Overflow box overflowing

[BaaMNYC]

Hey guys, recently for some reason my overflow box hasnt been able to keep up with my return pump. its been the same overflow box and same return for months. I have had my jbj ATO for a few months as well. No hardware changes at all lately.

But this month the overflow seemed to have reduced flow and cant keep up with my return pump and it got to the point where my DT almost overflowed because my ATO kept pumping more RO water into the sump. At first i thought maybe my ato float switch got stuck but last night i noticed that its definitely the overflow box. I tried sucking all the air out of the tube the first time it happened last week and it happened again last night.

I have the eshoppe overflow box single intake tube. Has anyone experienced this?

 

[jcdeng]

maybe gunk inside tuning? buildups narrows the water passage hence less outflow?

 

[BaaMNYC]

the u tube doesnt look like it has any gunk. but im going to clean it out and the overflow box itself. maybe theres something growing in the box causing less flow.

 

[KathyC]

Do you have a ball valve on the output of the return pump so that you can slow the gph down a bit so it runs evenly with the overflow?

Can't you see into the overflow box to see if spmething is in there? Also check the hose coming from the overflow box going to your sump to see if there is a snail or some debris in there.

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

Do you have a ball valve on the output of the return pump so that you can slow the gph down a bit so it runs evenly with the overflow?

Can't you see into the overflow box to see if spmething is in there? Also check the hose coming from the overflow box going to your sump to see if there is a snail or some debris in there.

Plus one, I think you have to much flow or something stuck in there
What size is pipe in overflow?
What size tank?

 

[ming]

I tried sucking all the air out of the tube the first time it happened last week and it happened again last night.

I have the eshoppe overflow box single intake tube. Has anyone experienced this?

I've experienced this. You need to make sure you get all the air out of the U tube, and make sure nothing is causing water to splash into into the overflow box causing air to get sucked into the U tube (which gets trapped and with enough bubbles, slows or stops the siphon)
I also tried increasing the GPH the return pump goes (assuming all air has already been removed) and the siphon gets fast enough to flush any bubbles which get into the U tube, but the trade off is, it gets noisier. You don't want it too fast where you get a flushing sound though, that means its almost too much where something small might cause it to overflow onto your floor.
This is the reason why I switched over to all Reef Ready tanks (after 2 spills onto my floor)

 

[BaaMNYC]

Do you have a ball valve on the output of the return pump so that you can slow the gph down a bit so it runs evenly with the overflow?

Can't you see into the overflow box to see if spmething is in there? Also check the hose coming from the overflow box going to your sump to see if there is a snail or some debris in there.

The return pump does have a ball valve but it's been fully open the entire time the overflow was alway able to return more than my return can bring back up.
I put some egg crate so snails can't block the tube to the sump. That isn't it. It's not enough water going into the rear box. The front box is black so I can't see until I stop the siphon.

 

[BaaMNYC]

Plus one, I think you have to much flow or something stuck in there
What size is pipe in overflow?
What size tank?

Tank is a 110 but I've been using this setup for almost a year now.

 

[BaaMNYC]

I've experienced this. You need to make sure you get all the air out of the U tube, and make sure nothing is causing water to splash into into the overflow box causing air to get sucked into the U tube (which gets trapped and with enough bubbles, slows or stops the siphon)
I also tried increasing the GPH the return pump goes (assuming all air has already been removed) and the siphon gets fast enough to flush any bubbles which get into the U tube, but the trade off is, it gets noisier. You don't want it too fast where you get a flushing sound though, that means its almost too much where something small might cause it to overflow onto your floor.
This is the reason why I switched over to all Reef Ready tanks (after 2 spills onto my floor)

Thanks I'll try adjusting the height of the box to prevent splashing.

 

[jedimaster1138]

Recently change the drain line at all, perhaps adding more bends or even 90s? The fewer of those the better.

I used to have to valve my return line back to about 80% because the return pump was way faster than the drain could drain. Then I re-did some plumbing, eliminating a 90 in the drain, which improved the drain speed enough that I run with the return at 100% now. It's quieter too.

Otherwise +1 to the cleaning out the siphon and drain line. I've had algae growing in mine. In fact, I ought to clean mine out this week. It's been a few months.

 

[rkaragozler]

from what you have explained, I think their is an obstruction in the line that goes from the overflow box down, I would take the hose apart and check.

 

[BaaMNYC]

from what you have explained, I think their is an obstruction in the line that goes from the overflow box down, I would take the hose apart and check.

No the rear overflow is not overflowing. It's not receiving enough water from the u tube.

 

[rkaragozler]

hmm, have you recently taken the u tube out to clean it, did you put it back the same way it was, some manufacturers have a longer side to the tube?