I'm having major sump problems

[itzclayyo]

Ok, so I bought a used 135g off of Craigslist about a month ago. With some major re-adjusting, it's about time to fill the tank with water.

 

The tank is AGA with dual overflows, one in each corner.

 

Well after some leaks, some broken bulkheads, replacing all the tubing, it's time to fill er up.

 

Well I finally got it filled, and low and behold I don't even think the damn overflow boxes are the same height!! With the water line barely over the overflow wall it seems that only 1 of the drains is draining 75% of the water. And once it started to overflow into the overflow boxes, it seems like it just quickly goes straight to the sump until it's back to where it was, with the sump filled a bit higher.

 

I don't even know what to do at this point. I'm afraid if I fill the tank all the way the sump will just overflow until the tank is back to the barely draining level. And the noise of the drains is enough to drive someone insane. Is that because the tank's not filled all the way?

 

It almost seems like it's draining more then my pump can return. To fight that problem I cut one of the fittings off of a drainage bulkhead and put a cap on it and blocked it off, so now it's only draining out of 1 and returning out of 2. I haven't had time to try it and see if it works, but I have a bad feeling about it. This is extremely frustrating, especially around the holidays with company coming over. Now tommorrow I already have to drain the entire thing again in order to move it against a wall out of walking area. Here's the only options I can think of:

 

-Fill the tank all the way and hope the sump won't overflow and stay at a constant level

-Get a stronger pump- supposively it came with a Mag 18, but it doesn't say any name brand on the pump.

-Completely block off and tear out one overflow, cover the holes with thick plexiglass glued down.

-T off the drains to slow down the drainage

 

I'm sure it's hard to understand what I just attempted to explain, but please help!! Thank you!

[thecowkid]

Wow. Well its always a good thing to have drains that can handle more than your pump can supply. That way it will not overflow the tank. I am not sure how that tank is setup, but assuming that its level and thats not causing you difference in drains... The tank may be setup as a two stage drain. This meaning that one drain is a main drain and the other is used as a backup in the rare case of the main getting clogged. This is a good system to have. As in you can set it up using the berlin method to silence the drains. Your water is gonna rush back into the sump as soon as it hits the drains. Thats what its suppose to do. The water level is gonna stay the same in the tank once you get it filled. It will only change in the return pump chamber in the sump. So here is what you do

 

Fill the tank until it begins to spill into the sump via the overflows. Then fill the sump to what you would feel is the correct level. Then turn on the pumps. You will see that the level in the return pump chamber is gonna drop. Then add more water to the sump to bring the pump chamber up to a good level. Then unplug the return pump. Water will empty from the tank until it is to the bottom of the overflow teeth. Just keep an eye on your sump as it may overflow. If it is gonna overflow just take some water from the sump. Keep adjusting your running water level until it will not overflow the sump when you turn the return pump off. Once this is done your water level is correct.

 

Hope this helped

[jerzsky]

^^ +1

 

and if u have a spare pump handy, you could place it in the sump, and keep the plug ready, so if it is gonna over flow, you can just turn it on and pump some water outside. this would be faster thatn trying to scoop some out with a bucket.

 

good luck! let us know how it all goes down!

[darcurr]

With the water line barely over the overflow wall it seems that only 1 of the drains is draining 75% of the water. And once it started to overflow into the overflow boxes, it seems like it just quickly goes straight to the sump until it's back to where it was, with the sump filled a bit higher.

 

I have to say it sound like the tank is not level. If possible, you can measure the distance from the bottom of the teeth to the top of the tank on both overflows. If they're the same, you know the tank isn't level. Bad side of that is if it isn't level, what can you really do about it?

 

So if it were me and I just had to have water through both overflows, I would install a ball valve inline ( which I think you should already have on both overflows) and close them down till I got the results I wanted. If you choose to go that route, make sure you adjust both. Otherwise all the water flow will go through the other overflow. Hope that helps