Need help with Overflow and water level

[thejuice24]

Hi - Big Surprise this is my first tank.

I have a 20 gallon breader with sump. My water level is running about 1/2 below the black trim line. My overflow is a drilled eshopps eclipse S (small). The top of the box is as high as I could get it, dead center of the tank. I've been playing for a hour so trying to get the water level to my liking. Only thing I can see is doing to make work is to block the spill over holes with glass or arylic. Anyone else have any experiance with this? I'm on the right track? Or am I missing something. Any help is much appreciated.

 

[mcarroll]

You're going to have trouble with your drains like that as long as you keep the tank on the ceiling.

 

[thejuice24]

Lol thanks for the advice.

 

[mcarroll]

Sorry...was unresistable. ;)

Now that my headache from viewing upside-down photos has cleared, I think your overflow is meant to carry A LOT more water than you're throwing at it....more flow raises the water level in the tank.

You're probably right about needing to partly block the teeth. Closer teeth would probably be ideal.

 

[mcarroll]

Actually....am I seeing that right still? Is it being drained by two 1" pvc lines?


Off the top of my head, about 1200 GPH of drain potential. But is the red supposed to be an emergency drain?

I'm not sure.....but whatever the case, if you can add a standpipe of the correct height to the other drain, it should correct the water height inside the tank. (Right?)

Whether this is advisable, I dunno....you would have to use your judgement or maybe ask Eshopps what they recommend. Blocking the teeth a bit might be better/easier. A piece of black acrylic and a couple of nylon fasteners, at most.

Is it possible your hole needed to be .5" higher?

 

[jaws789832]

I cant tell because its upside down but do you have it up and running and it is still .5 inch low?

 

[john.m.cole3]

Actually....am I seeing that right still? Is it being drained by two 1" pvc lines?


Off the top of my head, about 1200 GPH of drain potential. But is the red supposed to be an emergency drain?

I'm not sure.....but whatever the case, if you can add a standpipe of the correct height to the other drain, it should correct the water height inside the tank. (Right?)

Whether this is advisable, I dunno....you would have to use your judgement or maybe ask Eshopps what they recommend. Blocking the teeth a bit might be better/easier. A piece of black acrylic and a couple of nylon fasteners, at most.

Is it possible your hole needed to be .5" higher?

I don't think an additional stand pipe would do it bc the external box is a bit lower than the internal, so raising the water level in the external box should have no effect on the innner box water level. I like the idea to increase flow. Maybe you can take a section of the trim away where it buts up w/ the box, like a 1/2 inch thick strip, then maybe the OP could loosen his bulkhead and raise the internal box as much play between the bulkhead and back panel there is (if any)

 

[thejuice24]

Actually....am I seeing that right still? Is it being drained by two 1" pvc lines?


Off the top of my head, about 1200 GPH of drain potential. But is the red supposed to be an emergency drain?

I'm not sure.....but whatever the case, if you can add a standpipe of the correct height to the other drain, it should correct the water height inside the tank. (Right?)

Whether this is advisable, I dunno....you would have to use your judgement or maybe ask Eshopps what they recommend. Blocking the teeth a bit might be better/easier. A piece of black acrylic and a couple of nylon fasteners, at most.

Is it possible your hole needed to be .5" higher?

Yes, it two 1 inch drains, red is the emergency. I was screwing with the blocking teeth idea and it certainly works. So I have a fail to soultion. I will try cutting a stand piping and maybe put a 90 on it to reduce the flow thus rising inner tank level? I think it's worth a shot. Thanks for the reply much appreciated.

 

[thejuice24]

Also the inner box is roughly 1/4 inch from the lip of the tank. SO it's certainly possible that could be screwing me over as well.

 

[thejuice24]

My apologizes about the pictures !!!!!

 

[john.m.cole3]

I would first try to loosen the nuts inside the overflow box that connects to the back glass wall, raie the overflow and re-tighten. that's a free 1/4 inch, maybe less tooth blocking that way...?

 

[Salty1962]

Yes, it two 1 inch drains, red is the emergency. I was screwing with the blocking teeth idea and it certainly works. So I have a fail to soultion. I will try cutting a stand piping and maybe put a 90 on it to reduce the flow thus rising inner tank level? I think it's worth a shot. Thanks for the reply much appreciated.

That's going to create more noise with a 90.

 

[thejuice24]

So looking at some numbers.... overflow is rated for 600GPH up to 75 gallon tanks. I m running a Quiet one 1200... so I m thinking my pump is to small and the better soultion is to upgrade to the 5K or 6K, more than enough flow at head height. My worry is will it be to much flow for a 20 gallon long?

 

[thejuice24]

Standpipe did nada to help....

 

[mcarroll]

Pump is more than adequate for the tank....issue is the drain box.

Can you post a pic of how you tried the second standpipe?

If the teeth thing works, I'd really go with that first vs messing with the drains.

2¢

 

[thejuice24]

Should the standup pipe worked adjust the water level in the tank?

I went to lowes after work and bought a small peice of plex glass and some nylon screws and washers. Time for fabrication!

 

[john.m.cole3]

post a pic after you modify

 

[thejuice24]

The modification worked flawlessly. Cut a plex glass 5 1/2 x 2 1/2, measured and lined up holes for screws and done. One slight pain in butt. Getting the nylon wingnuts on.

Gonna look for black nylon screws, just cause I'm a perfectionist. Pay no attention to quality of the water. This was simply a pre-build wet/dry run. Pictures are even right side up!!!!!

Thanks all for your help!!!![emoji3] [emoji3] [emoji3] [emoji3]

 

[john.m.cole3]

YAY!!! problem solved