Did i dial in my pump and overflow correctly?

[JosephM]

This is a 29gal DT with a 20long sump below it. I have a fiji overflow box rated at 400 gph and a DC pump. I have the pump at about half power and the gate valve on the siphons maybe 1/4-1/2 shut. I used a piece of foam and airline to quiet down the overflow box and then used the gate valve to quite down the splash in the sump. Everything seems to be quiet and stable now but am I restricting flow too much or doing something wrong?

 

[lapin]

Nope

 

[JosephM]

I accidentally created 2 threads of the exact kind but here’s some pictures. The only thing that worries me is the water level in the return chamber and overflow box but I don’t know how much those matter

 

[lapin]

If the pump is off does the sump overflow?
If not then you are good to go as long as the pump does not run dry.

 

[JosephM]

If the pump is off does the sump overflow?
If not then you are good to go as long as the pump does not run dry.

I’m about to be home, I will test a power outage to check.

 

[JosephM]

Just simulated a power outage and it did not overflow, I had a good couple inches left. When I powered it all back on the return chamber looked like the water level had rose up an inch or two is that a cause for concern or anything?

 

[Brett S]

I accidentally created 2 threads of the exact kind but here’s some pictures. The only thing that worries me is the water level in the return chamber and overflow box but I don’t know how much those matter

The water level in the overflow box doesn’t really matter too much. If you want it higher you can put a standpipe on the drains. Raising the water level can help quiet the overflow without relying on the sponge, which will quickly get dirty.

The water level in the return chamber also doesn’t matter too much, as long as it’s high enough that the pump isn’t sucking in air. You can raise it by adding more water to the system and as long as there’s not so much water in the system that it overflows when the power is shut off then it’s fine to have it higher. A higher water level in the return chamber can be helpful both because of noise and also because it will give you a little more leeway for evaporation. As water evaporates the water level in the return chamber will go down and if too much water evaporates then your pump will run dry.

 

[JosephM]

The water level in the overflow box doesn’t really matter too much. If you want it higher you can put a standpipe on the drains. Raising the water level can help quiet the overflow without relying on the sponge, which will quickly get dirty.

The water level in the return chamber also doesn’t matter too much, as long as it’s high enough that the pump isn’t sucking in air. You can raise it by adding more water to the system and as long as there’s not so much water in the system that it overflows when the power is shut off then it’s fine to have it higher. A higher water level in the return chamber can be helpful both because of noise and also because it will give you a little more leeway for evaporation. As water evaporates the water level in the return chamber will go down and if too much water evaporates then your pump will run dry.

So after some ghost feeding I realized the sponge method wouldn’t cut it because it’ll get clogged up so much. So I left the pump at about half power and just played with the gate valve to get me a higher water level in the overflow box. It is just below the emergency drain. Is it too high?