Overflow problems, need help

[CRE]

I have a 125 gallon set up and I'm using an overflow box. The overflow goes to a wet\dry filter which has a mag 5 pump in it. The mag 5 pumps from the wet\dry to an Aqua C EV 120 skimmer which is housed in a 10 gallon sump. The sump has a mag 7 pump to return water to the tank. I have a ball valve between the mag 5 and the skimmer to regulate flow. Here's the problem I can set the ball valve so that everything seems stable for 3-4 hours however after about and aditonal 6-8 hours the wet dry filter is almost full. If I open the ball valve further the mag 5 out runs the mag 7 and the wet dry filter runs dry. Any suggestions??? A side note this is an upgrade project because of seam that let go on my 55 gallon acrylic tank so there is livestock in the 125.

 

[chris03079]

First I would think it might be a little easier to control if you replace the ball valve with a gate valve like this one
( http://www.savko.com/Images/gate.gif )
that will give a more precise control.

 

[Jennifer]

My suggestion is to redo your plumbing between the wetdry and the sump.
Using 2 pumps is just risking a flood. You will never be able to get the 2 pumps synced.

You need to make the water flow from the wet dry to the sump using gravity, I.e plumb the 2 together using 2 bulkhead fittings and a short piece of pipe or hose.
Use a min of 1" sized bulkheads.

Or just get rid of the wet dry and put in 1 larger sump tank.

 

[CRE]

Thanks for the input Jennifer. The 10 gallon tank is glass and I don't want to attemp drilling it. I'm going to go with a larger sump and modify the wet dry filter to fit inside and empty into the sump via gravity, along with the skimmer and return pump.

 

[JohnK]

I think I need a visual here?? Are there two sumps?

When the mag 5 outruns the mag 7 (because the 7 is pumping up so it' actually moves less water), where does the water level change?

If it's all in one sump, the 5 moving more water shouldn't change anything unless it's keeping a greater volume in the skimmer?

If it is two seperate sumps, its' just not going to work in this configuration.

 

[CRE]

Yes there are two sumps. When the mag 5 out runs the 7 the water level in the second sump is what changes. I'll be changing over to 1 larger sump.

 

[IPWitan]

+1 on the one sump and 1 pump. You can always dump the 10 gal tank and buy a rubber maid container of the same size. I got a square one at Target for 3 bucks. The only real benefit to the two sump system is that it is harder to put in one big one because of the support on the cabinets. Sometimes it is easier to place 2 smaller ones next to each other, plumbed together, and balanced by gravity.

David

 

[JohnK]

Yup OK,

You will need to go to a single sump, or else connect the two with bulkheads.

The biggest problem with the two sumps approach relying on pumps to keep the levels even, is that even if you can get everything adjusted just right so they stay even, those adjustments will change over time due to fouling and wear.

At least you didn't have a flood

 

[Rone]

Yup OK,

You will need to go to a single sump, or else connect the two with bulkheads.

This would mean the bulkheads would have to be at the upper height of both sump to allow one to free float into the other then the one pump for the return?

 

[JohnK]

One sump could be raised and drain down into the other, OR you could just connect them side by side and the water level would naturally even out as long as the bulkhead(s) were large enough that they wouldn't restrict the flow of water.

A larger sump would me MUCH easier and more practical though.

 

[fire911]

I agree you need to connect both. I also agre that you need gate valves. ball valves give you on, off, and something in between. a gate valve gives you fine tuning. You can not get pvc gate valves at home depot but i got mine at the local plumbing supply house for i believe $10 (special order though). Also make sure you tell them its for salt water because there are different types of o-rings depending on what your using it for, and you dont want a gate valve that the o-ring is going to leak after a few weeks because the salt ate the o-ring.

 

[CRE]

Thanks to everyone for all the insights. Yep no floods and no losses. I grabbed a 20 gallon tank my dad had in his cellar, I drilled the wet/dry filter with a 1 1/4 " hole so it would drain via gravity and put it inside the 20 gallon sump. The skimmer and the return pump are also in the 20 gallon sump. The mag 5 seems a bit powerful for the Aqua C EV120 so I'm keeping the ball valve strictly for tuning the skimmer. All is working fine, what a stress relife.