Sump Level Issue

[Amantijt]

So recently i set up my new 120gal tank, plumbed it all myself. Drain hole drilled called for a 1 1/2" but hole was cut wrong had to use 1 1/4" for my drain piping which the bulkhead was almost impossible to find by the way. The return was correct and is 3/4". My issue is that even though i have no restrictions such as valves or anything i cant seem to dial in thesump level in the return chamber. It should be pumping out equal to what its draining but recently i cant get it to level out and it will fluctuate causing my ATO to freak out at all hours of the night and throwing my salinity out the window. Currently running a Jebao DCT6000 return pump which at 100% is 1585gph through to return lines on either side. What do i do to correct this issue? My guess is that the speed of draining and the pumping speed is just slightly faster or slower than one another and because of this its just causing this level to be all out of whack. I cant fine tune it on the pump controller due to it only having 10 settings 10%-100% and not any half steps inbetweent the 10% steps. Any recommendations thanks in advance.

 

[HeyJay]

You need a gate valve or at least a ball valve on the drain line to help you precisely match the drain to the return

 

[Eagle_Steve]

So recently i set up my new 120gal tank, plumbed it all myself. Drain hole drilled called for a 1 1/2" but hole was cut wrong had to use 1 1/4" for my drain piping which the bulkhead was almost impossible to find by the way. The return was correct and is 3/4". My issue is that even though i have no restrictions such as valves or anything i cant seem to dial in thesump level in the return chamber. It should be pumping out equal to what its draining but recently i cant get it to level out and it will fluctuate causing my ATO to freak out at all hours of the night and throwing my salinity out the window. Currently running a Jebao DCT6000 return pump which at 100% is 1585gph through to return lines on either side. What do i do to correct this issue? My guess is that the speed of draining and the pumping speed is just slightly faster or slower than one another and because of this its just causing this level to be all out of whack. I cant fine tune it on the pump controller due to it only having 10 settings 10%-100% and not any half steps inbetweent the 10% steps. Any recommendations thanks in advance.

How did you setup the drain? Straight pipe with a screen?

 

[Biglew11]

what kind of drain set up is this? durso, herbie, bean animal?

if this is a durso any suction noises such as a partial siphon stopping and starting in a continuous cycle. if so you may need to make the siphon break in the durso slightly larger. i would not put a valve on the drain of a durso setup.

 

[Amantijt]

You need a gate valve or at least a ball valve on the drain line to help you precisely match the drain to the return

I did just order some gate valves as a recommendation of a local reefer.

 

[Albertan22]

A valve on the setup somewhere is in order. I prefer to restrict the pump rather than the drain as it’s less likely to create an overflow situation in the dt.

 

[Amantijt]

How did you setup the drain? Straight pipe with a screen?

straight piping 3 90s and a T to each of my filter sock holes, no screen

 

[Albertan22]

straight piping 3 90s and a T to each of my filter sock holes, no screen

Is it a durso setup? Just a single drain pipe?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

straight piping 3 90s and a T to each of my filter sock holes, no screen

That is the issue. It is doing the toilet effect

if you only have one hole drilled for a drain, google “durso drain”. Set the drain up like that and it will work much better.

Edit: forgot to mention, no valve on a durso. You dodo not have an emergency, so last thing you want to do is restrict the drain. Tune the durso with a hole in the top. Start very small and then make the hole larger if needed so more air can enter the drain. Large hole and an air pump flow valve work well also. Hole just needs to be large enough for the valve and then you can adjust the valve to the airflow needed.

 

[Amantijt]

what kind of drain set up is this? durso, herbie, bean animal?

if this is a durso any suction noises such as a partial siphon stopping and starting in a continuous cycle. if so you may need to make the siphon break in the durso slightly larger. i would not put a valve on the drain of a durso setup.

It is a durso drain setup i put together myself. i did just drill a slightly bigger hole in the top to see if it was causing it. the level in the back isnt fluctuating though that is consistent.

 

[HeyJay]

Oops, ignore my previous post. If you only have one drain line, make another tee off the return pipe and put a valve there. You can use that to redirect some output back into the sump and fine tune the flow

 

[Albertan22]

In my old durso setup and when I was running an AC pump I had to throttle back the pump with a valve to prevent the effect you are talking about. Does dropping your pump speed solve the issue? I know you said it only goes down in 10% increments but is this a problem?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

It is a durso drain setup i put together myself. i did just drill a slightly bigger hole in the top to see if it was causing it. the level in the back isnt fluctuating though that is consistent.

Pic of the pipe would help also if it is a durso, it may just be setup a little off or something.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

In my old durso setup and when I was running an AC pump I had to throttle back the pump with a valve to prevent the effect you are talking about. Does dropping your pump speed solve the issue? I know you said it only goes down in 10% increments but is this a problem?

This too.

Return pump turned down should stop the issue at some point. Even in 10% increments, unless there is an issue with how the drain is setup. Granted, the lower the pump speed, the higher the return level in the sump, but you should find a spot where it doesn’t fluctuate at all.

 

[Amantijt]

In my old durso setup and when I was running an AC pump I had to throttle back the pump with a valve to prevent the effect you are talking about. Does dropping your pump speed solve the issue? I know you said it only goes down in 10% increments but is this a problem?

if i turn down return pump speed it completely levels my sump and super high, throws my skimmer into a fuss because of the level it requires and no fall in side the sump which will be a nasty oil slick in no time.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

if i turn down return pump speed it completely levels my sump and super high, throws my skimmer into a fuss because of the level it requires and no fall in side the sump which will be a nasty oil slick in no time.

Pics of sump and drain would help a ton.

 

[Albertan22]

if i turn down return pump speed it completely levels my sump and super high, throws my skimmer into a fuss because of the level it requires and no fall in side the sump which will be a nasty oil slick in no time.

That can be resolved by just removing some water from the sump.

 

[Amantijt]

Pic of the pipe would help also if it is a durso, it may just be setup a little off or something.

are you asking for the durso portion in the back or underneath ?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

are you asking for the durso portion in the back or underneath ?

The durso and the sump as an overview. This way we know what you are working with, chamber water levels, etc.

 

[Amantijt]