1,000,000 + 1 Problems with my new tank setup Advice plz.

[asonitez]

Well its not really 1 million but I AM a bit frustrated to say the least.


#1 - Durso Stand Pipe: How high should the stand pipe be in the tank? What water level should the tank be at for a 90 gallon AGA with a built in over flow? What does moving the pipe extension up and down do?

Problem: I seem to have gotten the hang of adjusting the pipe to keep a consistent flow. At first it was Making a Sucking type sound in which it would kinda SURGE and push down a lot of water change the water level and then SURGE again. I Kept Raising the pipe higher and higher until it stopped but kept a constant flow. Is this what I'm supposed to do? How Low should it be?




#2 - Overflow.... /Sigh.. - I have a 1 inch bulkhead with a barb pretty much built in. It comes stock with AGA overflow kit and takes a 1 and 1/4" vinyl Flex Tube fitting. It works GREAT! BUT.. I thought it was too long and would prevent the water from getting down into the sump. So..

Problem: I CUT the vinyl flexy hose thingy and made it shorter so that it can just barely almost touch the bottom of my sump when its fully extended. The result is a near 100% Vertical drop from my tank into my sump. The issue is that it sounds like a FRICKIN WATERFALL! bubbling up and the force the water is coming through with is unbeliveable but it sounds LOUD... its not SPLASHING into the existing water its IN The water but would bubble profusely. I have no idea what to do to dampen the sound. I think by Cutting the Vinyl Hose I lost valueable time that the water has to SLOW DOWN before going into the sump... I don't know if this is correct however


#3 - The Sump is LEAKING!!!! A lesson in testing your equip before you put it in.

I now have a 90 Gallon tank Filled with Ro/di (No Salt Yet) and a Sump that cannot be removed from the front............. The good thing is I think I know WHERE the leak is coming from. Its coming from a bulkhead that I used to stop the tank with but didnt GLUE in. I just pressure fit/jammed it in. HOWEVEr.... This is on one of the SIDE walls of the sump..

I noticed water running along the BASE of the sump (a LITTLE BIT) this could have come from the slow drop from the bulkhead but I'm not sure. Also at the top edge of the trim on the oceanic model 2 sump is water as well. When i Push on it I get a bit of water coming out....

I plan to drain the sump using a powerhead. Remove the skimmer and other pumps from it and Rotate it inside of the stand to apply Silicone to the botton top of the trim around the entire tank. I hope this stops the leaking. I also plan to silicone around the bulkhead thats leaking and see if that stops that.. OR hell I might just PVC Cement it on. I dunno... I'm pretty bummed.... I wanted my sand and Live rock in there by this weekend. I was supposed to add the salt list night and let it get mixed a Bit.

 

[Brian5000]

I had the first two issues when I first started my tank. The good news is that they go away on their own after the tank settles in. I can't really explain why (maybe it has something to do with algea coating the inside of the tube), but it works fine for me now.

Leaks are a pain. I'm sorry to hear about it. You aren't really supposed to glue bulkheads (though if it leaks you need something). First though, maybe try loosening it up and repositioning it. I think I even gave mine a little twist with the wrench thing (hand tighten never works for me on aquariums, toilets, etc.).
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[cindre2000]

And as I found out w/ bulkheads, make sure you have the gasket on the flange side, not the brushing side, or it will leak no matter how tight

 

[asonitez]

i have extra gaskets should i put one one on the bushing side?

 

[mr_X]

i don't think extra gaskets are the answer. use the single gasket as directed.
i can't picture what you did with cutting the vinyl tube, but like brian said, my overflows sounded loud for a short while, and now i can't hear them at all. i don't even use durso pipes...just a straight pipe on 1 and a curved elbow on the other, and it's quiet now, since algae grew in the pipes(i guess).

 

[asonitez]

Thanks Mr. X.

Imagine a 1 1/4" Flexy Tubing... the kind that comes with those boxed wet/dry filters. Imagine cutting off 1 of the tapered edges and shortening it by about 2 feet. Then let that hang down into your sump.

 

[das75]

A correctly setup Durso is near silent. If the level is moving up and down it's not 'tuned' (balance between air and water). The level in the overflow tower should be steady.

If the pipe is too short, get a barb connector and join the pieces back up. There will be some bubbling as nature of a Durso (again the balance of air and water).

Though a bulkhead shouldn't leak if the gasket is installed dry, what I did was a really thin smear of silicone on both sides if the gasket and install with the flange on the inside of the tank, nut on the outside (gasket goes against the flange). I did use a socket I machined from pipe to tighten but only was hand tight, no bar. Don't use glue.

 

[mr_X]

Thanks Mr. X.

Imagine a 1 1/4" Flexy Tubing... the kind that comes with those boxed wet/dry filters. Imagine cutting off 1 of the tapered edges and shortening it by about 2 feet. Then let that hang down into your sump.

ahh. well, that sounds like an easy fix- either let it drain into a filter sock, or get a new, longer, piece of hose. :wink:

 

[asonitez]

I fixed the leaking issue. It was teh bulkhead. I tightened it us using some pliers and elbow grease but I also used plumbers tape to water tight the plug. I also drained the sump raised it on 2 PVC pipes slid a rubbermaid deep cover under it and lowered it. No drips. I found out that the gasket had leaked I hand tightened it and then dripped down to the seams filled the seams and then went down to the wood, Got to the wood sunk in, evaporated raised air/water bubbles on the surface of the paint and those bubbles popping gave the impression of water leaking form the sump.


i still havent figured out what i will do to quiet the sump yet but i installed a ballvalve and throttled the return down and that made the flow damn near silent but still consistent but it reduced the flow in my tank from my return loc lines. I don't think i really nEED the flow from my return loclines because I have 3 Modded Sureflow Maxi Jet 900's p ushing 1600 + GPH an hour in the tank. What you think X? Lower Flow through the sump also means that my skimmer has more time to skim a lot more water throughly. Is my logic correct or what?

 

[mr_X]

yes. i agree with the less flow in the sump being ok, within reason. the skimmer has more time to skim the water, and the macroalgae(you have?) has more time to absorb nutrients as well.
have you tried a filter sock? you'll be suprised how much extra stuff it will catch. i have to change mine out every 3 or 4 days, or they will clog up/overflow.