Red Sea Reefer 350 return chamber and display fluctuating every 24 hours or so. Any ideas how to stop it?

[Seansea]

Have had a Red Sea reefer up and running for about 20 days now and the return chamber and display keep fluctuating every 24 hours or so. I think i have is set with display being at about 1" below the emergency and aproximately 6" in the return chamber then the next day its down 3" below the emergency and return chamber is up a few inches. Close dial a turn and goes to 1" below the emergency and next day same thing. My return pump is the ecoflux 1900 gph dc set at about 60%. Im thinking this overflow dial is junk and slippin or something. CLeaning the filter socks and the bubble diffuser sponge( which i cut in half) every couple days. Anybody with the red sea having this issue?

 

[blaxsun]

Adjust your gate valve such that the water in the overflow is parallel (ie: right up to the edge) of the emergency overflow. Make small adjustments (1/8" to 1/4") and wait about 30-45 seconds between adjustments.

 

[Seansea]

Ty for the reply. I have done this got it perfect checked it like 12 hours later and its good then next morining its 2 inches lower in the display and higher in the return chamber. Its like the pump is fluctuating or the valve is fluctuating. Its seriously annoying

 

[theMeat]

Maybe build up in drain or return lines

 

[Seansea]

its only a month old so i dont think this could be it. I turn my pumps off to feed. Do you think the pump after start up has some kind of variance?

 

[cPr]

Have you tried changing the return pump speed? I recently setup a Red Sea 170 and was having a similar issue, in that the overflow section would change overnight.

I upped the pump speed and it corrected the issue and now all areas are stable.

 

[peterhos]

Have you tried testing the system for flooding by switching off the electrics for a few minutes to ensure you do not overflow in the sump area? Presumably if you have plenty of leeway in the sump then you could add an inch or two of water. I am a beginner with a new Red Sea reefer so the water levels also had me baffled, as the baffle before the return pump chamber means the water in the pump chamber is never as high as in the rest of the sump. If you do add a little water, do it gradually. Also, you have to set the contro; valve so that you do not hear water cascading down the overflow.

 

[peterhos]

PS I also found that emptying the socks, adding floss or media or the like always changed the levels. Partly for that reason I have gone for a skimmer and filter mat which I will leave to do their own thing meanings levels should be stable.

 

[Seansea]

Ya i have upped the pump a couple times ad that puts more in display then i adjust the valve and then bam its back to fluctuating. i clean the socks and sponges every couple days. ive been adding water to top off but the leveles just keep fluctuating. On my old 150 with a mag 18 pumping up from the basement to the display on first floor i never had this fluctuation. of course didnt have over flow valve either and it was pretty noisy.

 

[theMeat]

It takes a few minutes or more to purge all air from main drain (one with valve) to reach full siphon/flow. Maybe that’s the issue?

 

[SpyC]

Does it change in line with you topping off the return section?. The deeper the water level there the less work it has to do to pump the water up causing more water to enter the tank when you top off and less as it evaporates.

 

[Wizard677]

I had the same problem. Eventually determined it was the Jebao pump that was fluctuating, not my return. So, upgraded to a Neptune Core 15 and hasn't happened again.

 

[Seansea]

i thought about me adding the water maybe was causing the pump to work easier or whatever but with it only be a couple inches in such a small chamber i couldnt see it being that. Starting to think its the pump. Has anyone had this problem with Current Usa eflux pumps? THey got good reviews so it though i made the right choice.

 

[SpyC]

i thought about me adding the water maybe was causing the pump to work easier or whatever but with it only be a couple inches in such a small chamber i couldnt see it being that. Starting to think its the pump. Has anyone had this problem with Current Usa eflux pumps? THey got good reviews so it though i made the right choice.

Inches can easily change the amount of water the pump is pushing.

 

[Wizard677]

My

 

[Seansea]

ok so its definatly the pump fluctuating and has to do with me turning it off and on every time i feed. Seems to come back on with a variance in pump speed. So this being my first dc pump after having a mag 18 running on my 150g(never had this problem and it pumped up from the basement to the main floor) for 7 years is this typical of dc pumps. Should i go back to a mag pump?

 

[SpyC]

Dc pumps will slowly ramp up to the correct speed. does it never hit the right setting?

 

[Seansea]

No changes everytime after startup

 

[cclarky]

Hi did you get this sorted as I have the 260 and having the same problem
Driving me crazy

 

[Seansea]

I didnt really. I added the ato and adjust my drain valve according to how the pump is acting after start up. If its low in display i turn to the right just a bit. Too high left a little. Try to keep it about inch from top of emegency drain. I check it about an hour after i restart it from feeding. Salinity has stayed stable and thats all i care about.