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Unread 11/02/2018, 10:23 PM   #1
zarith
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: NC
Posts: 8
Perpetual waterfall problem with Waterbox 135.4

I don't mind a nice soothing waterfall but when it goes down the weir, it echoes throughout the house. Here's the issue with adjusting the gate valve in these waterbox aquariums (which watwrbox always says "adjust the gate valve till it's right below the emergency overflow").

1) close gate valve > weir water level rises (dampens waterfall effect) but return pump chamber water drops
2) to fix the water level in return chamber, i decrease the return pump output >weir water level drops (waterfall effect occurs again and GPH water turnover drops)
3) close gate valve some more to raise weir water level again > again drop in return chamber water level
4) chasing your tail in this downward spiral.

I've been dealing with this for 4 months. So I've decided to just place a filter pad where the water drops 2 inches (yes, 2 inches) into the return chamber to minimize the bubbles. Waterbox tanks are very nice but the sump design leaves much to be desired. In hindsight, I would purchase the sump and the tank separately. And adding more water would not solve the problem. It would only work if I never, EVER, have a power outage. Which we just had a hurricane and power was out for 5 days.

Any suggestions would be welcome.


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Unread 12/04/2018, 06:38 AM   #2
MrStoffel
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Belgium, Antwerp
Posts: 6
Dude, its very simple. You have to increase the total amount of water in the system.
Follow these steps:
*Tune gate valve until water is slightly trickling in emergency overflow (only a few drops)
*Water level in your return chamber will drop, since total amount of water in the system remains the same. (you just have more in your overflow box now)
*Pour saltwater into sump until desired level in return chamber is reached.
*Done, you now have a silent overflow


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Unread 12/04/2018, 09:47 AM   #3
sde1500
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Location: Glocester, RI
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^ that is the correct answer. Since they built them as a system, I'd assume they would account for power outages. Something that you can test yourself by adding more water, then cutting power to make sure it doesn't overflow.


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Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.
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Unread 11/18/2019, 09:16 PM   #4
Cupraman
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Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by zarith View Post
I don't mind a nice soothing waterfall but when it goes down the weir, it echoes throughout the house. Here's the issue with adjusting the gate valve in these waterbox aquariums (which watwrbox always says "adjust the gate valve till it's right below the emergency overflow").

1) close gate valve > weir water level rises (dampens waterfall effect) but return pump chamber water drops
2) to fix the water level in return chamber, i decrease the return pump output >weir water level drops (waterfall effect occurs again and GPH water turnover drops)
3) close gate valve some more to raise weir water level again > again drop in return chamber water level
4) chasing your tail in this downward spiral.

I've been dealing with this for 4 months. So I've decided to just place a filter pad where the water drops 2 inches (yes, 2 inches) into the return chamber to minimize the bubbles. Waterbox tanks are very nice but the sump design leaves much to be desired. In hindsight, I would purchase the sump and the tank separately. And adding more water would not solve the problem. It would only work if I never, EVER, have a power outage. Which we just had a hurricane and power was out for 5 days.

Any suggestions would be welcome.
Did you get this resolved Zareth? I have the exact same issue!


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