

 

[MacLeanD]

Here's the pic..

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14923005#post14923005 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MacLeanD
Here's the pic..

what size are your drainage and return lines?

 

[EverettReef]

The Peguin 660 is rated at 170 GPH, I'm guessing at 0' head. That pump is going to be too weak to work well, IMO.

 

[MacLeanD]

The return line is 1" tubing (3/4" ID) and the drain u-loops are 1" ID.

 

[jmking33]

get a bigger return pump then put a valve inline to control flow. should work with a few adjustments.

 

[tkeracer619]

Get a close up of the overflow if you don't mind. Something isn't sitting well with me.

Is that water line in the tank visible with everything running?

 

[MacLeanD]

Do you mean the water-line of the actual 55gal, or the 10gal sump? That pic is probably a week old or so, and I have since topped it off. I'll go take a pic, and post it in a minute.

 

[tkeracer619]

yeah water line in the 55g.

 

[MacLeanD]

Currently no, not while running. I'm trying to post another pic up here, but I can't seem to get the correct filesize. I took some pics of the over-flow, but now that I've reduced the filesize, you can't really even get a good view of the overflow.

I'm still pretty new to this... so, what are you thinking I'm doing wrong concerning the waterline? Maybe I'm waiting to long to top-off, and thats causing problems with the overflow?

 

[tkeracer619]

top off shouldn't effect the main tank. if the part of the box in the display is too low they don't work as well. The tube in the overflow looks weird.

upload your images to www.imageshack.us it gives you a link you can post here as thumbnails that we can click and see it full size. if full size is really large you can reduce them to 800x600 or somewere around there during upload.

 

[MacLeanD]

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The tube probably looks a little strange at the moment, because its not submerged or filled with water at the moment. I took it out earlier to stop the siphoning.

 

[tkeracer619]

interesting design on that box. I would have to agree you will need a larger pump to keep it running properly. You can put a ball valve on the output of a pump to slow the flow down should it over run the overflow. This will reduce power consumption as well as water flow.

 

[MacLeanD]

Ok, I'm going to post another pic in a minute of a different pump that I have also. I can't remember the gph rate at the moment, but I know it flows more than the Penguin. Maybe someone can identify this one for me.

I purchased this entire tank setup from a friend (aside from the sump, and protein skimmer... etc) so he gave me a huge box full of misc stuff, including a couple of powerhead/pumps. I just wanted to see if i could complete my setup with what i have on hand, before I go out and purchase another pump.

 

[tkeracer619]

The infamous box o' crap!

 

[MacLeanD]

rofl. Yeah, I gave 3/4 of it back to him. Anyhow, here's the other pump, its an Oddysea 1200L/hr

 

[MacLeanD]

 

[jmking33]

also, usually if your water line/overflow box is set up right, it will only suck out what the pump pushes into the tank. (box on the inside of the tank where your u tube is sucking water from) you may have it set way to low)

 

[MacLeanD]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14924356#post14924356 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmking33
also, usually if your water line/overflow box is set up right, it will only suck out what the pump pushes into the tank. (box on the inside of the tank where your u tube is sucking water from) you may have it set way to low)

So in theory, the whole thing would continuously cycle without worrying about flow-rates, if I had the overflow box at the correct level? I'm just worried about that one will still overpower the other.

I went ahead and installed a ball-valve right on the output side of the powerhead. So far, it seems to be working pretty well. I also went ahead and put my protein skimmer in the refugium section of the Sump.

If I put together an "auto top-off" system, would this overall help out with the entire process, along with evaporation issues?

 

[jmking33]

well, yeah, "In Theory". Just as long as your return pump dosnt pump to much water back into the tank, you will be ok. for instance, your overflow will do 600 an hour and the pump does 650 an hour. You would be in trouble unless you put a ball valve on it to reducce the flow back to the tank. The auto top is great, saves your time hauling more water in to fill the tank. Also keeps salinity at the correct measure.