HELP me with my overflow issues

[lady P]

I am beginner, I have a 56 gallon tank with a wet to dry filtration system previously running 300 gallons per hour and always having to pour water into the system due to micro bubbles. So I upgraded my pump to a mag 7 and it works great but the issue I am having is my overflow box.

I was told to get a ball valve to regulate the flow and I brought it and I turned off the pump to do the repairs and water started to evaporate from the tank filling up so quickly and I immediately plugged it back in. i removed the water out of the tank so I wouldn't have an overflow.

what i noticed that there is a lot of water where the blue balls and I tried to get it out. No luck.

please help

[rogergolf66]

I'm slightly confused on your question as to where you r getting the water backing up? Pictures could help also. U can load them with photobucket and use the image code just past that to your thread.

I'm guessing u have a standard wet dry filter. It sounds like the bio balls are not letting the water flow through them fast enough? First off if you have live rock I would recommend removing the bio balls from the system slowly over a couple months. They tend to create nitrate problems in they system.

I hope I'm understanding your question

Roger

[CuzzA]

Originally Posted by lady P

I am beginner, I have a 56 gallon tank with a wet to dry filtration system previously running 300 gallons per hour and always having to pour water into the system due to micro bubbles. So I upgraded my pump to a mag 7 and it works great but the issue I am having is my overflow box.

I was told to get a ball valve to regulate the flow and I brought it and I turned off the pump to do the repairs and water started to evaporate from the tank filling up so quickly and I immediately plugged it back in. i removed the water out of the tank so I wouldn't have an overflow.

what i noticed that there is a lot of water where the blue balls and I tried to get it out. No luck.

please help

I agree with Roger. Live rock is your biological filter. There's no need for bio balls.

I think I'm understanding your question. Water evaporates. You cannot fix this. It is a matter of physics. As your return section was getting low it was starting to take in air and put micro bubbles in your display. Changing pumps has nothing to do with it. Your tank must be topped off with FRESH RO/DI WATER. Sometimes daily depending on your evaporation rate. DO NOT ADD SALTWATER. The salt does not evaporate. You will increase your salinity and kill your inhabitants.

As far as the ball valve on the return pump, it would have made no difference. You should have a siphon break on your return so only a little display water siphons back to the sump. The ball valve was suggested only to match the flow your overflow box can handle.

Again, I think I'm understanding your questions, but I'm not certain. I suggest however you do some more research about marine aquariums so you completely understand what is going on and not kill any livestock.

[FDdragon]

I am also a little confused. could you please clarify what you are talking about

[Waters40]

I believe what the OP is talking about is the tank water siphoning back into the sump when the return pump is shut off. I think the word evaporate was used incorrectly....does this sound correct lady p? If that is the case, then you need to drill a hole or two just below the waterline on your return in your display tank. This will create a siphon break (like CuzzA suggested) and only allow a small amount of water back into your sump. Once the drilled hole starts sucking in air, the siphon stops. You need to make sure your sump (or wet/dry filter) can hold the amount of water coming back in without overflowing.

[FDdragon]

what size is your plumbing?

[Sk8r]

You also could use about a Mag 9 with a 50 gallon tank.

Your sump must always have enough 'free' room in it to contain the additional 'draindown' from the main tank once the power is off. Otherwise any power outage would be a disaster.