Water Flow

[evo97]

I have just started my pump after filling up my tank 135gl . with RO water , my refug. is filled , it seems like Iam pumping more into the tank than whats coming back to my refug. do I need to add another skimmer , or change the pump size ? also my RO water has started to cloud up a little , Iam just getting ready to add my salt , anything else I should check for ? thanks,

[barbra]

What kind of pump have you got and what size lines are drawing the tank water? If the tank starts to overflow you will know that the returns are too small or are clogged. Another skimmer isn't the solution, but a smaller pump or larger outflows probably are.

What do you mean your RO water is cloudy?
Where is it (in the tank, a bucket, etc)?
Did it get cloudy after you made it or did it come from the unit cloudy?
Have you added anything at all?

Where in VB are you?

[Piscator]

What size pump and what is your overflow rated? You may need to throttle back the pump a little. Just cut back on the output side with a ball valve...not the intake side.

[phil519]

so are you saying the pump is faster than the overflow in your tank?

That is, it is pumping water back up into the tank faster than can drain down into your sump/refugium?

I guess you'll have to give more specifics..what kind of pump are you using...do you have any pics to show us the "guts" of the tank?

[evo97]

I recieved two pumps with the refugium 1is a CA1800 - 2639 hr.
the other is a CA2200- 2972 hr. I was told to put the 1800 on the ref. I have 5/8 hose on it , the same size at the outlet pipe , I have no ball valve installed anywhere , I was not told to do so , (new here) if all I have to do is install a ball valve and throttle back , no problem , I will pick one up and do so , as far as my RO water , I installed a RA/DI filtration system , and It has taken me afew days to fill up , could onlt do it i the evenings , the water is i my 135gl. tank , its not real bad , just a little cloudy , it was clear when it filled up , it just started to cloud up after sitting for a couple days, live off of great neck rd. my return 1" pvc , this should be laarge enough I would think , the water rises a little over the skimmer about a 1/4 " no clogs , I just picked 100 lbs of play sand fro HD , I was going to use this and then put about 30 of live sand on top of that , I assume I should wash the sand before I put it in , correct? and how deep should the bed of mineral mud be in my refugium ? thanks

[evo97]

recieved two pumps with the refugium 1is a CA1800 - 2639 hr.
the other is a CA2200- 2972 hr. I was told to put the 1800 on the ref. I have 5/8 hose on it , the same size at the outlet pipe , I have no ball valve installed anywhere , I was not told to do so , (new here) if all I have to do is install a ball valve and throttle back , no problem , I will pick one up and do so , as far as my RO water , I installed a RA/DI filtration system , and It has taken me afew days to fill up , could onlt do it i the evenings , the water is i my 135gl. tank , its not real bad , just a little cloudy , it was clear when it filled up , it just started to cloud up after sitting for a couple days, live off of great neck rd. my return 1" pvc , this should be laarge enough I would think , the water rises a little over the skimmer about a 1/4 " no clogs , I just picked 100 lbs of play sand fro HD , I was going to use this and then put about 30 of live sand on top of that , I assume I should wash the sand before I put it in , correct? and how deep should the bed of mineral mud be in my refugium ? thanks

[sohal1025]

Is the sand for the tank or the fuge?

[barbra]

Way too much pump. I run 1-1/2 lines on a 1200gph pump with a good strong flow.

You can't just put in a ball valve and throttle it back, it kills your pump and heats your tank. You can run a diverter pipe back into the sump and throttle that some so that your pump isn't restricted but the fact is that you would be using a lot of pump and not getting the full benefit of the nice gph that can be achieved by replumbing the system.

[sohal1025]

I dont know that much about a fuge but I heard alot of problems with play sand in the tank, like cloudiness and grains blowing around alot damaging pumps.

[barbra]

The big trouble with play sand is that some critters who dwell in the sand and run it through their bodies are damaged by the sharp edges on the grains. Aragonite sand is rounded and passes through systems and over bodies more gently.

As sohal1025 said, it will also damage pumps if it gets into them. It will really do a number on your glass too if you get a piece stuck in your cleaning tool.

[evo97]

thanks fo the input , guess I will throw the sand out back , as far as the pumps , they sent me both pumps with the refug, guess I will have to resize , I will get this tank up one of these days , thanks ,