Plumbing help..

bobbyblank · 07/29/2007, 10:10 AM

My tank was used and the overflow was pre-plumbed when i got it. The return is gravity fed to my sump, there is a cap on the "T" with a hole so it can draw air. The return water is nothing but water with tons of air = TONS of big loud bubbles to sump, I have to use a fliter sock to reduce noise and disurbing sand in my sump/refuge. When i cap the hole in the T to cut off the air, the waterlevel in my OF drops quickly then begins to suck air and starts gurgling loudly. I have built a derso pipe but dosent help. do i need more GPH to keep my OF full when capping the hole? The display tank is 40g and im useing a Mag7 with about 3 1/2 to 4' of head. Any advice would be appreciated

Percula9 · 07/29/2007, 10:24 AM

What kind of overflow do you have? The sump should have had an additional baffle. The sock and sand should be separate if possble. Is there any plant matter in the sump or just liverock and sand? Try putting a needle air valve in the hole to control the amount of air going in. As for the OF try a foam insert over drain. By the way I can't see the middle of the sump, are there any baffles at all? Can you run the pump submercible instead? The water level in the OF goes down when you plug up the hole because it starts to drain to fast without the air hole. This is why I suggested the valve. The other solution might be to plug the hole again this time add a ball valve to the end of pipe that feeds the sock. This should prevent the water level in the OF box from going down.

bobbyblank · 07/29/2007, 10:38 AM

The sump has 2 sections with no baffles, there is a single glass plate seperating 2 sections. Its a crappy sump but for now, its working. The picture is old and the pump IS submersed. I have a ballvalve on the return line, and its adjusted as far as i can without shutting down flow and still not helping. Im not haveing a problem with micro bubbles getting into display, it just the return water has so much air mixed with it, its overwhelming my sump with Large bubbles. When i reduce the size of the hole, it just starts to whistle.

bobbyblank · 07/29/2007, 10:40 AM

does anyone have pics of there overflow and return setups so i can see how yours are plumbed? the main problem is the since the pipe is not totally full with water, it is VERY loud while its working its rattleing its way down to my sump. The overflow is fairly quiet. all the noise is from the pipes and the larger bubbles popping out of the return

bobbyblank · 07/29/2007, 12:28 PM

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Percula9 · 07/29/2007, 04:21 PM

I still say plug the hole up and put a ball valve at the end pf the pipe dumping into the sock. By slowing the flow a little it should prevent the water level in the overflow from going to low. The glass barrier between the tank is the baffle or sometimes called a weir. The sump is badly designed.

07/29/2007, 10:10 AM	#1
bobbyblank Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: South Sac Posts: 500	Plumbing help.. My tank was used and the overflow was pre-plumbed when i got it. The return is gravity fed to my sump, there is a cap on the "T" with a hole so it can draw air. The return water is nothing but water with tons of air = TONS of big loud bubbles to sump, I have to use a fliter sock to reduce noise and disurbing sand in my sump/refuge. When i cap the hole in the T to cut off the air, the waterlevel in my OF drops quickly then begins to suck air and starts gurgling loudly. I have built a derso pipe but dosent help. do i need more GPH to keep my OF full when capping the hole? The display tank is 40g and im useing a Mag7 with about 3 1/2 to 4' of head. Any advice would be appreciated __________________ -Bobby- Current Tank Info: 40g acrilic, 20g sump/refuge, Mag7 and 2 powerheads

07/29/2007, 10:24 AM	#2
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	What kind of overflow do you have? The sump should have had an additional baffle. The sock and sand should be separate if possble. Is there any plant matter in the sump or just liverock and sand? Try putting a needle air valve in the hole to control the amount of air going in. As for the OF try a foam insert over drain. By the way I can't see the middle of the sump, are there any baffles at all? Can you run the pump submercible instead? The water level in the OF goes down when you plug up the hole because it starts to drain to fast without the air hole. This is why I suggested the valve. The other solution might be to plug the hole again this time add a ball valve to the end of pipe that feeds the sock. This should prevent the water level in the OF box from going down. Last edited by Percula9; 07/29/2007 at 10:32 AM.

07/29/2007, 10:38 AM	#3
bobbyblank Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: South Sac Posts: 500	The sump has 2 sections with no baffles, there is a single glass plate seperating 2 sections. Its a crappy sump but for now, its working. The picture is old and the pump IS submersed. I have a ballvalve on the return line, and its adjusted as far as i can without shutting down flow and still not helping. Im not haveing a problem with micro bubbles getting into display, it just the return water has so much air mixed with it, its overwhelming my sump with Large bubbles. When i reduce the size of the hole, it just starts to whistle. __________________ -Bobby- Current Tank Info: 40g acrilic, 20g sump/refuge, Mag7 and 2 powerheads

07/29/2007, 10:40 AM	#4
bobbyblank Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: South Sac Posts: 500	does anyone have pics of there overflow and return setups so i can see how yours are plumbed? the main problem is the since the pipe is not totally full with water, it is VERY loud while its working its rattleing its way down to my sump. The overflow is fairly quiet. all the noise is from the pipes and the larger bubbles popping out of the return __________________ -Bobby- Current Tank Info: 40g acrilic, 20g sump/refuge, Mag7 and 2 powerheads

07/29/2007, 12:28 PM	#5
bobbyblank Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: South Sac Posts: 500	- __________________ -Bobby- Current Tank Info: 40g acrilic, 20g sump/refuge, Mag7 and 2 powerheads

07/29/2007, 04:21 PM	#6
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	I still say plug the hole up and put a ball valve at the end pf the pipe dumping into the sock. By slowing the flow a little it should prevent the water level in the overflow from going to low. The glass barrier between the tank is the baffle or sometimes called a weir. The sump is badly designed.