fluctuating water levels

[moevilla]

I have a 25 gallon display tank and 10 gallon refugium. Water is pumped from the fuge to the display tank and then water is siphoned back into the fuge. The water level remains consistent in the display and then atleast 1 time during the day, the water level in the display goes up about an inch for a few hours, and then goes back down. Any idea why?

[wab]

Hi, just a guess, some kind of power condition. The majority of the time the load is constant stuff gets turned off and you pump runs faster with less load. See if you have a heavy duty Item on the same ckt. oh and all POLITICIANS!!!!!!!!!! Good Luck

[BradMugs]

Is it the same time every day? What time is it?

[moevilla]

I think wab is right, it starts to happen when i get home and turn on the computers which are on the same wall. And then when I go to sleep and turn everything off, the water starts to fill up the main tank.

[BradMugs]

That sounds backwards - if the pumps are running faster (higher water level in main tank) you should be using less electricity on that line not more. I know when my wife irons the lights on the same outlet dim when the iron clicks on and off.

[gpask]

Tidal fluctuations caused by the moon? Now that's the way to create a realistic reef environment!

[moevilla]

Computers turn on, power on that side of the room is now being distributed between the computers and the tank. Pump has less output, water level in main tank diminishes. Computers turned off, power on that side of room in now exclusively being used by tank. Water level rises in main tank due to the higher output of pump. I think this explains it.

[Playa-1]

Just a hunch but I would suspect air in the drain line. It's probably happening more often then you've noticed it. If you're running at near max capacity thru the overflow box then a little air could cause that. You may want to slow the flow down a little with a ball valve between the pump and the DT and how it goes.

[jun_celis]

Are you using an external overflow?

[seapug]

Sounds like when this pump is not competing with other electronic devices you are on the verge of exceeding the capacity of your overflow. That is a risky situation that could lead to a flooding over of your display.

Use a gate valve (or flow adjustment on pump, if one exists) to slow the flow on the pump output to the point where the water level doesn't rise when the pump is operating at maximum power, then turn on all the devices and make sure the power level doesn't drop so far that you lose your overflow siphon. Compensate for the reduced turnover by using other means of circulation in the tank.

Or you could avoid the problem entirely by running an extension cord to power the tank from another outlet that's on a different circuit.