First Sump - Need Help

[Cliff]

You can replace the bulkheads with ones that are thread on the inside as well. The you can use a threaded adapt on the ends of your pipe to connect to the bulk head flange and a threaded hose barb on the other end to connect the hoses.

That might be the easiest option to consider

[raulfd4]

I wanted to thank everyone that helped me along the way with this sump.

I just finished adding water and everything checks out! No leaking anywhere and everything is working as it should. I even unplugged the pump to make sure it passes the power-failure test.

Right now the ziptie holding the return line on the pump is temporary until the official plastic hose clamps come in the mail.

More pics and details to come as soon as I throw in the substrate, driftwood, and plants. I will probably start a tank journal soon.

I guess my only complaint is that for optimum water levels in the sump, the display tank is like a 1/2 inch below the black rim at the top. I'm a little OCD about full tanks, but I guess I can live with it.

[Cliff]

I love the look of a new clean sump, goo job with it. I'm looking forward to seeing the tank journal.

If you used a duriso stand pipe in your overflow, you can increase the height of the pipe by 1/2 inch to increase the water level in the tank by 1/2 inch as well. I can be a little OCD about those details as well

[ijankrom]

Curious what the purpose of having the 2 AC 20's in your sump? Just extra filtration?

[raulfd4]

Yeah - I had them from when I used to just own the 20 Long.

Filled them up with Bio Max for some extra biological filtration. Other than that, the only filtration is Pond Filter Sponge and Filter Floss.

Plus it makes the sump look kind of bad@$$.

[raulfd4]

Okay, so I have my first issue with the new sump.

When I first set it up, I marked the levels that each compartment should be at when things are running right and won't overflow if the pump should fail.

If you look at the attached image, you can see that I have topped off the far right compartment (where the pump is) to the little black notch I marked for it's maximum level.

However, when I do that, the first two compartments (the overflow and middle refugium) rise above their maximum levels. If I remove the extra water from those two compartments and add it to the return compartment, it quickly lowers again to its "natural" level, and the other two raise up again.

Why is this happening? It was running fine for two days. The only changes I have made are that I am soaking some driftwood in the main display tank. I am also doing a fishless cycle with raw shrimp in a nylon attached to a small piece of driftwood in the middle refugium compartment of the sump.

Please help! Why have things gone out of balance?

[funkman262]

That's likely being cause by whatever that white stuff is in the baffle immediately before the return pump. It's best not to put anything inside the baffles like that because as they begin to clog, more pressure is required to force the water through it, and since that section is gravity driven, hydraulic head-pressure is created by increasing the height of the water on the left compared to on the right. As it gets worse, more head-pressure is required, and eventually the water will just start overpouring from the middle section without ever making it to the return pump. At least, that's my best guess based on that picture. Hope it helps.

EDIT: Easy way to test this theory is to simply remove whatever that is and see if everything returns back to normal.

[Goes to 11!]

I don't use a sump but I have a guess:

You have too much water volume in your system.

Lower it and [If my theory is correct & you have equilibrium between your overflow & return - If you don't Funkman is correct] the return pump will keep the tank full but the level in your sump will drop.

BTW - Your bio media needn't be in the AC 20s you could have it in the sump [Which is the idea really] and not use the additional power the Ac20s are drawing.. Just saying

[Cliff]

+1 to the above posts

Some filter floss and sponges can slow down the flow to through the sump enough to cause problems with the levels in the compartments. The only sponges that I have found to work OK are sponges sold for the FX5 filter when cut to size

I would also suggest removing the floss & sponges and see what happens

If that is the cause, you can try different types of sponges or a filter socks for your mechanical filtration

[raulfd4]

Okay, so I removed the filter floss in the far right baffle and that seems to have fixed the problem.

Now all compartments are completely level when everything is up and running - even better than before.

Thank you for all the quick responses! Once again, aquatic community comes to the rescue. You guys are great.