Pump size

I will take some pictures of the over flow its just an end to end overflow box.

 

Starfish, I see now that you don't have ball valve on your return line to restrict flow what so ever. The line "tees" off to go to the display and the back to the skimmer...not sure why the original owner of the tank would ever plumb it like that??

 

OK if the box is connect then that is fine. It sounds like it is a make-shift BeanAnimal overflow (just 2 lines, no emergency). lol. I'll get a picture up of what it should look like in the sump area.

 

Because this is how most people restrict their return pumps. It's easier on the pump. This is exactly how I was talking about to feed the fuge.

 

Well S*** ... I don't really know what to do with it.. I can adjust the flow of return pump though ? I should just replumb the damn thing.

 

So its alright then, If I need to fix something I just want to fix it.. I don't want to take the easy way out of anything I just want this thing to be done right..

 

I would re plumb the thing. Let both drains go wide open to the skimmer section. Then for the return, do exactly what they did with the tee and valve, but instead of running it back over to the skimmer section, run it to the fuge. That way the fuge will be supplied by the return pump and not the drain. It will be easier to tune IMO.

 

That sounds better I like the idea of the fuge being supplied by the return rather than the drain.

How should I go about re-plumbing this thing..

 

When you have a properly sized return pump then restricting flow shouldn't be much of an issue. The fact that you have to feed the fuge from your return pump means your pump is putting out too muuh flow.

it would make more sense to have the overflow drain split and then go to the fuge and the other side of the drain goes to the skimmer.

Not finished, but you can get the gist of what I am talking about from the image below (of my plumbing). The left side was supposed to go to a refugium. My return pump will go in the middle of the sump tank and I will have a ball valve to restrict flow(not a lot if the pump is properly sized) to return to the display. Some people use the return to feed a reactor.



I would redo the plumbing, Starfish.

 

My overflow is at the top right(back) side of my tank. You can see the overflow box and the overflow line to my sump, below...before you ask, no that ball valve should not be there. That is so I didn't flood the house with water before I had my sump in there.