I love sumps, But I am FED up

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Hockeyfreek pretty sure your the same guy from the MKV forums way back. Anyways what's up!?


You shouldn't have to make any adjustments after you initially setup your tank and a single mag 24 on its own should be adequate for a 180rr.

Get some pictures of your plumbing sounds like you just need to re do some stuff.

Here's my 180rr plumbing super simple only has one gate valve in the entire set up and that is not even needed. It only bleeds excess off to my UV.

15457949557_0c42324b3a_b.jpg
 
Following with interest, as I am plumbing my sump this week(end).
 
From what it sounds like, you just have stand pipes for your drains? No overflow boxes or anything? If so, why do you have ball valves on the drains? Those should be wide open unless you are running a herbie or bean animal drain system. And without an overflow box I can tell you are not running either.

What I suspect is happening, since you have your drains partly closed, the returns flow more than the drains, tank water level rises and in turn the drains are fully submerged turning them into siphons. As a siphon they can flow much more water so they start sucking more than the pumps causing the sump water level to rise. Then the tank gets low enough turns back into a regular standpipe and the process repeats.

Fully open the valves on the drains and throttle the pumps as needed. That should be the only way you need to adjust the flow.
 
h0ckeyfreek20 said:
The ball valve and gate valve are attached to the pump. I'm not overfilling the sump, the level is constantly varying



I have a ball valve on each drain pipe. And a ball valve and gate valve on each return/pump side.



Its a drilled tank, so no overflow box. The pumps are magdrive 18 and 24 so they are dialed back a lot. it is definitely not weak pumps.

I have check valves off both my pumps as well to compensate for any siphoning should the power go out. The drill hole sounds like a good idea for the bottom of my 180* Pipe to break the siphon sooner, thank you!
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No problem. it may be me personally, but i'd always appreciate the safety of an overflow box - drilled tank or otherwise.
 
jsodwi said:
Get rid of the pumps. Or run just one mag18. I've run borh amag 18 and 2 mag 9.5 on 180 reef ready tanks. Never had a problem with either setup wide open
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My pumps are dialed back some with a gate valve but they keep fluctuating

Rivermud said:
why do you have a ball valve on the drain?
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Ball valve on drain Just to shut both the drain and return for quick filter sock changes. I leave the drain valve wide open, otherwise

noside said:
Hockeyfreek pretty sure your the same guy from the MKV forums way back. Anyways what's up!?


You shouldn't have to make any adjustments after you initially setup your tank and a single mag 24 on its own should be adequate for a 180rr.

Get some pictures of your plumbing sounds like you just need to re do some stuff.

Here's my 180rr plumbing super simple only has one gate valve in the entire set up and that is not even needed. It only bleeds excess off to my UV.

15457949557_0c42324b3a_b.jpg
Click to expand...

Haha No way man, I definitely remember you from the golf forums! :thumbsup:

Your set up looks awesome. I will take a video of my plumbing to pinpoint the problem

fishguy306 said:
From what it sounds like, you just have stand pipes for your drains? No overflow boxes or anything? If so, why do you have ball valves on the drains? Those should be wide open unless you are running a herbie or bean animal drain system. And without an overflow box I can tell you are not running either.

What I suspect is happening, since you have your drains partly closed, the returns flow more than the drains, tank water level rises and in turn the drains are fully submerged turning them into siphons. As a siphon they can flow much more water so they start sucking more than the pumps causing the sump water level to rise. Then the tank gets low enough turns back into a regular standpipe and the process repeats.

Fully open the valves on the drains and throttle the pumps as needed. That should be the only way you need to adjust the flow.
Click to expand...

One drain is a standpipe and one is a 180*... But both are at full siphon at all times and the mag drive 18 and 24 are dialed back with the gate valves.

The ball valves on my drain are only for emergencies or quick filter sock changes. Otherwise I leave them wide open

shookONES said:
Text me man. I'll coach you through it.
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If i have trouble I might take you up on that offer haha!

Redearsunfish said:
No problem. it may be me personally, but i'd always appreciate the safety of an overflow box - drilled tank or otherwise.
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I agree but The drains sit high enough where not too much water would siphon out of the 180g before the water broke siphon during a power outage or whatever
 
First of all you do have overflow boxes. Second you need to lower your standpipes below the overflows teeth, as of now your dursos are settng the water height in the tank and they tend to fluctuate naturally, causing your sump to drain and fill sporatically.
 
dmopar74 said:
First of all you do have overflow boxes. Second you need to lower your standpipes below the overflows teeth, as of now your dursos are settng the water height in the tank and they tend to fluctuate naturally, causing your sump to drain and fill sporatically.
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Oh sorry I thought those were just reef ready overflows (guess they are called boxes)

The Dursos are dictating the height of the water since I didn't want to have the water level as high as the teeth on the overflow box. If the dursos go too far below the surface I fear they might overflow my sump during a power outage?

I guess since the Dursos are dictating the water level they will fluctuate? I don't understand water physics well but 1" PVC at full siphon shouldn't fluctuate unless there is a blockage, no?
 
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