overflow help

[madman19710]

i bought an overflow and mag 5 pump it is running right now in order to get my overflow to work properly i have to keep my water level really close to overflowing the tank i have the overflow adjusted as low into the tank as possible its nowhere near low enough by the way it is a cpr overflow

[Poseidon]

First thing I learned is try to avoid 90 degree elbows if you can. they DO really slow the flow down. Also make sure you use the appropriate size PVC for the drains. Example don't reduce the size of the drain output if the model overflow has a 1" drain make sure you use 1" PVC for the drain. Also make sure you put a valve on the return so you can reduce the flow back into the tank I have a CPR overflow (i think it is a 102) and a MAG 12 return and I really lucked out and can run them both WIDE OPEN but most of the time you will have to restrict one or the other to make it work. it is easier and in your case the way to solve the problem by adding a Ball or Gate valve to the Return line...

Mike

[madman19710]

i do have a ball valve on the return but when i restrict the flow of the pump it lowers the water level inthe tank below the lip on the overflow and breaks the siphon could i notch the overflow and fix the problem or will that make a different problem

[Reefland]

i do have a ball valve on the return but when i restrict the flow of the pump it lowers the water level inthe tank below the lip on the overflow and breaks the siphon could i notch the overflow and fix the problem or will that make a different problem

Hey madman!

Which CPR Overflow do you have? I find it very difficult to beleive that a MAG 5 is overpowering the overflow so something else must be going on here. Did you use hard PVC pipe to plumb the overflow to your sump?

Don't notch out the overflow surface skimmer, something else (simple) is wrong here.

Scott Z.

[Poseidon]

sounds like you are restricting too much then, with a ball valve it is sometimes hard to make a fine tuning adjustment I'd just keep playing with it... thats where the problem can be fixed is to find the balance in the return


Mike

[madman19710]

i got it right finally actually it fixed itself i turned the pump wide open and had a heart attack watching my tank fill up but then the siphon kicked in apparently like it was supposed to levels in the tank and the sump evened right out i geuss i should trust the equipment a little more thanks for the help

[Reefland]

Ah ha, you just weren't letting it pump into the tank fast enough to get the syphon going strong. I am glad to hear that it it working out for you now.

Regards,
Scott Z.

[Poseidon]

Wooo Hoooo all set!!!

Glad to hear it

Mike

[madman19710]

thanks guys

[madman19710]

i gotta tell someone this is my third saltwater tank and i finally got all the equipment in the sump and out of the main tank i just cleaned all of my glass for the first time without all that stuff in my way so much easier i am a happy guy.