Wet Dry Filter ????

smpross

smpross

Member
Hi All,
I feel stupid for asking this question, But I can not figure it out. I have a wet dry filter and my aquarium has a built in overflow box. I know that the water goes from the overflow box down to the sump using gravity, and then gets pumped back up using a sumersible pump.... But here comes the stupid question........... There is nothing on the pump that controls the flow. How does the pump know (I know that it can't so there must be something else causing it) so it is not either drying out the pump or overflowing the sump. I think that it has something to do with the overflow box, but even then I would expect that eventually it would either overflow or dry out. Any description would be greatly appreciated. Again sorry for the stupid question. Scott
 
lobstergrabber

lobstergrabber

Member
The overflow box is ultimately the deciding factor in your question. If we knew how big the pipe in the overflow drain was we could give you and estimate on how many gallons per hour(GPH) it could handle. As far as your pump is concerned it will send water back into the tank and as long as it is sending water at a GPH that the overflow can handle you are ok. If it is say a 1200 gph hour pump that will pump 900gph at a 4 ft head(pipe above pump) and your overflow will only handle 700 gph you will need a ball valve above the pump to limit the pumps flow to what the overflow will handle. However if the overflow can handle 1200 gph and you are only getting the 900 at the 4 ft head you are ok with the pump wide open. I think it is always good to go ahead and put the ball valve there anyway just incase you want to slow it down for one reason or another. If I missed something just ask.
Rich
 
cordell

cordell

Member
if you don't have a valve on your pumps return line, then it's running wide open. And since your sump isn't drying up, that means that your pump is pushing up less water than your overflow can drain. In other words, your pump is pushing below the maximum drainage of the overflow, which is fine. As it goes, the overflow will only drain as much as is pumped into the main tank. So if you are pumping say 500gph into the main tank from the sump, and the overflow box can handle 600gph, then you are fine. You are draining 500gph.
The ball or gate valve comes in when your pump is rated at a higher GPH than your overflow. Then you have to turn it down to where your overflow can keep up, or your main tank could overflow and/or sump dry out.
wait, you don't have one of those smart pumps that senses the water flow and sump levels and adjusts automatically do ya!! wait, do they make that? hmmm :thinking: :D
 
underwoods

underwoods

New Member
Also may want to put a one-way check valve in the line , incase power goes out . It has happened more than once , causing the whole tank to overflow when there is a power outage
Jesse :hilarious
 
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