MAJOR SUMP ISSUE - please help

[pwmin]

Alright, so the sump on my 300 has overflowed 3 times in the last 4 days and I keep "fixing" it only to have it overflow again. When I got home after work yesterday afternoon, it had leaked, so I changed a couple little things and everything looked great when i left this morning for work. I ran home quick about an hour ago to find it flooded again. It has a filter sock chamber that dumps into a waterfall onto a "drip plate", but it's pretty much just a wet-flow filter. The filter sock chamber backs up and dumps onto the floor. What would be causing this? Is it just the socks clogging or do you think it's something else? I thought of a couple other things, but after none of that working, I've come to the conclusion that they're clogging and causing it to overflow. The pump is a quiet one 6000 and the sump is a 50 gallon tank. I have a 1 1/2" drain that tees off into two elbows and each goes into a 100 micron filter sock and then from there into a 10 micron sock before dumping into the bio media chamber. I've never really had this problem before, but I've been feeding a lot more massivore, so I'm thinking that's probably why. Any suggestions for me? Should I make the chamber wall lower and can I do that without tearing everything apart? Anything else I can do? I just don't know what else to do and I can't change the socks out every single day.

 

[jsodwi]

I'm trying to figure out what you have going on here but my first question is why is there so much water in the sump? The second is, the chamber that you have the filter socks in, does it go from the bottom of the sump to a hair below the rim and then spill over to drip tray? Is that where your flood starts? Your filter socks should not be submerged.

 

[cichlid2006]

It has a filter sock chamber that dumps into a waterfall onto a "drip plate", but it's pretty much just a wet-flow filter. The filter sock chamber backs up and dumps onto the floor. What would be causing this? Is it just the socks clogging or do you think it's something else?

I thought of a couple other things, but after none of that working, I've come to the conclusion that they're clogging and causing it to overflow. The pump is a quiet one 6000 and the sump is a 50 gallon tank. I have a 1 1/2" drain that tees off into two elbows and each goes into a 100 micron filter sock and then from there into a 10 micron sock before dumping into the bio media chamber.

I've never really had this problem before, but I've been feeding a lot more massivore, so I'm thinking that's probably why. Any suggestions for me? Should I make the chamber wall lower and can I do that without tearing everything apart? Anything else I can do? I just don't know what else to do and I can't change the socks out every single day.

From what I have managed to get from your post, pics and writing, it seems like your filter sock section has no back up should the sock become clogged. You need to lower your socks to allow for them clogging, that way the water will just flow straight into the sump rather than over your floor.

TBH, it just sounds like your socks are clogging and you have them placed so that they overflow onto your floor rather than into the sump. It just means cleaning your filter socks more.

PS. Try to put what you are writing into paragraphs as it is hard to read all bunched up. It just makes replying easier.

 

[srawding]

yeah def lower your socks so that if it overflows it will be into the sump

 

[KingGatorGar]

When u set ur sump up turn the sump off to see how much water comes back through and set ur water level in the sump based on that

 

[Pharaoh]

I agree, it looks as though the filter socks may be backing up.

 

[jcardona1]

yup! filter socks SHOULD NEVER be above the rim of your sump. they should be below the rim, with plenty of areas for the water to spill back into the tank in the event the sock clogs. this is your problem.

 

[pwmin]

sorry for the crappy writing. I was in a hurry to make this post or I would have taken the time to proof it and make it easier to understand. I know how to write well, I just didn't have the time to.

I see what you guys are saying and I'm pretty sure you hit the nail on the head. I will tear it apart and lower the filter sock holder and chamber wall. I'm really not sure why I made it that way...probably because I was in a hurry and it was the easiest way. I made another sump before this one and I have the sock holder much lower. The water level is fine as there is enough extra room if the pump quits to hold the excess tank water, but when I lower the sock holder, I'll have to lower the drip tray also probably.

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm still confused as to why it has been running fine for almost 2 years now and this is the first time I've really had this problem. I knew I should stick with NLS instead of Massivore

For now, I put a 2200 pump in instead of the 6000 for less flow temporarily and I'm not going to feed them until I get this fixed. I took the day off tomorrow so i can work on it. This has been a really stressful few days.

 

[Egon]

Maybe your socks are just getting old? I agree with everyone the filter socks location (to high) is the issue. But I think the root cause is the socks are getting clogged up way to fast.

I'm sure, like me, you remove the socks and rinse them out as good as possible then reuse them? Or, do you just buy new every time? I don't have that kind of cash lol. After a while they just wont clean out and need to be trashed. Maybe get rid of the 10 micron sock all together?

Edit: Love the avatar!

 

[pwmin]

Maybe your socks are just getting old? I agree with everyone the filter socks location (to high) is the issue. But I think the root cause is the socks are getting clogged up way to fast.

I'm sure, like me, you remove the socks and rinse them out as good as possible then reuse them? Or, do you just buy new every time? I don't have that kind of cash lol. After a while they just wont clean out and need to be trashed. Maybe get rid of the 10 micron sock all together?

Edit: Love the avatar!

thanks!


I actually have an extra set, so I turn them inside-out and wash them between uses and alternate.