Random Water Level in Sump Return

[BarSnackz]

Someone please solve this puzzle for me please because it's really not making sense. I just upgraded to this deep blue 60g rimless frag tank and trigger systems ruby 30 sump and I love them both.
However! I can't seem to figure out why the water level in my return section of my sump is never consistent. When setting up my return pump I have to make minuet adjustments to the controller to be probably within .5gph so my ATO isn't running all the time for my Current eFlux DC return pump that is able to pump out 1050gph (I am only able to run it at about 50%)
** water level is dictated by the top level of tape in pictures **
-clear tape is a water level I was running a few days ago before I tried to add a few more gallons to see if it performed better. I ended up taking a few gallons out because of a water level that was too high for having kids coming into my office and jumping around, I didn't want to have any sloshing over the rim.
-black tape is a water level I was running perfectly fine earlier today with my ATO set up for it as pictured.
After my first official water change in the tank my water level ended up here ( as seen in picture one).

couldn't figure out why it was so low - maybe I turned a pump or outlet off on my apex and shouldn't have so I tried again with a fake power outage and here was the result after the fake power outage.

and lastly, here is my tank waterlevel in my corner overflow and what it looks like inside. (intake: 1.5" leading to 1")(outflow: 0.75")

How is this happening?? how is the return section of my sump always a different level?? How am I supposed to set up an ATO with these conditions? please help.

Thanks!

 

[kles]

Your water level in the pump chamber is where the water levels going to change out of your whole system because of evaporation of your system. Think of your pump chamber as the last pond in a bunch of waterfalls they all drain down to the last pond all going stay full except the bottom pond . You got put your ato in that section of the sump to keep the level full .sounds little confusion but it how it works

 

[BarSnackz]

just reread your question a couple times @kles and yeah I understand that but if the water level changes every time the pump is restarted how do I know where to put my ATO sensor?

 

[BarSnackz]

the more I look at it... I think it may be the pump. I don't know that it's keeping the same output every iteration.... with this last "fake power outage" the water level has lowered significantly. I think the pump is malfunctioning even though I've only had it less than 2 weeks.

 

[Reefer5640]

@kles- In the picture it looks like they’ve already got their ATO in the proper section.

Normally this is a pretty easy task beacuase you just fire up the system, let everything settle out once it’s done recirciulating and adjust where you want your “full” water level in your return pump section of the sump and then place your sensor there. Does your water level stay the same while running throughout the day (aside from typical evaporation) or is it just when you start the pump up?

 

[rkpetersen]

the more I look at it... I think it may be the pump. I don't know that it's keeping the same output every iteration.... with this last "fake power outage" the water level has lowered significantly. I think the pump is malfunctioning even though I've only had it less than 2 weeks.

That was my first thought - That the pump isn't producing consistent output from one startup to the next. I can't think of another good reason. You should be able to put the system through any number of return pump off and restart cycles and get the same steady state water level in the return chamber each time. Assuming you don't having any unusual pump code in your Apex.

 

[garbled]

It could be the pump, it could also be that the returns cannot keep up with the pump, and you running it a 50% isn't low enough. Try this as an experiment: Turn the pump *way* down, like 20% or so, and see if you can get it to be consistent then.

 

[EW_Fish]

@kles- In the picture it looks like they’ve already got their ATO in the proper section.

Normally this is a pretty easy task beacuase you just fire up the system, let everything settle out once it’s done recirciulating and adjust where you want your “full” water level in your return pump section of the sump and then place your sensor there. Does your water level stay the same while running throughout the day (aside from typical evaporation) or is it just when you start the pump up?

The ATO needs to be at level and on all the time for the return chamber to remain consistent. Also if you up the flow on your return pump your water level will decrease in the return chamber and if you reduce the flow on the return pump then your return chamber level will rise. But without the ATO on 24.7 and keeping the level consistent then the water level will drop

 

[BarSnackz]

Guys, I think I figured it out. I was doing some reading online and people were having trouble with the rubber sleeves that came on the controllers for the eFlux pumps and I had seen these posts before but never though anything of it. Took my rubber cover off my controller and was able to screw the cable into the controller substantially more. Have done a few more tests with it and it seems to be working perfectly! getting so much more flow through my sump and the water levels always goes back to the correct spot on my ATO sensor. Thanks so much for the input guys - I'm really sorry I didn't try all my options on this first. Just sucks that I had to remove the rubber cover for this this thing to work correctly.
Have a good night everyone! Happy Friday!

 

[BarSnackz]

 

[rkpetersen]

So, marginal electrical connection. I wouldn't have guessed that was the issue. Glad you got it sorted out!

 

[btyson]

I tried it with my eflux as well it's a brand new pump because the one I had was doing the same thing and I ordered a new pump ( the current eflux) and installed it today and its still doing the same dang thing if I lower to water level it is supposed to be it just goes up then down I'm now thinking its something with my plumbing maby or I dont know.

 

[btyson]

The previous pump and the new pump.

 

[btyson]

The previous pump and the new pump.

Sorry new pump seconds after the other picture

 

[BarSnackz]

@btyson
Hey, so these pumps have a delay on them if you adjust the output - so it may take a minute or two for the water level to stabilize. I'm not quite sure what you're asking... are you saying that you can't get the new (eFlux) pump to your current water level; or that you can't maintain a water level without it continuously getting lower over time?
I haven't updated this thread in a while, but the pump that I thought worked by taking off the rubber sleeve, actually didn't fix it. I contacted Current USA and they sent me a new version of the pump controller promptly- it has worked well so far as keeping the water level consistent. Only gripe I have is that over the past couple months it has seemed that the pump has slowed down and it can run at 100% easily (where it used to be ~80%).

 

[btyson]

@btyson
Hey, so these pumps have a delay on them if you adjust the output - so it may take a minute or two for the water level to stabilize. I'm not quite sure what you're asking... are you saying that you can't get the new (eFlux) pump to your current water level; or that you can't maintain a water level without it continuously getting lower over time?
I haven't updated this thread in a while, but the pump that I thought worked by taking off the rubber sleeve, actually didn't fix it. I contacted Current USA and they sent me a new version of the pump controller promptly- it has worked well so far as keeping the water level consistent. Only gripe I have is that over the past couple months it has seemed that the pump has slowed down and it can run at 100% easily (where it used to be ~80%).

I was trying to adjust the overflow line thinking it was not stable enough. But I ended up finding that the return pump was to big for a small load and I restricted the return flow with the ball valve and it went stable with some back pressure.

 

[User1]

I can tell you that I see this issue when I alternate my return pumps that mimic high and low tides. In short I have two return pumps for redundancy. A Cor 20 and a Cor 15. Each one is connected to a 1" sea swirl with the Cor 20 on the one that has the longest plumbing line. In any case I use a Apex controller and set a virtual outlet called Tide. Every 6 hours it will go on/off and when that happens the respected Cor return pump will change its power level. One will ramp up to 65% and the other will throttle back bot about 45%. Then the outlet switches again it reverses thus alternating which side of the tank is using more power and flow.

I've noticed that my sump water level will fluctuate as does the salinity in my tank which I didn't expect. It took me a bit to match everything up but that is at least what is happening in my tank. If I set them both to the same setting or whatever setting and leave it be then the sump levels out and becomes normal. One I alternate and try to get creating my sump doesn't like it and the water level will vary.

Probably not what you are seeing but figured I'd share.