Sump question

[baef]

I've been doing FOWLR and Reef takes for over five years now but all have been smaller tanks, 55 Gallons or less.

I have recently acquired a 125 gallon tank that has an overflow and sump. I don’t have any experience with sumps but always knew that it was something you would like to have. Anyways, I had a problem last night where I was working on the skimmer in the sump when I knocked the power off the power strip and it turned the pump off that pumps the water back up into the tank, needless to say, the sump overflowed all over the floor.

How do you get around this? I was thinking of putting a valve on the hose that connects the overflow to the sump so I can turn off that tube. I’m just worried if I am gone and I loose power, no one would be home to close that valve. Is there another way to make it so that if the pump dies or gets shut off, the sump doesn’t over fill?

 

[Anonymous]

If you could get a pic of the set up, it may be alot easier for the gurus to give the advice you need.

But it just maybe something as simple as you have too much water in your sump to begin with.

 

[Anonymous]

Was the return line siphoning water out of the tank? If so I'd suggest a small anti-siphon hole drilled right at the waterline where the return enters the display tank.

If that's already handled then I agree with knowse that you mist have just had too much water in the sump to handle the water stored in the plumbing.

 

[zear0]

Another thing you might want to do is mark your water level in the sump with the return pump running. Then, stop the return pump, let things settle and mark that level as well. This way you can tell how much evaporation is occuring and also how much new saltwater to add during water changes.

 

[baef]

I am thinking I had too much water. The sump I have has the bio balls in it, and they were all under water, I think they are supposed to be above water and the intake pours on them. I just need to find that sweet spot of where the level in the sump needs to be and keep it like that.

I am gonna take some water out and then turn the pump off and see what happens

I will let you guys know, thanks for the help.

 

[baef]

Another question about the sump, can I get a bigger (More GPH) return pump? Im not sure what I am getting now but it doesn't seem to be alot. How big can you go, what would you recommend?

 

[Anonymous]

The GPH limit is determined by the amount of water the overflow can handle.

My suggestion would be to leave your current pump going and build a closed loop with an additional pump for more water circulation. A couple of the large volume powerheads would also work.

 

[Anonymous]

baef, it depends on what your overflow is rated for. You can go as big a pump as the overflow will handle.

If your sump is a manufactered one, it should have a water level line marked on it. Fill your tank until full, fill sump to that line, turn on pumps then you can add water back to the sump up to that line. Then just to be sure, turn off the pump and see how much syphons back into the sump.
Pesto chango, you've found the sweet spot.

 

[baef]

Thanks guys...

I didn't get a chance to work on it much last night but will talk a look tonight...

I think the flow is ok to the sump, I will just add powerheads to the tank to get more flow in the tank itself which is my biggest concern.