Is there an ACTUAL fix for the Red Sea downflow valve?

NigeltheBold

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I have a Reefer 525xl and I've already replaced the stock diaphragm valve with a gate valve. It helped a little, but I'm still constantly adjusting it to try and keep the water level about an inch or so below the mouth of the emergency overflow pipe. Personally, I don't think the valve was the issue. I think the design of the overflow is the issue. In order to maintain the water level in the tank's overflow box, you have to match your pump's flow rate exactly. If the valve is a tiny bit too far open, the water level will drop and eventually you'll start hearing air going through the overflow. If the valve is a tiny bit too far closed, the water level will rise and eventually start going down the emergency overflow (which isn't ideal, especially if you have a roller mat filter in your sump that's only hooked up to the main overflow tube). A gate valve doesn't change that... you still have to bring the water level to the correct position, then find the sweet spot in the valve in order to match the flow rate. And even if you do seem to magically hit the spot, several days later, you have to start all over (at least, that's what happens with mine).

So, is there an actual fix that will eliminate the need to adjust the downflow valve? Because the gate valve isn't doing that.

I found this product being sold on eBay. I don't know if this will prevent water going into the overflow pipe though... It may just reduce the noise.

I've had my tank for a couple of years now, and I figured someone would've come up with a permanent fix by now. But unfortunately I'm not finding anything.
 
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NigeltheBold

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Is it a new unit or used? I have had a 525XL for two years and have never had this problem.
It was new when I bought it. Never could get the water level to stay in the same spot, let alone the recommended 1" below the emergency overflow tube.
 

Keko21

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I have a Red Sea 350 G2. It took me quite some time to get the flow right between my down flow valve and my return pump AND getting the water level in my sump where I wanted it. Legit at least a week if not more before I got it right where I needed it. Currently sitting about 1/2 inch below to the emergency overflow with no issues. I would suggest setting your return pump where you want it first, then from a totally closed position, make 1/8th turns on the valve, wait like 30 min, check it and make another turn until the water is sitting where you want it in the down flow chamber.
 
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NigeltheBold

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I have a Red Sea 350 G2. It took me quite some time to get the flow right between my down flow valve and my return pump AND getting the water level in my sump where I wanted it. Legit at least a week if not more before I got it right where I needed it. Currently sitting about 1/2 inch below to the emergency overflow with no issues. I would suggest setting your return pump where you want it first, then from a totally closed position, make 1/8th turns on the valve, wait like 30 min, check it and make another turn until the water is sitting where you want it in the down flow chamber.
Thanks for your advice, but I've literally tried making adjustments where I barely turn the valve at all (like, I can barely feel it move), then wait a day. I do this repeatedly until the water level has dropped a few millimeters, then I leave the valve alone. But a few days later, it drops too low and starts sucking air into the downflow and into the sump.

It's as if I can't match the flow rate of the pump. I can get the water level to go up and down, but I can't get it to stop and stay in one spot.
 

stevolough

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My 425 only needs adjusting once in a while. Is it possible your return pump isn’t holding steady flow?
 
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NigeltheBold

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My 425 only needs adjusting once in a while. Is it possible your return pump isn’t holding steady flow?
I guess it's possible, but I don't know why it would be doing that. I have an eFlux variable speed pump, which has a speed control dial, but I don't touch the dial at all. I haven't adjusted the speed since I set up the tank.
 
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NigeltheBold

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I do have two Red Sea ReefWave wavemakers, and they're set on reef mode, which is random. But that shouldn't affect the water level, right? They just move the water that's in the display tank.
 

Keko21

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Thanks for your advice, but I've literally tried making adjustments where I barely turn the valve at all (like, I can barely feel it move), then wait a day. I do this repeatedly until the water level has dropped a few millimeters, then I leave the valve alone. But a few days later, it drops too low and starts sucking air into the downflow and into the sump.

It's as if I can't match the flow rate of the pump. I can get the water level to go up and down, but I can't get it to stop and stay in one spot.
Soooo one stupid thing I did when I got my tank is I put my pipes in wrong... I had one of the shorter pipes in as an emergency pipe when it should have been the longer one. Maybe worth a check if this came from ebay assembled by someone else.
 
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NigeltheBold

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Soooo one stupid thing I did when I got my tank is I put my pipes in wrong... I had one of the shorter pipes in as an emergency pipe when it should have been the longer one. Maybe worth a check if this came from ebay assembled by someone else.
It didn't come from eBay, I bought it new and assembled it myself. The pipes look like they're correct to me... the emergency overflow is in the middle, the normal downflow is on the right, and the return is on the left (looking at the tank from the front).
 

Poochaku

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Not sure what is going on here but i'm pretty confident its some kind of personal or install problem. I'm not saying its your fault as it could be equipment or something. But this style of overflow has been used for a long time and is well understood and used successfully by a lot of people.

I feel like you understand the "sweet spot" concept of this overflow design. I would look at things that could be changing your flow rate. Is the pump constant or does it vary in flow for some wild reason? Does a lot of algae or snails go down the overflow? what kind of mechanical filtration do you run if any?

When you do adjust and it loses balance over time, does it always trend in one way? Ie progressively more OR lessflow down the overflow?
 
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NigeltheBold

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Not sure what is going on here but i'm pretty confident its some kind of personal or install problem. I'm not saying its your fault as it could be equipment or something. But this style of overflow has been used for a long time and is well understood and used successfully by a lot of people.

I feel like you understand the "sweet spot" concept of this overflow design. I would look at things that could be changing your flow rate. Is the pump constant or does it vary in flow for some wild reason? Does a lot of algae or snails go down the overflow? what kind of mechanical filtration do you run if any?

When you do adjust and it loses balance over time, does it always trend in one way? Ie progressively more OR lessflow down the overflow?
Unless the pump is changing speeds on it's own, I'm not sure how the flow rate could be changing. It has a speed adjustment knob, but I don't mess with it. I guess I could try a different pump?

I don't think any snails or algae goes down the overflow... I don't have snails that could fit through the surface skimmer and my tank doesn't have much algae. I use a roller mat filter (Red Sea Reef Mat) in the sump, and it's connected to the downflow pipe. But that theoretically shouldn't affect the flow rate. I had this issue before I installed the roller mat.
 

exnisstech

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I think its just a "characteristic" of this down flow system. I was going nuts trying to get it to stay at the exact height I wanted in relation to the emergency drain. I finally quit looking at the water level in the overflow and listen to it instead. I still have to tweak it once in a while, usually because it gets a little high and I can hear it going down the emergency drain. Rarely do I have to reduce the flow. If its quite I don't look at it. I even swapped out the AC pump for a DC pump thinking I could control it better but nope still the same. Tank has been running over 3 years now so maybe I've just gotten used to the finicky system?
 

Poochaku

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Unless the pump is changing speeds on it's own, I'm not sure how the flow rate could be changing. It has a speed adjustment knob, but I don't mess with it. I guess I could try a different pump?

I don't think any snails or algae goes down the overflow... I don't have snails that could fit through the surface skimmer and my tank doesn't have much algae. I use a roller mat filter (Red Sea Reef Mat) in the sump, and it's connected to the downflow pipe. But that theoretically shouldn't affect the flow rate. I had this issue before I installed the roller mat.
Is the pump changing speed? It could be continually getting slower and needs cleaning. I don't have experience with the pump you are using.

I am very interested in knowing if its always trending toward too much flow or too little.
 

Neuratox

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I came up with a fix for the noise a year ago for my tank and it has worked like a charm. I never hear my tank unless its going down the emergency drain valve and then I know that its time to do some tweaking.
Its not a fix, but perhaps this will help keep it from driving you nuts while you figure something else out.

Link
 

stevolough

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Unless the pump is changing speeds on it's own, I'm not sure how the flow rate could be changing. It has a speed adjustment knob, but I don't mess with it. I guess I could try a different pump?

I don't think any snails or algae goes down the overflow... I don't have snails that could fit through the surface skimmer and my tank doesn't have much algae. I use a roller mat filter (Red Sea Reef Mat) in the sump, and it's connected to the downflow pipe. But that theoretically shouldn't affect the flow rate. I had this issue before I installed the roller mat.
Sometimes I open it up fully and then close it to flush anything out. I’ve seen tanks with media reactors plumbed into the return. Never could understand how they keep all that extra flow constant
 

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