Overflow/water level problem
- Thread starter mrmaroon
- Start date
broomer5
Active Member
I'll guess that the old prefilter was clogged/dirty and was restricting the flow through the Mag5.
This reduced flow was within the flow capacity of your overflow.
Life was good.
Then by replacing the prefilter - you're allowing more water to pass through this clean filter - and this allows more water through the Mag5 - more water up the returnline to the display tank. Now you're exceeding the flowrate capacity of your overflow.
Tank level rises no matter what you do.
Life is not so good now.
It's better that you're not restricting the inlet of the Mag.
So the solution(s) to your troubles are;
Install a ball valve on the returnline, and close it some to reduce flowrate to the display tank.
Get another or larger overflow (if external ).
Get a smaller return pump ( not recommended )
Ball valve - inexpensive - much easier - life be good again
This reduced flow was within the flow capacity of your overflow.
Life was good.
Then by replacing the prefilter - you're allowing more water to pass through this clean filter - and this allows more water through the Mag5 - more water up the returnline to the display tank. Now you're exceeding the flowrate capacity of your overflow.
Tank level rises no matter what you do.
Life is not so good now.
It's better that you're not restricting the inlet of the Mag.
So the solution(s) to your troubles are;
Install a ball valve on the returnline, and close it some to reduce flowrate to the display tank.
Get another or larger overflow (if external ).
Get a smaller return pump ( not recommended )
Ball valve - inexpensive - much easier - life be good again
mrmaroon
Member
My drain is a straight PVC with one elbow into the sump. I did clean the prefilter in the overflow box (but I also took it off and this did not matter). What doesnt make sense is that if the drain was restricted, the sump should run down and start picking up air, but it isnt. And my return is hard plumbed with 5 elbows so you wouldn't think that a mag 5 would outdo my overflow.
broomer5
Active Member
MrMaroon
This is a stretch - but worth checking.
By chance have you changed the U tube position lately ?
Believe it or not - on my 30 gallon tank - if I lean the U tube at an angle, so the ends are not straight up and down vertical - it makes a HUGE difference in the way water siphons over through the U tube.
If I position the U tube so it's straight vertical - far less water flows through it, and eventually the water in the inner box rises.
When this happens - naturally the water in the display tank rises too.
On an angle - like the bottom picture below ~ everything is great.
Maybe try tilting the U tube - see what happens.
This is a stretch - but worth checking.
By chance have you changed the U tube position lately ?
Believe it or not - on my 30 gallon tank - if I lean the U tube at an angle, so the ends are not straight up and down vertical - it makes a HUGE difference in the way water siphons over through the U tube.
If I position the U tube so it's straight vertical - far less water flows through it, and eventually the water in the inner box rises.
When this happens - naturally the water in the display tank rises too.
On an angle - like the bottom picture below ~ everything is great.
Maybe try tilting the U tube - see what happens.