Water vanishing?

Notsolostfish

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
614
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Okay, so I made my waterbox emergency pipe higher for noise, because waterbox told me they drilled my tank wrong, and the emergency pipe should be higher, and more to the back. So i cut the emergency pipe, and made it a bit a higher. Now when I adjust the gate valve for the water to match the emergency pipe just right below it.

My ato kicks in, and then drops kicks in again, and then the water drops its a non stop cycle. The water is not sitting still. And im getting concerned. Is that means I’m draining too fast? And I need to slow down my pump from 50%? Thank you
 

KrisReef

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
11,718
Reaction score
27,585
Location
ADX Florence
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Can you slide a fitting on the end and make it higher? Maybe a 90?
 

KrisReef

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
11,718
Reaction score
27,585
Location
ADX Florence
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Make what higher the emergency pipe?
If that is what is messing with the ATO and system stability, if you can raise it so it's not spilling all the time I think that would still provide a drain when you need it to.?
 
OP
OP
Notsolostfish

Notsolostfish

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
614
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If that is what is messing with the ATO and system stability, if you can raise it so it's not spilling all the time I think that would still provide a drain when you need it to.?
The water is not spilling into the emergency pipe. The issue happens when I try to adjust the gate valve for the water to be under the emegency pipe. Then my water level in the return pump starts dropping. Ato kicks in fill to the sensor, water drops again, ato kicks in again, and it’s never ending loop
 

KrisReef

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
11,718
Reaction score
27,585
Location
ADX Florence
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The water is not spilling into the emergency pipe. The issue happens when I try to adjust the gate valve for the water to be under the emegency pipe. Then my water level in the return pump starts dropping. Ato kicks in fill to the sensor, water drops again, ato kicks in again, and it’s never ending loop
Sorry, I'm gonna let another have a go at this one. I have had valves on return pipes and pumps in the past and they were always giving me a headache like the one you are describing. Sorry, hope it gets resolved and functional quickly.
 

Reefering1

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
May 20, 2022
Messages
1,639
Reaction score
1,680
Location
Usa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The more you slow the drain, the higher the water level in display. This results in lower level in Return chamber and ato steps in. What happens if you set the drain to what makes it quiet and just let it do its thing? It should find its spot and maintain level. Is the water level in overflow steady or fluctuating? How about the display
 
OP
OP
Notsolostfish

Notsolostfish

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
614
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The more you slow the drain, the higher the water level in display. This results in lower level in Return chamber and ato steps in. What happens if you set the drain to what makes it quiet and just let it do its thing? It should find its spot and maintain level. Is the water level in overflow steady or fluctuating? How about the display
If i let it do its thing. It stops at a water level in the return chamber im not happy with. Too low. What should i do? Its crazy issue
 
OP
OP
Notsolostfish

Notsolostfish

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
614
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The more you slow the drain, the higher the water level in display. This results in lower level in Return chamber and ato steps in. What happens if you set the drain to what makes it quiet and just let it do its thing? It should find its spot and maintain level. Is the water level in overflow steady or fluctuating? How about the display
Please watch the video. And tell me what should I do.


 

Jamie814

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
289
Reaction score
261
Location
43°17'29.7"N 91°47'49.0"W
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Now when I adjust the gate valve for the water to match the emergency pipe just right below it.

Looking at the INFINIA 190.5 drain diagram on BRS you only have 2 drains and one is the "emergency" drain. You need to set the main drain with the valve so that a small amount of water drains down the emergency drain.

You will NEVER be able to
dial the main drain to match your return pump exactly which is why you need to dial it in so that a small amount of water goes into the emergency drain at all times to prevent the fluctuating water level you are seeing. It really isn't the best drain setup. You should have 3 drains (full siphon) (Durso) and dry (emergency).
Hope this helps!
 
OP
OP
Notsolostfish

Notsolostfish

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
614
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Looking at the INFINIA 190.5 drain diagram on BRS you only have 2 drains and one is the "emergency" drain. You need to set the main drain with the valve so that a small amount of water drains down the emergency drain.

You will NEVER be able to
dial the main drain to match your return pump exactly which is why you need to dial it in so that a small amount of water goes into the emergency drain at all times to prevent the fluctuating water level you are seeing. It really isn't the best drain setup. You should have 3 drains (full siphon) (Durso) and dry (emergency).
Hope this helps!
Im sorry no this doesn’t help. Because my tank is defective and waterbox told me to make my emergency pipe higher. And put it with 2 45s at the back. So I can’t reach the top of the emergency pipe regardless to get water in. Its stupid. But yeah
 

Jamie814

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
289
Reaction score
261
Location
43°17'29.7"N 91°47'49.0"W
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Im sorry no this doesn’t help.
Your fighting physics, what you are trying to do with a single valved drain is not possible, to many variables, and you will be in a never-ending loop, which I think you have already discovered.

The only solution to a setup like you have is to have a small amount of water drain down the emergency drain at all times. You have to use some elbows and get the emergency drain to where you can get it lower and away from the overflow teeth. Its the only option unless you want to convert the drain with the valve to a Durso with no valve.
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
91,901
Reaction score
202,982
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Okay, so I made my waterbox emergency pipe higher for noise, because waterbox told me they drilled my tank wrong, and the emergency pipe should be higher, and more to the back. So i cut the emergency pipe, and made it a bit a higher. Now when I adjust the gate valve for the water to match the emergency pipe just right below it.

My ato kicks in, and then drops kicks in again, and then the water drops its a non stop cycle. The water is not sitting still. And im getting concerned. Is that means I’m draining too fast? And I need to slow down my pump from 50%? Thank you
Please provide a pic under white lighting of what you describing
 
OP
OP
Notsolostfish

Notsolostfish

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
614
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Your fighting physics, what you are trying to do with a single valved drain is not possible, to many variables, and you will be in a never-ending loop, which I think you have already discovered.

The only solution to a setup like you have is to have a small amount of water drain down the emergency drain at all times. You have to use some elbows and get the emergency drain to where you can get it lower and away from the overflow teeth. Its the only option unless you want to convert the drain with the valve to a Durso with no valve.
The emegency pipe is already on 2 45s and away from the teeth I already did that. Whats not possible though im confused? Can u break it down for me?
 
OP
OP
Notsolostfish

Notsolostfish

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
614
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Why can't you just close the drain valve more until the water just trickles into the emergency drain? This would stabilize your tank and sump water level.
Because my emergency pipe is not your average height anymore it’s higher than what waterbox usually have them on for the height…. Remember I modified it. And that’s exactly what I’m trying to do get the trickle inside the emergency pipe. But everytime i try to reach the emergency pipe height. Water starts dropping my sump which is normal obviously. But I can’t make a balance then I lost the balance completely. If I fill the sump more it drops the level at the top. And if i drop the top i lose level the sump. Im beyond confused
 

Jamie814

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
289
Reaction score
261
Location
43°17'29.7"N 91°47'49.0"W
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Whats not possible though im confused? Can u break it down for me?
Your return pump is NEVER going to pump the exact same amount of water at all times. Its going to fluctuate. Your drain with the valve should be set to handle lets say 95% of this water, the remaining 5% needs to flow into the emergency drain back to the sump.

You said you raised the emergency drain, it still needs to be low enough so that water can flow into it. If you made it higher than the rim of your tank it's useless and the water is going to flow onto the floor before utilizing it.

Keep closing the main drain valve in small amounts until the water level inside your overflow starts to trickle into the emergency drain, then stop and leave it there. This is all you need to do...

If your water level in your sumps drops to much during this add more water.
 
OP
OP
Notsolostfish

Notsolostfish

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
614
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Your return pump is NEVER going to pump the exact same amount of water at all times. Its going to fluctuate. Your drain with the valve should be set to handle lets say 95% of this water, the remaining 5% needs to flow into the emergency drain back to the sump.

You said you raised the emergency drain, it still needs to be low enough so that water can flow into it. If you made it higher than the rim of your tank it's useless and the water is going to flow onto the floor before utilizing it.

Keep closing the main drain valve in small amounts until the water level inside your overflow starts to trickle into the emergency drain, then stop and leave it there. This is all you need to do...

If your water level in your sumps drops to much during this add more water.
Its not higher than the rim but at the same time high enough I cant have a trickle goes into it
 

Reefering1

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
May 20, 2022
Messages
1,639
Reaction score
1,680
Location
Usa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If i let it do its thing. It stops at a water level in the return chamber im not happy with. Too low. What should i do? Its crazy issue
What's wrong with water level in return chamber(as shown in vid)? Seems ideal to me. Looks quiet.(?)
Simple option is to raise ato sensors to accomplish desired level.
What happens if you open drain valve and raise pump speed, can a balance be found?
More importantly, is that emergency drain too high to go into full syphon and handle full flow without overflow? You can shut the valve to test it. Ideally it will handle the flow and/ or return pump runs out of water before overflow. My tank only has 2 drains also. I cut a "T" fitting to accomplish silence while allowing some flow down emergency pipe. The open top allows full syphon faster and it does handle all flow if primary drain is completely blocked(tested and proven).
 

Reefing threads: Do you wear gear from reef brands?

  • I wear reef gear everywhere.

    Votes: 24 14.5%
  • I wear reef gear primarily at fish events and my LFS.

    Votes: 11 6.6%
  • I wear reef gear primarily for water changes and tank maintenance.

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • I wear reef gear primarily to relax where I live.

    Votes: 23 13.9%
  • I don’t wear gear from reef brands.

    Votes: 96 57.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 11 6.6%
Back
Top