Help!

[gatorjit]

I just filled my 75SW up about an hour ago and started the pump. (MAG 500gph) I am having problems keeping the sump from running dry. Is this pump too much? I do have a 1" ball valve underneath between the inlet bulkhead and the sump. Is this creating the bottleneck that is not letting the tank drain fast enough? I was so thrilled that I finally filled the tank, I have been nuilding for almost a year. Now I am bummed. Any ideas...

 

[drgriff]

You say the tank is drilled so I assume that you have a corner overflow? When you turn the pumps off, how much water drains into your sump? When I set up my tank I had to fill the tank, fill the sump up to the water line printed on the side, turn on the pumps, and then continue to add water to compensate for the water that fills the overflow of the tank. When I turn my pumps off, my sump fills up about 3-4 inches above the "water line" from the water draining out of the overflow, a total of about 7-8 inches of water.

 

[dreeves]

Adjust your pump via the ball valve to slow it down to where it is balanced...does the tank fill higher then normal (just to skimming level of overflow) when the sump goes dry? If not, adjust your water levels in the sump...each adjustment requires you to wait until the water has cycled through the system (in case you were not aware).
And by all means...don't get bummed...you are headed for many more and bigger challenges with the tank...that is part of the enjoyment of fishkeeping as a hobby...problem/solution.