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Alright everyone, sorry I never posted any pics, but I've been sooooo busy lately. This whole sump project has been the hardest part of my tank experience to date.

Everything is hooked up and ready to go, and I have 20gal of water ready to be put into the sump.

I just want to make sure I start everything right.

1. Fill the sump, till the water gets all the way to the return pump.(Put rocks in the refugium part before hand)
2. Start the overflow box, and the return at the same time.
3. Let them run and look for any major problems (i.e leaks, the return being too much, etc)

Am I on the right track here?
 
I don't know what you decided on your return pump but if you have a ball valve installed between the return pump and tank that will help you throttle your flow back to the tank if needed.
 
Yep! I installed a ball valve. Im going to my first tropical marine ecology class for 3hours then ill fill it up when i get home.
 
Ok so I just got home, and everything still looks good. I tweeked a few things here and there, but the drain/pump are working fine.

I recorded a video of it to show you guys, and have a question about my protein skimmer. If anyone can come up with a solution that would be awesome. It just sucks up water, and no matter what I do with the valve, doesn't change. If I manage to lift it out of the water until the outlet is out of the water, then it will turn into a bunch of bubbles, but then there's no room for the cup.. I might just have to scrap this skimmer and save up for a smaller one

One question I forgot to ask in the video though,

When I do water changes, I am supposed to turn the return pump off, as well as the drain pump think that starts the suction. I tested it out once, and I shut everything off at once. The water was still coming into the sump, but VERY slowly, and I couldn't see any signs of it stopping, so I turned it all back on and the water levels all went back to normal.

How can I get the water to stop going down so I can do a water change when I need to?

And here's the video. Sorry if I sound weird, just getting over the flu

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWZWsE2lxrk]2013 01 24 13 06 32 436 - YouTube[/ame]
 
So I ended up taking the skimmer out, it aint gunna work.

Is it possible to use a HOB skimmer on a sump?
If not, I will most likely save up for a smaller skimmer
 
It that a odyseas ps 75 skimmer? It sure looks kinda like it. If it is the airline does not go into the middle nipple. Use one of the outer nipples and you will get bubbles. I have this skimmer (if thats what it is) and love it. Ditch the sponge filters btw...no need for them.
 
Well finished watching the vid...so its the ps160...really looks like a 75 with that pump...anyway i would think it would be the same set up. Let me see if I can down load a couple of pics of mine.
 
Yea ted, it has the same air tube that goes to the little cylinder container, and I guess it is used as a silencer? I made sure to use an outside nipple
 
my iphone is being a pain in the ass and not sending the picture...anyway I will try to get some pictures as soon as I can...Did you test to see what the sump water level needs to be at with power failure? It looks to me that your sump is full...If you get any back siphon it will raise the sump a few inches. no space and it will go on the floor. Ya finally sent the stupid pics so the water level you see is pretty much the max I can have in it with out the risk of a flood. Once I established that I then set the skimmer to that height..Ok here are two pics of mine.
 

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Need to go get my daughter but I will be back on in a hour or so...will check back see if I can help...
 
Well I'm not going to use the ps160 either way now. I couldn't get it to work right anyway. Already decided I will get a smaller skimmer.

As for testing the water out, no I didn't. But I keep the water to where if 3-4 gallons were taken out of the DT, the water level wouldn't be high enough to get drained, and the sump would be able to handle that. I'll still do some more testing though.

So far I've slowed the rate down, no more bubbles, and the water levels are exactly where they should be.


Thanks for the help though Ted, I might be downgrading to a ps75
 
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