starting a FOWLR need help w/ sump

[johnstowner]

here... this is my first saltwater tank... been in the freshwater hobby for over 10 yrs... finally decided to go with this...

I have a 210 gallon tank w/ over flow and Model 4 AGA sump... i have two mag drive pumps returning the water into the tank...

the outlets in the tank are immersed on both sides... my only problem is when i turn off the pump, the water automatically starts to siphon back into the sump thru the pumps and the sump starts to over flow on to the wooden cabinet and eventually all over the wooden floor.

so inorder to avoid that i have to put the outlets above waterline and thats making too much gushing noise. i was wondering if anyone else ever had this problem or know a way to stop this... point out to some sorta valve i can use.

 

[ccCapt]

Simple sloution. Drill a small hole about 1" below the water line on each of the return lines. When the pump shuts down, water will siphon back into the sump thru the return until it hits the drilled hole and breaks the siphon.

BTW...welcome to AA!

 

[johnstowner]

Simple sloution. Drill a small hole about 1" below the water line on each of the return lines. When the pump shuts down, water will siphon back into the sump thru the return until it hits the drilled hole and breaks the siphon.

BTW...welcome to AA!

thanks for the advice... there is actually a small hole there already... inside the overflow, from bottom there is a long tube, and then an L bend connected to black outlets... there is a hole in the L bend... only big enough, cant go any bigger, but that still does not stop it...

water still siphons down to the sump mixed with air bubbles...

 

[ccCapt]

I think I follow you and it sounds like a typical drilled overflow/return setup. How far into the water do you have the locline (black bendable tubing)? If the locline is 1" deep and the drilled hole 1", it has to break the siphon when the water goes down 1"....unless the water is draining back into the tank from the overflow, which in that case you would have to raise it or get a bigger sump to hold more water. Is the return 3/4"? If so, you can drill the hole bigger if you can get to it.

 

[melosu58]

I agree drill a bigger hole. I had the same problem and took care of it by doing what CCCAPT said.

 

[johnstowner]

the locline is fully submerged... the overflow is completely raised... what i did do was, i made another smaller hole to the side... that stoped the water from gushing back...

need a clarification... whats the real use of sump... for biological filter only or bio and mechanical filter as well...

even though there is over 1000 GPH circulation, there is still debris in the water running around and not getting filtered... should i use a canister filter as well!

 

[austinsdad]

Are you using a skimmer? That'll be your mechanical filtration. Sump is not going to clean your water. But it can house media for which additional beneficial bacteria can live on, hence the biological filtration. Rock or rock rubble etc. It also is a good place to put your heater, and run your UV if you use one. Put media bags there too (phosphate reducer, etc).

 

[cmor1701d]

How much debris is in the water column?
There is always going to be some particles floating around. There shouldn't be enough to cloudy the water.

 

[johnstowner]

not much debris to make the water cloudy... just tiny particles... its just that my freshwater tanks are crystal clear and i am used to it that way...

currenlty i only have salt water and some cured rocks from the LFS in there... i am starting slowly... havent purchased all the equipments yet... just got the lights last week... for this weeks purchase, i have to start working on it saturday.

i have a ocean clear micro filter lying around some where... maybe i can use that to remove the tiny particles.

currently in the sump, i have bio balls, some rocks, heater... what else do i need.

 

[cmor1701d]

If you are just starting to cycle your tank don't worry about the particles. Let the tank go through the normal stages and mature.

 

[Salttanker]

I had to drill a couple of small pin holes in my loclines that were submerged under water as well. Those things will back siphon quick, especially when you have 4 of them!

Regards,

Mike