Sump fills up Part 2

Hello, I need help again.....I originally posted the thread for the HOB Overflow box being noisey and also filling up my sump (20G) when the pump is without power......well today I rushed home to try and raise my return head so that it is located just under the surface of my water level line. When I turned off my pump what happens is the water fills my sump and would overflow before the water level drops low enough for the return to start catchin air?????????? I made sure I have the return tip up as high as possible without gurgling or making blowing sounds. What should I try next???????

180 G tank 20G sump

 

Drill a small hole just under the surface, it that doesn't work, it means your sump is too small for that sized tank.

 

A 20 Gallon sump should be OK for a 180G tank. This has got me stumped. I know there should be something else that will work.

 

pictures of your sump, overflow (both sides) and return line would help us troubleshoot where the issue is.

 

have had NO luck at adding pics......I have a 3 vented tubes 1/2 inch in size bent over into overflow at 90 degrees and the overflow is about 5 inches squared with a 1" bulkhead drain with flextube going down to my sump. I just removed my spray bar and I'm going to have a room full of water unless I figure out this simple problem.......Help....

 

If there was no to very little standing water in it it may be ok, but keep in mind there is already water in there, I have a 20gal long as a sump too and I only have about 6-8 gallon s of extra room in there. If you assume that the return is 1" below the water, then about 7.5 gallons of water will drain before the siphon breaks. If 2" then 15 gallons etc. I think the sump is too small or was poorly designed to handle the excess back flow.

What are you worried about though? When the power goes out? If you put a ball valve on it, you can shut the pump off and close the valve to prevent this from happening, that's how I have mine setup.

 

What if I am not home when the power goes out?????? What then my friend???? My sump tank is Molded plastic...therefore I doubt that it is poorly designed unless you consider Biowheel Sumps poorly designed. LOL. I'm looking for help not critisism.

 

Not being a smart #$% but you have too much flow from the main tank to the sump.....you need to raise the overflow box until you find that sweet spot....

here is a trick.....drain enough water from the main tank until you stop the flow into the overflow box....then calculate how much your drained....then make sure your sump has no more water in it than what your drained to break the flow.

At that point when you power back up you will maybe see your return pump is too much and sucks out more than is being returned....Do not add more water to make up for it....put is a ball valve in the return line to adjust the level that way.

If the sump is filling up to fast then you either need to reduce the flow to the sump or get a bigger pump.

JMO

 

I'm just saying.......I only removed my spraybar.......now I have a Poor sump design and I need to get a bigger pump.....Dudes......I need help here.......not accusations????????

 

I just tried if you read.