overflow problem

[chatfouz]

the set up for my aunt runs a 55 with a sump. water to the sump is from an overflow box. i was just told that there has been problems with the sump, it keeps running dry. she adds water and in a day or two its dry again. the return for the sump is a magnum 350. today when i checked it the utube had a big bubble in it which is why no wter flowed through it.

1. why does the utube get a bubble in it? how doese that just happen?

2. could it be the 350 is pulling out faster than the utube is getting in? so i just have to add some utubes?

[Headless_donkey]

I think it is exactly opposite. The mag350 isn't providing enough flow and allowing air to collect. It may need to be cleaned.

I hope someone else chimes in on this because I could be wrong.

[js_is]

I think it is exactly opposite. The mag350 isn't providing enough flow and allowing air to collect. It may need to be cleaned.

I hope someone else chimes in on this because I could be wrong.

I agree. I had the exact same problem with my 50G a while back, and I had to suck out that little air bubble every couple of days from the u-tube before the siphon breaks. After I changed to a stronger return pump the problem was solved.

[chatfouz]

so if upgrading the pump is not an option i need to make the overflow utube smaller in diameter?

im thinking some teflon tape and tape up 30% of the intake end of the tube?

[js_is]

so if upgrading the pump is not an option i need to make the overflow utube smaller in diameter?

im thinking some teflon tape and tape up 30% of the intake end of the tube?

I don't think it'll work if you only make the intake end smaller; the whole utube needs to be thinner in my opinion. The idea is that the water will flow fast enough through the utube so that it'll have enough force to carry the micro bubbles all the way through and out of the utube instead of allowing them to remain and accumilate in the tube.