overflows not keeping up (plus other future questions)

[pwmin]

I started a thread earlier about the sump I am making (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198257), but I had a really poor design at first and the thread got a little crazy. I think I fixed whatever I was told, but I have a new problem.


The pump is a Rio 20HF that flows 1290 gph @ 1' head and 870 @ 6'. I was told to make 2 x 1 1/4" overflows. For those, I followed the design I will attach (the overflow on the right). I got everything set up and tested it tonight.

The overflows are not keeping up with the pump (they are working, though). I tried putting more water in the sump and that didn't help. I don't have any pix of anything yet, but I wanted to get this question out there as quickly as possible. I am draining the water out of the sump right now and will get pix as soon as I get it torn apart.

IDK if the problem is too many 90's or what, but I thought 1 of these should be sufficient. I will describe that a little more. Where the T in the pipe is, I have a 90 running off of that down into more pipe. On the end of the pipe, I have a 90 turned towards the front of the tank, a threaded nipple on the end of that and then tubing running into the filter socks. IDK if the nipple aren't high enough. I don't have much I can do about that though because I hardly have any clearance between the sump and the bottom of the top of stand.

 

[dmopar74]

post pix of your overflows, pretty shure their built wrong.

 

[pwmin]

post pix of your overflows, pretty shure their built wrong.

I will as soon as I get the water drained out. It probably has to do with the angle of the tubing. I'm not sure what I can do if that's the case. Guess I'll have to notch out the stand or something.


I had another concern, too. when the pump shuts off, the water still has a siphon and pulls water out of the tank. I'm not sure what to do about that, either except to make the overflows drop the water down.

Meanwhile, here are some pix i took of everything else

 

[dmopar74]

you need your overflows like this, the overflows you built work good for low flow systems like a drip system, but not good for high flow apps. you want the bottom loops at an equal heiths, and the t going to the sump as low as possible.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15733

 

[pwmin]

OK, I will make the adjustments then. I wanted to use that design since it used less piping and I thought the other design was prone to losing siphon due to splash.


Water did come out when I lowered the tubing, though. I'm pretty sure having it lower would help, but probably not enough. At least I can reuse all the parts and I have extra piping. I'll just need a couple more elbows I think.


thanks a bunch.




I also wanted to know if anyone saw anything else wrong with my sump. I think I may need to add a little height to the wall closest to the pump compartment. yes?

 

[pwmin]

again, thank you so much.


i made an overflow like you said and just tested it in a cooler and one overflow keeps up with the pump. at first, it wasn't but I don't think i had the water levels quite right. I have a few tweaks to make and need to buy some more elbows to make the other one. I will test it again before I glue everything.



i still have the question about the pump outlet. will I need to put it above water level so it won't siphon water out of the tank if it goes out or is there something else I can do?

 

[dmopar74]

you can drill a small hole in the outlet pipe just below the water level( running water level), that will break the syphon when power is shut off.

its always goona back syphon some, as long as your sump doesnt overflow its fine.

 

[pwmin]

you can drill a small hole in the outlet pipe just below the water level( running water level), that will break the syphon when power is shut off.

its always goona back syphon some, as long as your sump doesnt overflow its fine.

ya, i left some room in the sump. def enough for what's in the line.


don't you mean above the water level?

 

[dmopar74]

i go just below to prevent a constant "peeing" sound. usually i just set my outputs just right so that the sump almost fully fills to keep the bio-media wet during loss of power to prevent die-off.

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

If you drill it above you will havea stream of water shooting out the hole. So drill it right at or below the water line. That way when the pump stops the watewr drains down to it and breaks the syphon.