How does an overflow work

[chevypride]

The one side is where the water comes into the sump, it has a standpipe.

The other side is where the water returns to the maintank, is a piece of PVC piping with two 90 degree elbows to get it over the overflow glass and then a piece of clear PVC piping to direct the water into the tank.

My phones being stupid and not letting me add photos.

I redid my plumbing yet again, and hope this time it works. It's Flexable PVC, with 2 90 degree turns (it was kinking whenever I tried to move it over) and this one I added a ball valve... So I'm hoping this time it works. I just am going to drain some water from the main tank so that if something goes wrong I have a couple inches to play with before I flood the apartment.

 

[mr_X]

Drain some water from the main tank? You mean the display? You can't do that without lowering the height of the overflow boxes. Where did you add the ball valve?

 

[chevypride]

The ball valve is on the pump side. There is ALOT of water in the sump, so I was going to take some water out of the display tank, let the pump start to empty the sump, and then it'll go like normal. I could just siphon out the sump, but the display tank is higher so it's easier.

Good news though, ammonia is at 2.4!

 

[mr_X]

Oh...i see.

 

[chevypride]

So these are my readings:

Day 3

Nitrate 10
Ammonia 2.4
Nitrite 0

I thought that nitrate shouldn't come until later?

It's been awhile since I cycled my tank, so I might have them confused...

 

[mr_X]

I wouldn't worry about anything but ammonia for a week or two.

 

[chevypride]

Ammonia is 6.1 or higher (test only goes to 6.1, but it's a bit darker then it)

Nitrite is 1.6

Nitrate is 20

Can I take out the gross rotting fish now?

 

[Sillyfishies]

For sure

 

[chevypride]

So now I just wait right? Ammonia and nitrite to go to zero, and then do a water change to get my nitrates down if there high? I probably don't have to be testing everyday?

 

[Sillyfishies]

Yes sir

 

[chevypride]

*cough* ma'am *cough*

I got my sump to work! Finally! $100 in plumbing later, and three different set ups and boom, I got it.

My intake is gurgling though, not at the display tank, but in the sump. Would a bigger or smaller hole on my durso fix that? If I take the cap off it makes a wicked noise, if I plug it it's silent but drains to fast.. It's not crazy annoying so I don't know if I should complain, my HOB filter on my fw is louder... So maybe I lucked out and got it quiet to start, but if it stopped gurgling it would practically be dead silent... It's like every 5-10 seconds it gets a bubble of air and forces it out and you can hear that. Will it silence down once it runs for a bit longer? (It's been running about 2 hours)

 

[chevypride]

Ammonia is 3.7
Nitrite is 0.8
Nitrate is between 10-20

It seems like it's cycling to fast..?

 

[mr_X]

What do you mean it drains too fast?
Your cycle isn't over until you have no detectable ammonia or nitrite.

 

[chevypride]

Nitrite is 3.3
Nitrate is 50
Ammonia is 2.4

Everything's going good right?

 

[mr_X]

Yes. your still cycling.

 

[chevypride]

Quick question that has me confused;

My ammonia was barely readable (0.1 maybe)

My nitrite was through the roof (couldn't even read it)

My nitrate was the same as nitrite.

I left for 5 days and when I came back this is my new readings

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

I've done no water changes, and only 2 top offs, but nitrate stays in when it evaporates though right?

I was expecting very very high nitrates and having to do a massive water change...

What happened to my 110+ nitrate reading?

 

[cfosgate]

Do you have a heavily planted tank? What type of nitrate test are you using? Did you follow the test directions to the letter? How old is your nitrate test solution? Could it have expired?

 

[chevypride]

Nope. No plants. Brand new cycled tank with nothing in it except some base rock and a few pounds of live rock. It's a Hagen test kit. Brand new, and the shop I bought it from was unpacking it when I walked in. The outside said it doesn't expire until 2015 (i think). Followed the directions to a T and tested it twice, also did a 30% water change or so (just guessing) and got the nitrates down to 5. I also tested every day when they were high, so it wouldn't have given me a messed up reading for a week straight.

 

[mr_X]

Just do your large water change and recheck.

 

[chevypride]

I did a 30% and my readings that were after 3 hours were;

Nitrate 5
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0

I just find it really strange those nitrates seemed to have disappeared.