Water in return section of sump sloshing back and forth

Ok, i know the title might be a little vague but, this is what is happening. In the return section of my sump the water, is rocking back and forth, or sloshing back and forth, does anyone know why this would be happening?? I'll try to post a video of it tonight, but i cant figure out why this is doing this.

 

What kind of return pump are you using? What is the flow rate? Sometimes, if the flow rate is high, you will have waterfall effect of water rushing into the return chamber. Try reducing flow rate using a gate valve at the return pump.

 

mine did that when I added too much top off water, by the next day it stopped as the water level dropped back to it's normal level. I'm guessing it has something to do with different flow rates out of the fuge on the right and the overflow/skimmer chamber on the left.

 

Is your return pump breaking suction? What is the water level?

 

I'm using a Rio Hyperflo 10 for the return pump. Its rated at 660 gph but is pumping less that 300gph because my overflow can handle 300gph and its running fine and not overflowing. I've used a ball valve to slow the flow and it does, stop sloshing or rocking but then i get bubbles accumulation in my utube on the overflow.

 

mine never broke suction, but if the level gets about an inch higher than it is in this pic it will begin to slosh, not enough to hurt anything though.

 

You did valve it on the discharge side of the return pump and not the suction side didn't you? Just checking. Is the overflow wide open with no restrictions? Is the overflow running steady or is it surging or flushing and gulping bubbles?

 

Well Telgar, that sounds like whats going on w/ mine. I went home on my lunch today and the water in the sump was dead still no sloshing at all. I could see some water had evaporated just to check I topped off my sump w/ my RODI water and sure enough it started sloshing again, but as you said not enough to hurt anything.

Which brings up another question. My return area probably holds like 4 gallons of water, its kind of small. I could remove my fuge section and have the return area be closer to 8 gallons. I want to grow pods in there though. Could i just throw some LR in the return section for the pods to grow?? or should i keep the fuge?

 

Desertrat- Yes it was on the discharge side and overflow is running perfect. Using a Hofer gurgle buster so its, nice and quiet as well, and snails are to big to get in.

 

fwiw my return chamber holds 4.37gal of active-water in a 40gal long (during a power outage the sump has a capacity of 10gal of water to backflow if needbe). i personally do not have this sloshing effect unless the water level gets too high for the baffles or too low to the pump inlet creating a typhoon effect in the water sucking crazy air and making swooshing noises.