Before Low Flow and now too Much!!! Why?
- Thread starter kangol99
- Start date
Ok your overflow is supposed to handle 1600gph and you have a mag12 1200gph. I would say that your return should never get starved. If you don't have water spilling over the sides of the aquarium I would be willing to bet that your system needs more water. In other words the level of water in the tank does not reach high enough to take full advantage of the rating. Just guessing. I would start the system, let it run until equillibrium is reached and then slowly add water to the sump. Make sure that the level does not cause you to spill over the sides(tank). Also after you have done this make sure that when the pump is turned off that the sump is of suffient size to handle the water that will return via the overflow until your siphon is broken.
Your "overflow" is a hang-on unit, or uses a u-tube to transfer the water from tank to container to sump?
So you have connected 1.5" pipe to the bottom of the overflow buld-head fitting?.
You really haven't change the capability that much (minimal change), unless you changed the buld-head fitting to 1.5".
But it didn't hurt either
.
So its M12-3/4"pvc-3/4"pvc union-1.5"pvc-1.5"90s reduced to .5" pipe? I'm sure the 3/4" run from the pump to union is small, so with the large pipe, the 1.5" pvc pipe greatly reduced the friction losses which allows the M12 to pump its full volume of water.
If it is a hang-on type overflow you could try to either increase the size of the u-tube, or add an additional u-tube.
If your are going to use the gate valves for flow control, ball valves would be a better choice in this situation. You could also side-stream some of the water volume back into the sump, other devices, etc.
So you have connected 1.5" pipe to the bottom of the overflow buld-head fitting?.
You really haven't change the capability that much (minimal change), unless you changed the buld-head fitting to 1.5".
But it didn't hurt either
So its M12-3/4"pvc-3/4"pvc union-1.5"pvc-1.5"90s reduced to .5" pipe? I'm sure the 3/4" run from the pump to union is small, so with the large pipe, the 1.5" pvc pipe greatly reduced the friction losses which allows the M12 to pump its full volume of water.
If it is a hang-on type overflow you could try to either increase the size of the u-tube, or add an additional u-tube.
If your are going to use the gate valves for flow control, ball valves would be a better choice in this situation. You could also side-stream some of the water volume back into the sump, other devices, etc.
Cruiser
It's a CPR CS150 which is different from the normal overflows with U-tubes, they recommend a venturi pump (rio 600) which I'm not going to use. That's a great idea if all else fails to send some of the water back to the sump from the sump pump but that's a last ditch effort.
SPC
Yes I can add water to the sump without having a oveflow, should I add more water to the sump then get the CS150 overflow going then start the mag 12 or should I start the mag 12 after adding water to the sump then start the overflow?
It's a CPR CS150 which is different from the normal overflows with U-tubes, they recommend a venturi pump (rio 600) which I'm not going to use. That's a great idea if all else fails to send some of the water back to the sump from the sump pump but that's a last ditch effort.
SPC
Yes I can add water to the sump without having a oveflow, should I add more water to the sump then get the CS150 overflow going then start the mag 12 or should I start the mag 12 after adding water to the sump then start the overflow?
I have a smaller CPR overflow. Does your have a nipple for the venturi pump that they suggest? If so and you're not using the pump how is it plugged? I found on mine that the venturi pump was critical to remove the air from the overflow on restart after having lost syphon. Also, it was important to remove air bubbles that built up in my unit over time.
Kangol99, I like to keep my water level in my sump about 1 or 2 inches below the top when the pump is off. I have found that the less water I have in the sump, the more bubbles I have returning to the tank. As 2poor said, and what I have read lately about this make of over flow, the venturi pump must be hooked up for it to work correctly.
Steve
Steve
I setup a sump with the following using 3/4" to 1/2" PVC with a Mag12 and a CPR CS150, I got the 150 for a great price
The flow was terrible and guys suggested using a larger size PVC so I went with 1 1/2" PVC and now the overflow cannot keep up with the pump, this is for a 60 gallon tank.
Here's what created:
From the Overflow I used 1 1/2" PVC to the sump, no bends. From the Mag 12 I used 1 1/2" from the 3/4" union directly to the top of the tank where I added a tee to the ends of the tank with 2 1 1/2" 90* elbows reduced to 1/2" on the ends and 2 tees reduced to 3/4" in the middle.
Once I start the overflow then turn the pump on I get a tidal wave in the tank from all 4 returns and the pump starts running low on water because the overflow is not providing enough water to the sump, this overflow is rated at 1600 GPH, there's nothing restricting it because I'm using 1 1/2" directly to the sump.
I'll be adding a couple gate valves to slow the flow from the returns but I still need some help or suggestions on how to make this overflow produce more flow.
[ August 06, 2001: Message edited by: kangol99 ]
The flow was terrible and guys suggested using a larger size PVC so I went with 1 1/2" PVC and now the overflow cannot keep up with the pump, this is for a 60 gallon tank.
Here's what created:
From the Overflow I used 1 1/2" PVC to the sump, no bends. From the Mag 12 I used 1 1/2" from the 3/4" union directly to the top of the tank where I added a tee to the ends of the tank with 2 1 1/2" 90* elbows reduced to 1/2" on the ends and 2 tees reduced to 3/4" in the middle.
Once I start the overflow then turn the pump on I get a tidal wave in the tank from all 4 returns and the pump starts running low on water because the overflow is not providing enough water to the sump, this overflow is rated at 1600 GPH, there's nothing restricting it because I'm using 1 1/2" directly to the sump.
I'll be adding a couple gate valves to slow the flow from the returns but I still need some help or suggestions on how to make this overflow produce more flow.
[ August 06, 2001: Message edited by: kangol99 ]
It may be hard to balance the system.
First fill the aquarium completely full with water.
Second fill the sump until the water level is just below the working range of the mag pump.
Start the overflow and let it drain the tank as low as it will go to ensure that the sump will not overflow if the pump goes out.
Now you have an idea of how much more water you can add to the loop with out having it flood. (To be even safer, turn on the pump and pump all of the water back into the tank and shut off the pump to make sure you won't get too much water siphoning back through the return lines.)
You will only want to add water to the sump in this scenario if you are completely confident that the overflow will never lose its siphon, otherwise you're begging for a flood.
If you feel that you need to maintain more water in the sump for your retun pump, you can modify the overflow by cutting the grooves deeper. Of course, this has the inherent risk of getting too much water into the sump and causing a flood if there is a return pump failure.
Just follow these directions and everything should work out OK.
First fill the aquarium completely full with water.
Second fill the sump until the water level is just below the working range of the mag pump.
Start the overflow and let it drain the tank as low as it will go to ensure that the sump will not overflow if the pump goes out.
Now you have an idea of how much more water you can add to the loop with out having it flood. (To be even safer, turn on the pump and pump all of the water back into the tank and shut off the pump to make sure you won't get too much water siphoning back through the return lines.)
You will only want to add water to the sump in this scenario if you are completely confident that the overflow will never lose its siphon, otherwise you're begging for a flood.
If you feel that you need to maintain more water in the sump for your retun pump, you can modify the overflow by cutting the grooves deeper. Of course, this has the inherent risk of getting too much water into the sump and causing a flood if there is a return pump failure.
Just follow these directions and everything should work out OK.
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