Major sump level issues

Pvtgloss

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Hey guys I need help. I have a Red Sea MAX E 170 with the cabinet sump upgrade. The sump is an eshopps nano refugium. My drain valve is a gate valve and I have no overflow drain yet. My sump pump is a SICCE Syncra 2.0. And the pump in the rear chamber is a SICCE Syncra 1.5. And I have a Ultimate ATO for my auto top off.

The problem is that I will have my water level balance and consistent for five or six days. Everything is perfect and ATO does a great job and salinity is stable. Then 6 days later out of nowhere the sump level drops and the ATO pumps water and all the water goes to and raises the rear chamber behind the display tank. This will happen over and over until the rear chamber overflows. I have nothing in the tank that could possibly clog the downpipe. The only thing I have in the tank is two clownfish and rock and the tanks only been cycle for 3 weeks. Any idea what's happening?
 

vtecintegra

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Are you saying you only have one drain pipe and a valve on it? If so, that's asking for trouble. Return pump can vary the flow, my filter sock causes a change in back pressure, and I've even seen a change when the barometer changes. You have to have a second drain pipe to compensate for fluctuations. Some will call it an "emergency" drain.
 

Ricox

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I will have an emergency drain pipe as well with no valve so if the other one gets clogged it still goes down. Your valve is not adjusted properly I have the e260 version and I literally turn my valve a millimetre where it barely even moves and it helps. Think about it if you are letting down 5 less mL then your return pump over the week that will build up.
 
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Pvtgloss

Pvtgloss

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I'm gonna order the emergency pipe today. I think I have to order the whole set just for the emergency pipe. I may even buy a DC pump with wifi control I just don't understand how everything can be balanced for 6 day and then in one hour either the pump kicks up or the drain slow. But the results are the same- sump water goes up to rear chamber and ato keeps pumping to replace it and rear chamber wants to overflow.
 

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