Need overflow advise

[tony1313]

Hi all,
I just finished setting up a drip system and it seems to be working like a charm. Only 1 problem (well actually 2) I have 2 larger tanks that are not drilled with wet/dry's. I am using a siphon into an overflow box; problem is I seem to get the sump water level adjusted and the following morning they are overflowing. I would rather not drill the tank or sump. Does anyone have experience with this or any suggestions?

Thanks,
Tony

[ronrca]

The sumps are overflowing? Is the overflow box inside the tank or outside?

Im thinking you need to adjust the siphon pipe to correct for the sump overflowing. It may be to deep or long inside the tank therefore siphoning more water from the tank than the sump can contain. Or lower the initial sump water level.

[fshngal]

Place a ball valve on the pvc pipe coming off the bottom of the overflow box which should be running into the sump. You will then be able to adjust the flow into the sump.

Fshngal :)

[tony1313]

Hi Ron & Fishingal,
I guess I should have been a little more specific. Yes the sump is over-flowing but takes about 6 hours or so for the level to climb to the top of the sump. The overflow system I installed is separate from the wet dry and consists of a j-tube and an outside box(pvc tube similar to attached pic). To adjust the water level in the tank you just raise or lower the pvc tube. I'm not sure the reason for the sump overflowing and why it takes so long(that makes it very hard to adjust). It could be a fluctuation in the gph of the pump or just a very sensitive set-up. I'm just surprised no one has come across this problem before.

[ronrca]

How do you do your water changes? Do you shut off the sump pump, fill the tank and sump to the top, then start the sump pump? What Im thinking is happening is that you have too much water for your sump to handle. What I mean is that when your system is running, slowly the water from the tank is 'overflowing' the sump. To avoid this is fill the tank to just under the overflow point, fill the sump to full, then start up the system.

Or try to adjust your siphon. I dont use the siphon overflow method rather drilled my tanks.

[jaydoc]

tony,
is the black tube coming off the white pvc what flows to the sump as it appears to be? In a siphon system you have two bodies of water, the one in the tank and the one in the white pvc pipe. these two bodies of water will seek the same level or table via the siphon tube. It appears that the water column in the white pvc pipe can only go as high as the overflow tube and this level is below the desired water level in the aquarium. It looks to me that over several hours, everything will equilibrate so that the tank water level is now at the same level as the outflow tube of the white pvc. This means that more water will have shifted from the aquarium to the sump. Does this make any sense?

It appears that you need to raise the level of the overflow pipe up to the desired water level for the aquarium or reconfigure your overflow system. there are a couple of examples on the site somewhere. I will see if I can find them.
Cary the lesser
http://www.aka.org/pages/libary/flow_through.html

[aggie_67]

Is your white PVC anchored securely!!! If it is slowly slipping down that would result in the sequence you observed.

[tony1313]

Ron: I usually keep the water level in the sump right at the bottom of the bio-balls and shut off the pump when I do w/c's. Not a problem there. I have the overflow system on a tank without a wet/dry and it works fine(it's a 55gal). The 2 tanks I have wet/dry's on are 130gals. I'm thinking the large surface area of the tanks may be why it takes so long for the water level in tank and overflow box to equalize. I'm pretty sure I have one of the tanks set but I will keep a close eye to see what happens(I don't want to burn up any pumps or flood the basement).

Cary: The black hose coming off the pvc goes to the waste drain. And yes the tank and pvc will seek the same water level. Problem is it takes so long with the larger tanks an the sump level on the wet/dry seem unstable. I'm not sure if it is because of the surface area of the tank, a fluctuation in the amount of water being added by the drip, a fluctuation in the gph of the pump or some other variable.

Aggie: Yes the pvc is very secure and only moves when I adjust it.



btw.... it's looking like I may end up drilling the sumps and putting the overflows equal with the bottom of the bio balls. Then when I shut off the pump for w/c's I will plug the sump hole so the tank water level isn't low on restarts.