[kierkier]

Hi, I am working on my first marine aquarium and have most everything ready to start cycling except one (sort of) major issue.

I have purchased a submerseable return pump that is a bit to beefy for my overflow box. I would prefer to not have to return the pump (I ordered it online and those returns are always slow) and would like suggestions of how to "plumb" a solution to this issue.

Here are the specifics:
I have a 48x13x23 60gal Tall tank. I am running a CPR overflow box (rated at 600 GPH) and a MegaFlow All-Glass brand acrylic sump in which I house my heater, protein skimmer and my Danner 9.5 (950GPH) return pump. The whole process works smoothly when I turn on my return pump; I have used reinforced soft tubing to plumb the pump to the return u-tube and have drilled my anti-siphon holed in said tube. I turn on the pump, and away it goes, quickly lowering the water level in my sump, and just when the overflow box starts to catch up, the return pump just out-classes it until the water level in the return section of my sump lowers so much that air enters into the intake and auto-regulates the water levels (and also sends mad, crazy microbubbles into my tank).

I was really proud of myself for figuring out this much on my own, but now I think I need to rig some sort of plumbing device to draw off some of the return pump's outgoing water back into the sump in order to regulate water level in the sump and to keep my return pump submerged. Any thoughts?

I appreciate any help anyone can offer!

[johnny gray]

you can but in a ball valve or put in a tee with a ball valve and divert it back into the sump
put in another over flow box for better surface skimming
or you can drill the tank and do internal over flow boxes

[johnny gray]

sorry I for got welcome you best of luck

[kierkier]

Thanks for the tip. Alas, I cannot drill my tank (tempered glass) however, I went out and got 2 ball valves and a "T" splitter and some extra joints and rigged up a stint back into my sump to regulate the return rate. Thanks for the help!