Water flow

[JSellars]

I did my water change tonight, started at 9pm and it’s now 12:30am and I am still up messing with the flow. I just can’t seem to get the overflow and return flow to match up. I even marked a line on my ball valve a while back so i could just set it back where it was... but nope, it doesn’t want to flow right.

Anyone else have this problem?
Any better solutions?


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[SweetReefOH]

I know this isn’t fun, but you can replace the ball valve with a gate valve. Even with a gate valve it can take a while to dial it in after a water change. Ball valves just aren’t precise enough. If you don’t already have a union on your full siphon, I’d recommend adding one while you’re replacing the valve.

[andys1982]

Why are you restricting the drain and not just running it wide open? 

Pumps aren't consistent, so you'll never get them exactly equal.  Restricting the drain sounds like a flood waiting to happen.

[JSellars]

Return pump can’t keep up with my 1” drain. I have a sicce 1.5 running on a 3/4” line. I was told it would work fine together. Tank is only 25gal. Return pump is supposed to be 357gph.


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[SweetReefOH]

Bean animal

Why are you restricting the drain and not just running it wide open? 

Pumps aren't consistent, so you'll never get them exactly equal.  Restricting the drain sounds like a flood waiting to happen.

[SweetReefOH]

Does your overflow box have 2 drains?

If it doesn’t, Andy is right and you DO NOT want to restrict the drain.

Return pump can’t keep up with my 1” drain. I have a sicce 1.5 running on a 3/4” line. I was told it would work fine together. Tank is only 25gal. Return pump is supposed to be 357gph.


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[andys1982]

Or no overflow at all?  Not sure why return needs to keep up with the drain.  With an overflow in place, the drain simply drains what water is there.

I figured Bean Animal could be the case, but really shouldn't need to be that accurate there.  The second drain should catch some over-spill.

[JSellars]

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[JSellars]

I’m new to saltwater stuff, I’ve always used canister filters on freshwater. Any advice on how to get this properly setup would be greatly appreciated!


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[SweetReefOH]

Hmm, interesting setup. The longer drain is what I believe they call a Durso drain. I’m not sure I’m understanding the pipe drilled into the mid area of the tank. Is that a drain or a return?

[JSellars]

Hmm, interesting setup. The longer drain is what I believe they call a Durso drain. I’m not sure I’m understanding the pipe drilled into the mid area of the tank. Is that a drain or a return?

Upper bulkhead is the overflow drain. Lower bulkhead is the return line.


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[SweetReefOH]

I personally would never run a sump that way. I believe I see a check valve on your return. If that check valve is not 100% and your pump fails, all the water from the tank down to the bulkhead will backfill into your sump. I would definitely try to re-engineer that setup so you can use a proper “full siphon” with a gate valve inline and an emergency drain for overflows. This is usually accomplished with the internal over flow box having two drains or an external overflow box with 2 drains. But I would never run a tank without an emergency drain. Just my personal opinion.

Are both of those bulkheads inside your overflow box in the tank?

[JSellars]

Sump won’t overflow if the return pump shuts off. I tried it to make sure it wouldn’t flood. I’m guessing that my drain line should be 3/4” to match the return pump size? I’ve got no clue about this stuff. From my understanding, this is a factory drilled tank, so I’m guessing the bulkheads are in correct positions. Do I need a bigger return pump to return more water? I need help, this is driving me crazy and I’m ready to change it over to a HOB filter lmao





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[JSellars]

Pic of sump, not sure if it’s necessary or not lol




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[SweetReefOH]

It won’t flood because you have a check valve in your return line that is working correctly at the moment. If a tiny snail were to be on the edge of the lip of the valve when the pump shuts off, the water will back siphon into the sump until it’s below the level of the bulkhead. But, you never said whether those two bulkhead are within your overflow chamber. If they are, then you are more safe. Because it will only back siphon what you have in the chamber.

[SweetReefOH]

It won’t flood because you have a check valve in your return line that is working correctly at the moment. If a tiny snail were to be on the edge of the lip of the valve when the pump shuts off, the water will back siphon into the sump until it’s below the level of the bulkhead. But, you never said whether those two bulkhead are within your overflow chamber. If they are, then you are more safe. Because it will only back siphon what you have in the chamber.

[SweetReefOH]

Just give me a call. I’ll pm you my number


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[JSellars]

So after talking with Dustin at Viking Corals, I decided to try and run my tank with the ball valve fully open.... oddly enough it works perfectly fine!!! My only complaint is that the drain line is noisy now. Any way to quiet the noise of the water coming down the drain? It’s not splashing in the sump, just the sound of water running through the drain line is gonna drive me nuts!


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[lazylivin]

The only way to make it silent is to remove the air. To do that close the ball valve to overwhelm the pipe so only water can come in. Close it until the water barely trickles over the second pipe. The pipe with ball valve should be flush with bottom of overflow box. The second pipe (trickle) pipe should be a good 4” above that. Next time your over i can show you my setup if that helps

[VikingCoral]

He only has one drain line from what I understood.

[JSellars]

Yes it only has a single drain. Upper bulkhead had to be replaced and no longer has the 90 on the inside, just has a strainer on it now. Couldn’t fit a 90 in there with the overflow installed.


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[lazylivin]

Ah I see. Thanks for clarifying. Unfortunalty a 2nd drain is needed to make it silent.