New sump, first fill... Few questions.

carpio1991 · 05/31/2014, 09:06 PM

Ok so I had a 55, got rid of it unfortunately after like a month of it being set up because the stand I bought was just trash and I couldn't fit a sump or put one any where discreet enough for my wife's approval. So I bought a 45 from someone which came with a sump and a HOB overflow with the piping and all that good jazz. So I finally have the 45 up and mixing/airing out. Now my question is, having a HOB overflow with a u-tube siphon, how do I go about starting te sump? Do I fill the tank and the sump and turn on my pump and then siphon? I'm just really confused. Please elaborate as much as possible. I can be hard headed lol. It's a 15 gallon sump and my return pump is an aqueon submersible 3000. Also, is my return pump too strong? I don't see why it would be but I'm brand new to this. So you never know. Thanks in advance!

1234 · 05/31/2014, 11:32 PM

Not hard, I would fill the tank first, then the sump to the height of the first baffle and then the HOB box, start the siphon make sure no bubbles in the "U" tubes then start the return. After it's going add more water till it's running without starving.

If it were me, I'd get rid of the HOB - although my very first set-up, some 20yrs ago was the same that you have, now ran pretty good

GrampaDon · 06/01/2014, 06:23 AM

To start the HOB fill tank and HOB insert the U tube with a airline inserted inside.
Use the airline to suck air out till just water is in the tube.

I also started with a HOB overflow. Now I get reef ready overflows. Or drill my own overflow. I just had to many problems with the HOB and dont trust them.
YMMV

ca1ore · 06/01/2014, 09:34 AM

I dont run HoB overflows, but starting a sump is easy. Fill your main tank to the point where it's starts to overflow into the sump then stop. Let the water in the display equalize until it stops overflowing. Then add water to your sump up to within an inch of the top rim. Start your pump and let the system equalize. Mark the equalized water level in the sump. This is the highest point water can be in the sump when the system is working. If that level is too high for your baffles, then it is fine to remove some water. Set your ATO to that level, but not above your high water mark.

carpio1991 · 06/01/2014, 12:59 PM

Thanks for all the help! I got it running

now all I need is a float switch for preventative measures and I will be good! Quick question though, I unplug my pump and nothing overflows, should that be marked as my max fill when it settles? Or while it's running?

moondoggy4 · 06/01/2014, 01:10 PM

Mark the line with the return pump is shut off. Overflow boxes have a very little water drop with they are shut off. If the pump is too slow you will collect bubbles in the U-tube finally causing it to fail.

Look into autotopoff.com for float switches

05/31/2014, 09:06 PM	#1
carpio1991 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 35	New sump, first fill... Few questions. Ok so I had a 55, got rid of it unfortunately after like a month of it being set up because the stand I bought was just trash and I couldn't fit a sump or put one any where discreet enough for my wife's approval. So I bought a 45 from someone which came with a sump and a HOB overflow with the piping and all that good jazz. So I finally have the 45 up and mixing/airing out. Now my question is, having a HOB overflow with a u-tube siphon, how do I go about starting te sump? Do I fill the tank and the sump and turn on my pump and then siphon? I'm just really confused. Please elaborate as much as possible. I can be hard headed lol. It's a 15 gallon sump and my return pump is an aqueon submersible 3000. Also, is my return pump too strong? I don't see why it would be but I'm brand new to this. So you never know. Thanks in advance!

05/31/2014, 11:32 PM	#2
1234 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Portland,OR Posts: 769	Not hard, I would fill the tank first, then the sump to the height of the first baffle and then the HOB box, start the siphon make sure no bubbles in the "U" tubes then start the return. After it's going add more water till it's running without starving. If it were me, I'd get rid of the HOB - although my very first set-up, some 20yrs ago was the same that you have, now ran pretty good __________________ I'm out of my mind, Please leave a message Current Tank Info: 225gal diy 60"x36"x24"

06/01/2014, 06:23 AM	#3
GrampaDon Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Fort Wayne ,IN Posts: 636	To start the HOB fill tank and HOB insert the U tube with a airline inserted inside. Use the airline to suck air out till just water is in the tube. I also started with a HOB overflow. Now I get reef ready overflows. Or drill my own overflow. I just had to many problems with the HOB and dont trust them. YMMV __________________ 165+29 Sticks N Zoas / Kessil + t5 / Ecotech 260 in the works. 84X30X25

06/01/2014, 09:34 AM	#4
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	I dont run HoB overflows, but starting a sump is easy. Fill your main tank to the point where it's starts to overflow into the sump then stop. Let the water in the display equalize until it stops overflowing. Then add water to your sump up to within an inch of the top rim. Start your pump and let the system equalize. Mark the equalized water level in the sump. This is the highest point water can be in the sump when the system is working. If that level is too high for your baffles, then it is fine to remove some water. Set your ATO to that level, but not above your high water mark. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

06/01/2014, 12:59 PM	#5
carpio1991 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 35	Thanks for all the help! I got it running now all I need is a float switch for preventative measures and I will be good! Quick question though, I unplug my pump and nothing overflows, should that be marked as my max fill when it settles? Or while it's running?

06/01/2014, 01:10 PM	#6
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	Mark the line with the return pump is shut off. Overflow boxes have a very little water drop with they are shut off. If the pump is too slow you will collect bubbles in the U-tube finally causing it to fail. Look into autotopoff.com for float switches