Overflow

[Mark Bradley]

I’ve been keeping a reef for nearly four years now. I’ve learnt a great deal in that time and now have a full reef growing including a dozen different acropora.

However, the one question I can’t seem to answer is why ‘out of the blue’ my weir will either go massively overflowing or, on the odd occasion, reduce the water level. I have a strict husbandry routine but there doesn’t seem to be one thing that makes this happen.

I have a Reefer 170. Any thoughts to educate me?

 

[Quietman]

My 170 does the same. I think it has to do with a few things. Clean weir teeth, they can get a bit gunky but that's pretty obvious so I'm sure you have that covered already. Over time a herbie drain (essentially what the 170 is running) will need adjustments due to build of gunk in the pipes changing flow ever so slightly. I usually delay this as long as possible by setting the steady state flow that has a trickle going down the emergency overflow. Lastly and likely the cause for the 'sudden' changes is that diaphragm valve in the drain line. It's pretty good but can get a bit quirky if a snail or something gets in there. Not too bad to take apart (done it a few times now over 4 years).