I will add more info to this thread later, I am just on my lunch break at work and figured I can post what details I have so I can figure out what else people need to help me out. I have a 400 gallon tank, 7x2x4wide, standing on the stand the top is about 6 feet or so. It is running a 90 gallon sump with a MAG1800 pump going through a 65 watt emperor aquatics UV sterilizer. It is drilled in the back with two overflows, and these overflows as well as the pipes leading down to the sump are either 1 inch or 1.25 inch, likely 1 inch I will confirm 100% when I get home. I have another MAG1800 pump I tried running, but shortly after running it the overflows dont keep up and my tank floods. I added a ball valve to the UV sterilizer and even with the ball valve nearly all the way closed, it still floods though it takes a bit longer. I want to be able to run both pumps for the turnover, preferably at full capacity though I don't mind using the ball valve a little bit because that will slow the water down through the sterilizer. Ideally I do not want to mess with the overflows themselves as the double locknuts are friggin tricky to get sealed properly and in the right place, and I don't even know if after the last time I tightened them I can remove them without risking damage to the tank (sad situation I know). I should mention the tube that runs from the sump to the sterilizer is about 3 feet, the sterilizer is about 6 feet, and the tube from the sterilizer to the tank is about 10 feet (gave myself extra in case I wanted to move the tank back. The tube on the other pump is about 10 feet, the one I am not using. Overflow tubing is also quite long, probably over 10 feet. If anyone could take the time to help me out with my project here I would appreciate it, my questions are:
1) Is there any other way I can get both pumps running and not flood my tank without messing with the overflow system at all? (My best guess is no, however someone may have some other suggestions about the tubing length or something).
2) If I have to change the overflows, can I just change the tubing on the outside of the bulkhead and not increase the diameter of the overflow itself? (My thoughts are it may create a bit of a siphon)
3) Regardless of if I have to change the overflow itself or just the tubing, how do I calculate how big of a diameter to increase it to, as in is there too big of one I can put that will have the reverse effect of what is happening now? (Ie. overflows too much and pumps cant keep up)
4) Is any of this even possible without adjusting the diameter of the drilled holes in the tank themselves? (this is likely impossible for me as I have nowhere else to keep the fish in there and as mentioned before the locknuts are terrible on it)
I really hope you guys can help, I did research however guided direction always puts my mind at ease. Let me know waht other info I can include, I am guessing the diameter is 1 inch, and hope the fix is as easy as just increasing the size of the tubing somehow.
1) Is there any other way I can get both pumps running and not flood my tank without messing with the overflow system at all? (My best guess is no, however someone may have some other suggestions about the tubing length or something).
2) If I have to change the overflows, can I just change the tubing on the outside of the bulkhead and not increase the diameter of the overflow itself? (My thoughts are it may create a bit of a siphon)
3) Regardless of if I have to change the overflow itself or just the tubing, how do I calculate how big of a diameter to increase it to, as in is there too big of one I can put that will have the reverse effect of what is happening now? (Ie. overflows too much and pumps cant keep up)
4) Is any of this even possible without adjusting the diameter of the drilled holes in the tank themselves? (this is likely impossible for me as I have nowhere else to keep the fish in there and as mentioned before the locknuts are terrible on it)
I really hope you guys can help, I did research however guided direction always puts my mind at ease. Let me know waht other info I can include, I am guessing the diameter is 1 inch, and hope the fix is as easy as just increasing the size of the tubing somehow.
