Sump help please?

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by cav~firez22

Well, if i take them out, then whats to stop the "****" that falls down the overflow, into the sump, from going back into the main tank? .....

Hmmm. From what I can see in the pictures of your other thread the feeds to your overflows are from the bottom? I've never seen that before and I'm not sure how common it is. Mind you, I've been in the reef hobby only 2 1/2 years. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.

FWIW, here's a pic of what I've got. That's one of those thick scubber pads. Helps prevent "****" going into the overflow. Probably no help to you though, if yours is fed from the bottom.


I also noticed in your other thread that you had Fluval and Eheim canisters on your previous tank. Are you running those on this tank?
I see two grey hoses on the right side of your sump. Are these for a Fluval canister?
I run a Fluval 405 canister on my reef sump and I get microbubbles from it because it doesn't completely seal properly and draws in air.

Just throwin' ideas out there.

[cav~firez22]

no the hoses are running to the uv steralizer and back. no filters hooked up to system at all.

[Palster]

I sent you a PM with some contact information but if your return pump is flowing 2700 GPH (the pump you have listed in your profile shows 2700 GPH) that would explain why you are having problems. A 2700 GPH pump is way too much flow for a sump return pump and would definitely cause the problems you are describing. Most people use pumps with this much flow on a closed loop system.

[Captainhemo]

What kind of powerhead is running the UV sterilizer? Is there any chance it is sucking air and dumping it into the 3rd chamber ?
BTW, another Kelowna reefer here guys !!

[SuperFudge]

The snapper is too big at full tilt, cut it back to 1/3 or so, the pump is designed to do that and will be fine.

Keep the foam blocks in and run your sump lower...this will make sure NO water spills over the first baffle plate and all has to go under the plate and through all the foam.( therefore getting rid of the micro bubbles that the socks didnt catch)

This will also be your indicator that the foam is getting clogged, as the water in the first section will start to spill over the first baffle...right now its running like the foam is clogged....this is tellin me your flow is way too high, and/or your sump water level is.

Likley when you have the micro socks and your flow is right, you can remove the foam.

If micro bubbles are coming into the third chamber, your flow is too much or water is coming "over" the first plate...or possibly a leak in your intake side of your pump.(seems youve already considered this)

Micro socks on the exit pipes.

You dont need a high "sump to tank" turnover rate...keep it low enouph to provide the tank with adequate surface skimming and thats all, your main tank flow will be provided by "in" tank powerheads or closed loops.

Any pumps or fluval exit lines NEED to be returned to the first or second chamber...not near the intake for the return pump....fluvals constantly spit air.

Try putting an elbow and a small piece of pipe onto the inside of the intake bulkhead, and place the intake to an area of the sump that is less likley to have air bubbles. (usually a corner)

Marc.

[cav~firez22]

Captain Hemo, The powerhead doing that is an 802. the output is in first chamber.

Marc,

With the snapper at 1/3 on both lines, there is alomst no flow. yes, after a day or two the bubbles would dissipate. but there would be next to no flow in the tank.

there is no fluval running on the system at all.. in the pic its just hose running from a 802, through a uv steralizer, and back to the tank.

I had a lengthy phone call with Marc from Hidden reef already, and tried some stuff. It was hard because obviously if anyone could "see" the setup, im sure they would see the problem, or have a great fix to it. He suggested some foam blocks that are used in the sumps, and it was just accidently forgotten, so i should be seeing that soon.

I am unable to find the socks to fit this sump here in kelowna so im gonna have to order them up.

Microbubbles do go into the third chamber, however, not because water flows over the first weir, they just go through the entire sump .

Im positive there is no leak in the pump side of the plumbing. I used an eniter can of the weldon 705 yesterday.

My main tank flow is now the problem. when i bought this, i bought it because i did not want to use power heads anymore, and was told this would be the route to take.

Arghh. the frustration.....

[Palster]

Sent you another PM. As alway Marc (Superfudge) has some excellent technical advice. I wasn't aware that the Snapper pumps were okay to run throttled back to 1/3 flow.

Glenn

[SuperFudge]

Originally Posted by cav~firez22

Marc,

With the snapper at 1/3 on both lines, there is alomst no flow. yes, after a day or two the bubbles would dissipate. but there would be next to no flow in the tank.

Wow, a day or two ? they should dissapate in less than a half hour.

Originally Posted by cav~firez22

there is no fluval running on the system at all.. in the pic its just hose running from a 802, through a uv steralizer, and back to the tank.

Oh, ok. none the less they should also be returned to the first or second chamber.

Originally Posted by cav~firez22

I am unable to find the socks to fit this sump here in kelowna so im gonna have to order them up.

These will make a world of difference for you im sure.

Originally Posted by cav~firez22

My main tank flow is now the problem. when i bought this, i bought it because i did not want to use power heads anymore, and was told this would be the route to take.

This still is the route to take,but it is impossible to get the flow on any reef tank up to snuff through the return pump alone.
if it was a reef ready set up you purchased, likley it has only one or two at most 1" drains....these can account for at most about 6-700 gph on average each with a passive flow. on yours that means about 1/3 of your snapper is being used.
Any more is too much and will cause problems.
safe to say most reef tanks will be a minimum of 20x turnover rate...youd never achieve this with a return pump.
So, you WILL need additional in tank current, i would consider using tunze`s or koralia`s, vortechs to achieve the additional flow you need.

So with these in place return pump flow is only enouph for surface skimming.(no oil slick on top).