How to add water to tank

[Seachelle]

Hello! I'm finally ready to add water to my tank and start the cycling process! I have already added water to just below the return pipe, but before I add enough to go down the overflow, I want to be sure I'm doing everything right. Unfortunately, I can't really find anything about how to first add water to your tank. Should I add enough until it's going into the overflow? Or should it be above the return pipe? I think at some point I'm supposed to stop adding to the tank and add to the sump, but how far up should I fill the sump? Should it be 1" from the top of the sump? Two inches? And then I think I mark on the sump where the levels are when the pump is on and off, correct?

And do I worry about the ATO at this time? Or do I do that after I fill the tank?

Thanks for any help!

 

[homer1475]

LOL this was so confusing to me too, initially.

I filled the tank, and turned the gate valve on my drain line off. Filled the tank and overflow, filled my sump to about 2 inches over the return. In other words, I filled it to operating capacity. Turned everything on, minus the ATO, and adjusted from there.

I have a large center tower style overflow that holds like 5gallons. So it was easier to fill the tank and sump separately.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I put my rodi output in the tank and let it fill up till the water started to run down and fill the sump. Once the sump was 1/2 full I turned on the pump too see how much the pipes hold. If my pump ran dry then I stopped it and added more water.

 

[Floyd-]

Dont fill the sump to anywhere near the top. if the return pump kicks off the water that fills the sump will cause it to overflow.
I filled my tank to where you have it and then I filled my sump to the level that my skimmer needed roughly. Keep in mind that once you get the main pump running and the skimmer turned on the water level will adjust more from there also. From there its just fine tuning.

For me I filled all with RODI water and then added salt since I didnt have fish or anything in the tank yet.

 

[Seachelle]

LOL this was so confusing to me too, initially.

I filled the tank, and turned the gate valve on my drain line off. Filled the tank and overflow, filled my sump to about 2 inches over the return. In other words, I filled it to operating capacity. Turned everything on, minus the ATO, and adjusted from there.

I have a large center tower style overflow that holds like 5gallons. So it was easier to fill the tank and sump separately.

It IS confusing! And maybe I'm using the wrong search terms, but I couldn't find anything about this anywhere!

When you say you filled your sump to 2" over the return, do you mean the return pump inlet?

Did you fill your tank up to the overflow drain inlet?

 

[Seachelle]

I put my rodi output in the tank and let it fill up till the water started to run down and fill the sump. Once the sump was 1/2 full I turned on the pump too see how much the pipes hold. If my pump ran dry then I stopped it and added more water.

So you didn't add any water directly to your sump - just to the DT and let it drain down?

 

[Seachelle]

Dont fill the sump to anywhere near the top. if the return pump kicks off the water that fills the sump will cause it to overflow.
I filled my tank to where you have it and then I filled my sump to the level that my skimmer needed roughly. Keep in mind that once you get the main pump running and the skimmer turned on the water level will adjust more from there also. From there its just fine tuning.

For me I filled all with RODI water and then added salt since I didnt have fish or anything in the tank yet.

How do you know what level your skimmer needs? I have a Reef Octopus Classic 152s, and I think it says something about the operating level in the directions, but I don't remember what they are (have to look it up later). But let's say it's 7-8", does that mean the skimmer needs to be sitting in 7-8" of water?

 

[Floyd-]

How do you know what level your skimmer needs? I have a Reef Octopus Classic 152s, and I think it says something about the operating level in the directions, but I don't remember what they are (have to look it up later). But let's say it's 7-8", does that mean the skimmer needs to be sitting in 7-8" of water?

Yes exactly. Id start on the low end and then add water and adjust once all the pumps are running. Once its all filled (tank and sump) and you turn on the pumps and skimmer the water level will change. Just try not to run the pump dry. (the water level in the sump will DROP once you kick it in)

 

[JWD57NH]

So you didn't add any water directly to your sump - just to the DT and let it drain down?

I have a water box reef 100.3 that I just filled for the first time yesterday and I just filled the tank and let the over flow run down to the sump and once it leveled off I turned on the dc pump and everything was fine. The only thing I had to do was tune the emergency overflow just right to reduce noise.

 

[JWD57NH]

I have a water box reef 100.3 that I just filled for the first time yesterday and I just filled the tank and let the over flow run down to the sump and once it leveled off I turned on the dc pump and everything was fine. The only thing I had to do was tune the emergency overflow just right to reduce noise.

For your ATO put the sensor in the part of the sump where the main pump is and once everything is set fill up your ATO section with rodi water.

 

[Radman73]

Like another I filled the tanks and let it drain to the sump. Once the water level in the sump was a few inches above the return pump inlet I'd turn it on and see if it was enough.

Might want to have 1gal pitcher of RODI ready to adjust level up in the sump, that way you don't have to turn off your return pump.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

So you didn't add any water directly to your sump - just to the DT and let it drain down?

Yes

 

[Seachelle]

Like another I filled the tanks and let it drain to the sump. Once the water level in the sump was a few inches above the return pump inlet I'd turn it on and see if it was enough.

Might want to have 1gal pitcher of RODI ready to adjust level up in the sump, that way you don't have to turn off your return pump.

Good tip!