Wet/Dry Troubleshooting Help

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Albertan

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MFK Member
Jan 28, 2007
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Alberta, CANADA
I finally fired up my 90g wet/dry tonight to replace the FX5 on my 230g tank. This is my first sump, so I am not too sure how to troubleshoot problems. I have a bypass back into my filter sock which basically just cycles the sump. Everything works great with the main tank shut off and that cycle running. When I switched valves to open the main tank, I initially got the toilet bowl suctioning as the drainpipe would start to siphon. I opened the hole on the end cap. That helped with the siphoning, but now the pump was drawing down the last chamber in the wet/dry and sucking in air which caused problems. After opening up the hole and adding some water, things are better but not 100%. I built my Durso pipe a little shorter in the overflow box than I would have liked, but the noise is not bad and its only about a 5" drop to the elbow in the Durso. The water level, however, is staying constant up near the top of the end cap, occasionally overflowing the cap. I am also getting a lot of bubbles in my filter sock from the drain pipe. The hole is at 11/32" on the end cap right now. I thought that sounded a bit large, and I was starting to get a sucking sound until I added more water. If I put my finger partially over the hole it starts to siphon fairly quick though. I'm running a Dart pump. Thanks for any feedback. Its in the garage and not really that noisy, but I think I can make it more or less silent if I can sort this problem
 
You might be pulling ina bit too much air. I would try and decrease the size of the air vent.
 
I turned down the flow to the main tank and it seems to have helped alot. I'll work on it a bit more tonight. The Dart flows quite a bit. I was wondering if the 1 1/2" Durso was able to keep up properly?
 
I would look at using two 1 1/2" I have a barracuda running on my tanks and it could easily overtake my 125 with twin 1 1/2" overflows. But I use the extra water for my other 6 tanks.
 
Pharaoh;2923082; said:
I would look at using two 1 1/2" I have a barracuda running on my tanks and it could easily overtake my 125 with twin 1 1/2" overflows. But I use the extra water for my other 6 tanks.
:iagree:

or mabe a couple of magdrives i run 4 x 24 mags to 4 0f my tanks from a central 300g sump and it took a lil tuneing to git it just so.
 
invisyblegypsey;2923145; said:
:iagree:

or mabe a couple of magdrives i run 4 x 24 mags to 4 0f my tanks from a central 300g sump and it took a lil tuneing to git it just so.

I was just poionting out that he may have too much pump for his 1 1/2" overflow. I wouldn't go out and buy a new pump. Just add in another overflow and you should be good to go.
 
After tinkering with the setup for a few days, I think the Dart does indeed flow more than the 1 1/2" overflow can handle. I turned it down and it seems fine now. Thanks for the help.
 
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