Help! New to sumps. Sump keeps draining in my 310g build

[CincyReefer07]

So this is my first aquarium utilizing a sump. Past 8 years I’ve only had HOB aquariums.

My tank is a Planet Aquarium Mega Matrix 310 gallon with center overflow with (2) 1-1/2” drains and (2) 3/4” returns. My sump is an IceCap 48XL. I’m running a pair of Maxspect MJ-DC12K return pumps which each has a max pressure of 3000gph. My drains drop down about a foot, then go into a 45 degree elbow and run horizontally for about 2 feet then 90 down into my sump.

I’m only leak testing and testing the equipment right now so it’s not an immediate emergency. I filled the tank and overflow up all the way, filled up the sump a little more than halfway, turned both of my Maxspect return pumps on at the lowest setting but the return pump section drains all the way down to where it is just barely above the body of the return pump, on occasion can even hear it sucking some air.

Just wondering what I should do or try or might be doing wrong or missing, or what you guys do or how you set it up for your first fill up and starting of the equipment.

Could the top of my drain pipes being about a quarter inch above the bottom portion of the slot of my weirs be contributing to this issue? Or something else

 

[vetteguy53081]

One pump sufficient
With the two pumps, you are pumping out more water than is coming in
You’ll have to increase drain rate or decrease return pump rate of flow

 

[Breadman03]

All of your sections are "full" of water, but need to be overfilled in order to overflow into the next section of the system. The only section that doesn't just overflow to the next is the return section, so you'll need to add water to the system until there is enough to keep the returns submerged, yet not have so much that the sump floods when power is cut. The return section is also where your ATO sensors must be placed.

Since you're running two drains, I highly recommend that you set it up as a "Herbie" drain system. That will allow you to tune the drains to operate silently.

 

[CincyReefer07]

One pump sufficient
With the two pumps, you are pumping out more water than is coming in
You’ll have to increase drain rate or decrease return pump rate of flow

It was draining even with just one pump turned on though with the pump turned down is what’s getting me stumped.

 

[CincyReefer07]

All of your sections are "full" of water, but need to be overfilled in order to overflow into the next section of the system. The only section that doesn't just overflow to the next is the return section, so you'll need to add water to the system until there is enough to keep the returns submerged, yet not have so much that the sump floods when power is cut. The return section is also where your ATO sensors must be placed.

Since you're running two drains, I highly recommend that you set it up as a "Herbie" drain system. That will allow you to tune the drains to operate silently.

Yeah I tried putting a hose in the return section and filling it as soon as I noticed the pumps draining that section once it began getting too low. But then I noticed the display tank started getting dangerously close to overflowing so I shut that hose off that was helping to keep the return pumps submerged. And I have Maggie mufflers that go over the top of the drain pipes that keep them completely silent. I just removed them to show what I had going on

 

[gbru316]

turn one pump off, and set the other really low — like 10% low.

turn the system on, and add water if the return chamber needs it.

is the water able to equalize at a drastically slowed rate?

 

[CincyReefer07]

turn one pump off, and set the other really low — like 10% low.

turn the system on, and add water if the return chamber needs it.

is the water able to equalize at a drastically slowed rate?

I’ll give that another try when I get home from work in a few hours

 

[MichaelReefer]

Too much water going up, not enough coming down. May need to lower your pump output to balance it out.

 

[CincyReefer07]

Okay guys, so I got my sump staying at a constant water level now. Both return pumps are running but at the very lowest flow rate they can be programmed to go. But my issue now is, my main tank looks overfilled. Like the water level is way too high in my main tank. I even cut the drain pipes in the overflow lower so that the top of the drain pipes sit about an eighth inch below the bottom of the overflow weir slots. How do I correct the water height in the main tank? Or is it fine?

 

[gbru316]

Overall it looks fine to me.

Is the water level in the overflow the same height as the water in the tank?

or is the water level in the overflow box lower than the water in the tank?

Just trying to figure out whether it’s the plumbing or overflow box slowing down your sump drain.

 

[CincyReefer07]

Overall it looks fine to me.

Is the water level in the overflow the same height as the water in the tank?

or is the water level in the overflow box lower than the water in the tank?

Just trying to figure out whether it’s the plumbing or overflow box slowing down your sump drain.

Well I think I got it mostly corrected now. My stand drain pipes in the overflow were at the same height but they were tall, about an eighth inch above the bottom slot of the weirs on the overflow box. I cut off about 6 inches off both of them and turned my pumps on the lowest speed setting let it run that way for a few minutes then slowly raised the speed up on the returns a few notches and everything has been staying stable now thankfully.

 

[Derrick0580]

I was going to say, I have a planet tank with the maggie mufflers and I have the drains cut low enough that even with the mufflers on you can not see them above the top of the weir.

 

[CincyReefer07]

I was going to say, I have a planet tank with the maggie mufflers and I have the drains cut low enough that even with the mufflers on you can not see them above the top of the weir.

Yeah you can’t even see them now that I lowered them 6 inches, I had a feeling I must have been doing something wrong with the drains. Where is the water level in your tank in relation to the weirs? My water levels are staying constant, my water level as they drain through the weirs is about halfway up the weirs slots. Where is yours? I was feeling like that water level may be too high, unless that’s normal for planet tanks.

 

[Derrick0580]

Yeah you can’t even see them now that I lowered them 6 inches, I had a feeling I must have been doing something wrong with the drains. Where is the water level in your tank in relation to the weirs? My water levels are staying constant, my water level as they drain through the weirs is about halfway up the weirs slots. Where is yours? I was feeling like that water level may be too high, unless that’s normal for planet tanks.

With the return pump running yes the water is about half way up the slots. The tops of my mufflers are just a hair below the top line of the weir so I can sit my lid on.

 

[CincyReefer07]

With the return pump running yes the water is about half way up the slots. The tops of my mufflers are just a hair below the top line of the weir so I can sit my lid on.

Well if your water level is also around halfway up the slots I’m not going to worry about my water level too much then. I was thinking my water level seemed high. But that sound like yours is about where mine is too.

 

[Dieing for a Drink]

Thats is a Very nice tank i bet you are STOKED!