wetdry filter help

[swim]

Ok I am new at using a wet/dry system and I now have it set up and running in my tank, my question is: what happens if the pump below is just a fraction faster than the siphon up above...overflow the tank right?? and if the siphon is stronger wont I overflow the tank below?? it seems like it needs to be an exact measurment to have equilibrium or one of the 2 things above will eventually happen?? is there something I am missing here? like a failsafe?? Also what happens if the power is out, just the siphon will cut because the pump wont put the water back in the tank? Thank you so much for your time, just had no idea and didnt want to overflow the living room

 

[snowboard]

if the pump is faster it will pump more water into the display tank and then the overflow will drain faster because the raised water level? i am not sure if that is right tho :notsure:

 

[krazy302]

I am new to this also but from what I understand is that as long as your return pump doesn't have more gph rating than your overflow you will be fine, cause the amount of water you pump into your dt is the amount of water that will enter into your overflow thus returning into your sump...so if your return pump is faster than your overflow you must restict the flow back to the tank with a ball valve..

 

[big_money]

I believe what Krazy302 said is correct.
I heard it was bad to restrict the flow of your pump (shortens the life of your pump). A better idea is to add a T in your return line from your sump to your DT. Off of this T you add a valve and the output returns to your sump. If you want less water returning to your tank, you open the valve more to allow more water to return to your sump.
For example, if your overflow can only handle 100gph, but your pump can push 150gph, you could add the T in your return line and add the valve and open it half way so that 75gph is going into your DT and 75gph is returning right back to your sump.

 

[swim]

Thanks alot everyone, I just wanted to make sure of everything, its been running nicely for the past day .....so I think we're ok...famous last words in this hobby!! Thanks again

 

[sleasia]

swim...If your overflow is adequately large with a large drain 1 2/2 - 2", then you should be ok and the faster the pump returns water to the tank, the faster water will drain down the overflow. If you see there is a problem and the pump is running too fast for the capacity of the overflow...(ie water level in tank approaches too high and youre afraid its going to spill all over) you can install a ball valve somewhere between the pump and the tank so that you can actually shut the pump down a bit by partially closing the ball valve and thus have more control over the rate of your water flow. this strains some pumps though, others it doesn't seem to bother so you may want to read instructions and see if they say anything about this. Also it is always a good idea to install ball valves here and there so that you can "turn things off" in the event you want to remove the pump and clean it...without being faced with water leaking out all over the place.