Overflow keeps "flushing"

johnnyla

johnnyla

New Member
Just got my 57G tank up and running. Using a 2400 GPH return pump from sump to tank. The tank has built in overflow section. Yesterday and last night everything was working just fine. This morning I noticed that the overflow section keeps filling up and "flushing" down the the bottom of the drain. The pump sounds fine, the return into the tank looks normal, no pulsing action. I have a gate valve on the return and is closed about 30%.
I opened it up a bit more this morning to see if that would reduce the flushing, but it did not.
Any ideas? I don't think the wife will get used to the constant flushing sounds.
 
johnnyla

johnnyla

New Member
I will take a vid later on today. The overflow is built into the tank. The tank is a Deep Blue 57 Edge. The overflow is in the middle of the tank. The drain is from my previous post a couple days ago when I was trying to figure out how it went together.
Basically, the water in the overflow fills upp to the top of the drain elbow, then it all drains to the bottom of the elbow, fills back up and repeats the process over and over.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Sounds like it fills and then goes into full a full siphon mode. Might be as simple as drilling a breather or vent hole in the top of the pipe. Pics would definitely help though.
 
johnnyla

johnnyla

New Member
Here is a pic of the plumbing. I am not using the strainer on the drain elbow, but that shouldn't be causing the siphoning. There is a breather hole at the top, perhaps it is too small.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Wow I completely missed the fact that you said you're running a 2400gph pump. Thats way to large for your plumbing and your system. Im surpised you haven't had a flood yet.
 
johnnyla

johnnyla

New Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/393832/overflow-keeps-flushing#post_3504851
Wow I completely missed the fact that you said you're running a 2400gph pump. Thats way to large for your plumbing and your system. Im surpised you haven't had a flood yet.
I had planned on using a 300 GPH pump but was discussing with LFS and mentioned that I had the 2400 pump and he told me that would be fine. I did put a valve on it and have it closed down to about 30% flow rate. Although the turbulance in the sump is off the charts. Perhaps the pump may be sucking in too much air. But with that thought, I do not see air bubbles coming out of the return. Hmmm
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Holy christ! 2400gph?!?!?! A 300gph up to maybe a 500gph pump would have been max for that size tank. A 2400g pump should have a minimum of a 55g sump if not larger!! No wonder your hearing a lot of water noises and having problems.
Could you still post the video?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/393832/overflow-keeps-flushing#post_3504860
Holy christ! 2400gph?!?!?! A 300gph up to maybe a 500gph pump would have been max for that size tank. A 2400g pump should have a minimum of a 55g sump if not larger!! No wonder your hearing a lot of water noises and having problems.
Could you still post the video?

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/393832/overflow-keeps-flushing#post_3504838
Sounds like it fills and then goes into full a full siphon mode. Might be as simple as drilling a breather or vent hole in the top of the pipe. Pics would definitely help though.
Your exactly correct Corey.....The "T" has a cap or fitting on the top with a hole in the top of it, and the elbow is connected to the output of the "T". The hole in the top cap isn't big enough.....
Your LFS sold you a bunch of goods......There's no way in heaven as Seth pointed out the overflow will handle that amount of flow.....I remember in another thread you had asked how to assemble the drain portion of your tank.....That cap on top of the "T" that we had previously discussed is what's causing your flushing issue.....The hole is to small and as Corey pointed out it's trying to become a siphon....Corey offered a good solution to the problem, but you'll have to play around with it till you find the correct size hole though......
A very common issue with what I'd call a durso pipe....hard to fine tune and keep tuned.....Anyone that says this style or setup is set and forget is kidding you.....Over time there is and will be a need for adjustment.....
 
johnnyla

johnnyla

New Member
I turned down the pump and the siphoning stopped. I will switch out the 2400 g pump with a smaller one this weekend. I will also keep an eye on the breather hole as well.
Thanks for the help!
 
johnnyla

johnnyla

New Member
It is a Pondmaster Mag Drive Model 24. I will swap out with a Pondmaster Mag 350 after XMAS. I need to redo the plumbing to fit this aquarium. Things have been fine since I turned it down, but if I have the flow reduced that much, may as well swap out pumps.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Definitely the Mag 24 is way to much for the overflow....I agree with Seth on the Mag 5.....The 3 IMO undersized quite a bit....Just thinking of the pressure going up to the tank.....
 
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