Fluctuating return chamber in herbie system

[BigJohnny]

Hey Reefers,

First time running a herbie and I've been trying to dial in my siphon drain before setting the tank up for real. I've noticed that the water level in the return chamber fluctuates opposite the water level in the overflow. I realize that it will be more stable once I get it close to perfect but since the water level in the overflow needs periodic adjustments anyway, won't that instability mess with my ATO and therefore salinity?

I can get it pretty stable if I let i dial it in so there is a small trickle down the emergency to compensate, but even then I noticed a small change over the course of today. The trickle grows and the return chamber drops slightly.

Before i set this up i always thought that the return section stayed constant and I only had to tune the siphon to adjust the height of the water in the overflow?

Am I missing something?

Thanks!

 

[Caseyoidae]

You may need to adjust the depth of the line that enters sump from overflow to get correct siphon rate

 

[Caseyoidae]

I had this problem when mine were the same length. I cut the primary in the foreground shorter and it helped

 

[BigJohnny]

I had this problem when mine were the same length. I cut the primary in the foreground shorter and it helped

Thank you but mine is already <1"

 

[Idoc]

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[Jimbo662]

This may sound a little strange...I've used herbies on most of my tanks. The water level in my overflow box changes periodically with no changes of any sort to any of the equipment. My guess is that changes in barometric pressure could affect it. When I notice it I try to figure out if it occurred when the weather changes.

 

[BigJohnny]

This may sound a little strange...I've used herbies on most of my tanks. The water level in my overflow box changes periodically with no changes of any sort to any of the equipment. My guess is that changes in barometric pressure could affect it. When I notice it I try to figure out if it occurred when the weather changes.

Strange yes, but I get migraines from changes in barometric pressure so I know it's power lol.

But does your return section of your sump fluctuate as a result? Do you have any issues with your ato/maintaining salinity?

 

[Jimbo662]

ATO keeps the return section level but it's not so much that it affect the salinity. I only seem to adjust it a couple of times a month.

 

[BigJohnny]

OK so it fluctuates but not enough to make a difference, good to know. Wait do you mean you adjust the salinity a couple times a month, your ato height or your overflow height?

Do you set ato to the return pump level when the overflow is full with trickle down emergency?

 

[Jimbo662]

OK so it fluctuates but not enough to make a difference, good to know. Wait do you mean you adjust the salinity a couple times a month, your ato height or your overflow height?

Do you set ato to the return pump level when the overflow is full with trickle down emergency?

Not sure what you mean.

 

[BigJohnny]

Not sure what you mean.

You said you only seem to adjust it a couple times a month, do you mean you only need to adjust the return a couple times a month or you have to adjust the ato?

 

[Jimbo662]

Sorry, I didn't explain that every well. When the overflow box gets too full and I can hear water running down the drain I adjust the return pump. I use dc pumps so I just turn them down a percent or two.

 

[BigJohnny]

Sorry, I didn't explain that every well. When the overflow box gets too full and I can hear water running down the drain I adjust the return pump. I use dc pumps so I just turn them down a percent or two.

Gotcha, thanks. Interesting, I always thought you were supposed to adjust the siphon when that happens. I wonder if it matters, probably not. Maybe people normally adjust the siphon because DC pumps are a newer thing

 

[Jimbo662]

Yeah, adjusting with the apex is much easier than crawling up under the stand to adjust the drain. :-)