Overflow problem

wolf_man

wolf_man

Member
Okay so here it goes. My Siphon tube sucks the water from my tank to the filter. Than the return pumps the water out. My problem is the return pump, pumps out more water than its going in. So after a while the return pump will have very little water to pump out and it makes the crackling sound because it is runniong dry. So can i drill couple of holes into the overflow? I dont want the siphon tube directly in my tank because my future fish will get sucked up. Can i just put some sort of mesh around the tube??? Dont no what to do
 
keebler

keebler

Member
Wow...hold on. more info needed. The overflow should be rated higher than the pump, is it? Maybe you have your overflow set up incorrectly. Is the u-tube directly over the hole that leads to the sump? It should not be.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Not really sure I understand (nothing new for me) but by not just get a return pump with less GPH capacity or if feasible just valve off the return and restrict the flow back into the tank a little
 
wolf_man

wolf_man

Member
The plastic bowl that looks like has teeth on top of it is called the overflow right??? And i have a wet/dry filter
 
keebler

keebler

Member
Another thing I've noticed (and it's a longshot) is that if you get air into the u-tube, the gph of the overflow begins to slow. To eradicate this, simply bang the u-tube up and down to get the air out

I doubt that's it, but lift the u-tube slightly and look for an air bubble.
Also post your gph ratings for the overflow and the return pump.
 
wolf_man

wolf_man

Member
Thanks man that was the problem there was a huge 3/4 inch bubble trying to escape. thanks for the help.
 
kube

kube

Member
If you still have troubles now that you got the air bubble out of the u-tube this is how i have mine set up. My return pump is over kill for my 55 gallon tank and pump water extremely faster than my overflow can take it out
My return pump will run my sump dry faster than the over flow can dump water into the sump
add a tee to the plumbing from the return pump to the display tank and add a valve that you can open and close to control the rate of water being pumped into the main tank, you basically are redirecting water to the first chamber of the sump to control the rate of water going into the display tank
lol here a 30 sec drawing i made
 
kube

kube

Member
hmmm....a link to the parts to do this? or a link to a picture of this set up, not sure what you are looking for?
What did you use to plumb your return to the display tank? In my case its all solid 1in PVC, i'll take a picture if you would like when I get off work
 
robertmathern

robertmathern

Active Member
Originally Posted by Wolf_Man
http:///forum/post/2890844
Yes it was an air bubble. And not just any, it was HUGE.
WHat kind of pump do you have. I ask because if it is not rated high enugh for the overflow the bubble will come back. If it was just in there since you hooked it up and you didnt get all the air out you should be ok. Just keep a very close eye on it. At least for the next few hours
 
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