Overflow Not Working Properly

gcgrad · 01/30/2015, 05:23 PM

Starting a new 300 gallon system. One of my corner overflows isn't working properly. While filling the tank up with a hose only one corner spills over into the overflow, almost as if the tank is lopsided or not level. I've got my leveler out and the tank is level. The one corner cannot handle the power of the return pump and almost spills over the tank wall because it doesn't drain fast enough. I'm not sure how this is happening. I bought this tank from someone else and it seemed to work fine. My house sits on a slab so I know the floor is level, thus the tank and stand must be level. Anyone have this problem before? Any suggestions? Thanks!

James77 · 01/30/2015, 07:38 PM

When you say the tank is level, are you leveling on the rim? Is it dead level? Are you using a quality level?

If that is dead level, I would find a way to see if the over flows are level with each other. If one is even slightly out of whack from the other, it is going to get more water. Though what you describe makes it sound like almost no water is overflowing to one overflow.....is that whats going on?

lllesley · 01/30/2015, 11:54 PM

You would be amazed at how un-level a concrete slab can be. We just set up a 310g and had to lift one end almost 5 mm. Even that small difference would affect the overflow. Do double check for safety !

ca1ore · 01/31/2015, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcgrad

My house sits on a slab so I know the floor is level, thus the tank and stand must be level!

Sounds, from your choice of language, that you haven't actually checked. Assuming some major manufacturing flaw (that would have precluded it from 'working before'), the only explanation that really makes any sense is an out of level tank.

jrr98002 · 01/31/2015, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lllesley

You would be amazed at how un-level a concrete slab can be. We just set up a 310g and had to lift one end almost 5 mm. Even that small difference would affect the overflow. Do double check for safety !

This...concrete slabs are generally fairly perfectly FLAT, but not always LEVEL. Big difference. I'd take your level and measure corner-to-corner side-to-side every way you can think of, the stand with the floor too.

gcgrad · 01/31/2015, 07:40 AM

One of my problems was that the return pump was too strong. I simply closed the ball valve in front of it a little and now both overflows are working. One side may be slightly faster than the other but at least everything is in working order. I will keep an eye on it. But yes, I measured the center rim, corners, and the bubble was dead in the center. Thanks for the help!

Vinny Kreyling · 01/31/2015, 10:31 AM

The best level if the tank is full is the water level itself. Drop it enough to see it.

01/30/2015, 05:23 PM	#1
gcgrad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 192	Overflow Not Working Properly Starting a new 300 gallon system. One of my corner overflows isn't working properly. While filling the tank up with a hose only one corner spills over into the overflow, almost as if the tank is lopsided or not level. I've got my leveler out and the tank is level. The one corner cannot handle the power of the return pump and almost spills over the tank wall because it doesn't drain fast enough. I'm not sure how this is happening. I bought this tank from someone else and it seemed to work fine. My house sits on a slab so I know the floor is level, thus the tank and stand must be level. Anyone have this problem before? Any suggestions? Thanks! __________________ 125 Gallon Tank; 30 Gallon Sump; 130 lbs rock; 3" Bioactive Aragonite sandbed; Reef Octopus Skimmer; 2x Koralia 1050; Finnex 250 and 300 wt Heater Stocklist: 2 Percula Clownfish, 1 Royal Gramma, 1

01/30/2015, 07:38 PM	#2
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	When you say the tank is level, are you leveling on the rim? Is it dead level? Are you using a quality level? If that is dead level, I would find a way to see if the over flows are level with each other. If one is even slightly out of whack from the other, it is going to get more water. Though what you describe makes it sound like almost no water is overflowing to one overflow.....is that whats going on? __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 120g Mixed Reef and 75g Freshwater

01/31/2015, 07:40 AM	#6
gcgrad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 192	One of my problems was that the return pump was too strong. I simply closed the ball valve in front of it a little and now both overflows are working. One side may be slightly faster than the other but at least everything is in working order. I will keep an eye on it. But yes, I measured the center rim, corners, and the bubble was dead in the center. Thanks for the help! __________________ 125 Gallon Tank; 30 Gallon Sump; 130 lbs rock; 3" Bioactive Aragonite sandbed; Reef Octopus Skimmer; 2x Koralia 1050; Finnex 250 and 300 wt Heater Stocklist: 2 Percula Clownfish, 1 Royal Gramma, 1

01/30/2015, 11:54 PM	#3
lllesley Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 336	You would be amazed at how un-level a concrete slab can be. We just set up a 310g and had to lift one end almost 5 mm. Even that small difference would affect the overflow. Do double check for safety !

01/31/2015, 10:31 AM	#7
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	The best level if the tank is full is the water level itself. Drop it enough to see it.