Having problem with sump!!

[9supratt4]

So I bought a used sump for my 55G and I went to the hardware store and picked up a piece of PVC and some fittings to make the return line, but I'm having some trouble.
So I set everything up, the overflow box, the pump, the return line, etc. BTW, I do not have a reef ready tank. I filled the overflow with water then created the vaccum into the overflow and turned on the pump. I pulls the water in, but it seems like there is air or something stuck in the hose from the overflow to the sump.
What happens is the water starts to go down, then stops and builds in the overflow, then all of a sudden it shoots down the hose and you get a slurping noise from the overflow until it all happens again. If you watch what is going on in the sump, the water starts to get lower and then all of a sudden there is a rush of water and some air into the sump.
I tried to stick a smaller hose into the hose from the overflow to the sump in order to get the air, that I think is in the tube, out, nut that didn't work either. To give you a quick run down the water fills the overflow by the vaccum in the U-Joint. The water then flows down a piece of flexible tubing, the tubing looks like a hose taken from a vaccum. The water then enters the sump, goes through to the second chamber, where it flows through the bioballs, then flows into the third chamber where it gets pumped out.
Please help!! I've been trying to get this thing to work for about 2 hours with no luck!!

Also, is the hose from the overflow to the sump the best type to be using or should it be plumbed using PVC? One other thing, should I use any type of cement to hold all the pieces of PVC together? Right now it is just all tightly pushed together.....I didn't want to risk poisioning the tank with the PVC cement.
Thanks!!

 

[mckaax]

Sounds like your return pump is rated to hight for your overflow.

 

[alfieferenzo84]

what size return pump do you have?
What size lines and how many bends? Basically trying to figure out your head loss so height of stright then length of bent lines
Did you try to move the box? I think those move up and down dont they?
How many holes are in the overflow and what size is the box or what kind of overflow system do you have?
Do you have any pics?
Also i think you need to use some kind of cement or bond atleast i would?
I am pretty new to this but i did about 72hrs of reading so i think i can help!

 

[9supratt4]

Originally Posted by mckaax
Sounds like your return pump is rated to hight for your overflow.
I'm not sure what the return pump is rated for. I bought the whole system used from a friend that used to use it on his reef tank. He also had a 55G and it worked great.

Originally Posted by alfieferenzo84
What size lines and how many bends? Basically trying to figure out your head loss so height of stright then length of bent lines
Did you try to move the box? I think those move up and down dont they?
How many holes are in the overflow and what size is the box or what kind of overflow system do you have?
Do you have any pics?
Also i think you need to use some kind of cement or bond atleast i would?
I am pretty new to this but i did about 72hrs of reading so i think i can help!
If you want all the lengths of everything, that will take some time to get, but the return line works great. Its just the intake that seems to be messed up.
I did try to move the box, and the one is completely submerged. Here are some pics of what I have set up:
Overflow box:

Hose From Overflow:

Hose Into Sump:

Intake Into Sump:

Pump Out of Sump:

Return Tube from Pump:

The reason I didn't use cement or anything was because I didn't want it to leech into the tank and kill everything off. Will this happen or am I just being overly caustious?
Any help is greatly appreciated!!! I'm getting annoyed with the whole thing and I'm going to throw the sump out the window soon!!

 

[9supratt4]

Please help!!! There has got to be someone out there that can help!! I just messed with it for another 2 hours and have gotten no where!!! It seems to me that the overflow is emptying too quickly....
Please help!!

 

[andreyv]

having a drilled tank I may be not the best person to offer help but..
from the photos of the overflow looks like you are missing durso standpipe.

 

[9supratt4]

Originally Posted by AndreyV
having a drilled tank I may be not the best person to offer help but..
from the photos of the overflow looks like you are missing durso standpipe.

durso standpipe? I just looked that up and it seems that the standpipe is only for reef ready applications.

 

[9supratt4]

Would it help if I got video of what is going on?

 

[buckster71]

Surge problem.
You got enough water in your tank and sump? Maybe it doesn't fill quick enough to push the air out and holds it up?
Maybe finally when it does flow, then it surges.
Just a thought.

 

[9supratt4]

Well here is a video of my sump....
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7Ts6JB9Hdn4
Please watch and advise!!
Originally Posted by buckster71
Surge problem.
You got enough water in your tank and sump? Maybe it doesn't fill quick enough to push the air out and holds it up?
Maybe finally when it does flow, then it surges.
Just a thought.
I'm thinking the same thing, but even if I add water it doesn't help.....very strange!!!

 

[alfieferenzo84]

looks like your missing a anti shipone stand pipe! or pump is to strong!

 

[9supratt4]

Originally Posted by alfieferenzo84
looks like your missing a anti shipone stand pipe! or pump is to strong!
What exactly is a anti shipone stand pipe??

 

[rdhanley]

only a suggestion, but it looks like your hose from the overflow to the wet dry is too low in the one area. maybe causing a backup.
i would move the wet dry further away from the tank and level out the hose more. see if that helps.

 

[clintjj]

Ok 1 question The line coming from your overflow, make sure that the pipe from the overflow to the sump flows down hill all the way If the line goes uphill at any point past the overflow it will cause what you are saying is happening. Sorry not an artist

 

[9supratt4]

Originally Posted by rdhanley
only a suggestion, but it looks like your hose from the overflow to the wet dry is too low in the one area. maybe causing a backup.
i would move the wet dry further away from the tank and level out the hose more. see if that helps.

Originally Posted by clintjj
Ok 1 question The line coming from your overflow, make sure that the pipe from the overflow to the sump flows down hill all the way If the line goes uphill at any point past the overflow it will cause what you are saying is happening. Sorry not an artist
I am working on that now using PVC.....I will let you know if it works.

 

[clintjj]

You can use PVC but the hose is quiter or it has been for me.

 

[rdhanley]

Originally Posted by 9supratt4
I am working on that now using PVC.....I will let you know if it works.

I HOPE IT WORKS. LET US KNOW IF IT WORKS.

 

[alfieferenzo84]

Originally Posted by 9supratt4
What exactly is a anti shipone stand pipe??

same as durso standpipe
tee off with drilled holes and a air cap

 

[9supratt4]

Well here is a picture of what I ended up with.....

I have spent hours on trying to get this thing to work right with no sucess!!!

I am extremely close to just buying a brand new one that will come with everything that I need exactly!! But that means forking out another few hundred dollars!!

After I attached this piece it was working alot better than when it did with the hose, but there was still alot of air coming through into the sump and the overflow was emptying quite quickly which then made it so the gurggling noise started up again!!
Should I install a valve into the pvc that I can open to allow the air to escape? Or maybe install a ball valve to close the flow of the water until it works right?
Now it also seems that the sump is filling with water faster than it can pump it out. When I fabricated everything using the PVC I followed the same diameters that the tubing was. It was 1 inch from the overflow to the sump and then 3/4 inch from the pump for the return, but it still seems that the sump is filling faster than it is emptying, hence my ball valve idea.
Anyone else have any other suggestions?

 

[rdhanley]

Originally Posted by alfieferenzo84
same as durso standpipe
tee off with drilled holes and a air cap

i think his/her problem is with the hose from the overflow to wet dry. in the video at one section of hose is lower than the top of the wet dry.