Sump level keeps going lower than Pump Intake?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
M

Madding

The Ninth Holostei
MFK Member
May 11, 2009
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So recently I upgraded to a bigger pump for my sump. It's really helped the flow rate but every other day the sump starts slurping loud. The old one never did this. I tried raising the sump level but it keeps going back down in a day or so. It's like water is evaporating more or escaping somehow (nothings wet though). I can't get the water level to stay... which is frustrating because I got this new pump because my old one was too loud. Now the pumps silent but the intake is loud when the water gets low.

I keep having to add water to the tank and/or the sump. Doesn't last long. Thoughts?
 
Is the water level really dropping or is the bigger pump creating a vortex (tornado) pulling air from the surface?
 
Not that I notice @ vortex. I guess it's possible though. I mean I've tried filling it pretty high and it's definitely dropping quicker than I'd expect evaporation to do. It won't if I sit there and watch it, but 2 days tops its slurping even if I fill the sump high and tank is full.
 
Even though evaporation isn't likely, IME theres only 3 places water can go in a sump setup.... 1) the sump 2) the display tank and 3) the floor.

Obviously it's not 1 or 3, so maybe the level in your display is just a bit higher than it used to be because of the more powerful pump. Can you see it being a bit higher? If so, maybe you can throttle the output back a bit with a ball valve depending on the brand of pump. Some work well with a ball valve, but some don't.

Assuming it's not evaporation, thats where I'd start to look. Sometimes with large tanks it can be hard to tell a change in the display and even a slight one can affect a smaller sump to a greater degree. Maybe? Just throwing out all possibilities......
 
It could be a little higher in the display, now that you mention it.
 
is there any way to fix that aside from downgrading? not sure if a ball valve will work.
 
Madding said:
is there any way to fix that aside from downgrading? not sure if a ball valve will work.
Click to expand...

Upsizing your drainpipe size and or losing a few teeth in your overflows could help. Not sure if you wanna modify the overflows, but if thats where the holdup is, you might have to. I think as long as you're not really restricting it a bunch the ball valve could work and be the easiest thing to add
 
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