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Matrix sump filter


Shieldsy83

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Hi, I'm having trouble stopping my sump from working correctly as its wanting to over flow the 3 chambers!

I'm using a 6500lph pump with a out let pipe 40mm.

Both the inlet an out let have ball joints to adjust flow.

The only way to get the water to go under an over all 3 chambers is to slow the pump right down which I don't really want to do as the rank is holding 43 cichlids 4x2.5x2.

Could you please help??

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do you run standpipes or weir or just a bulkhead.?but what im thinking is that your inlet from the sump to the tank may be submerged in the tanks water,therefor when you turn off the pump it back tracks into the inlet pipe causing a siphon.so youll be emptying the tank from the inlet not just the outlet.if your inlet into the tank is above water level this siphoning wont happoen.if on the other hand all is ok there maybe adjust the height of your standpipe or add some pvc bends to your bulkhead so when the water stops flowing it cant get down the bulkhead anymore.

but im leaning toward your inlet being submerged causing a siphon when you turn off the pump

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Hi tang, mate I run a stand pipe with no angles going into the sump.

My inlet does pull water back into the dump when I turn the pump off.

The only way I can get the 4 stage matrix dump to work is to lower the pressure of the pump to the tank right down!

I bought that size pump as I wanted to turn my tank over atleast 6-8 times an hour, I've sat there for hours on end trying to figure it out but now I have to just pack all my filter material up the top of the first 2 stages!!??

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60mm bulk head into 42mm piping which goes striaght into the 1st chamber, each chamber is 150wide, the return line is 25mm tube with 1 90 degree angle both inlet an out let have water adjustment on them.

I just don't know why this system is not working, well it's working but not as good as it should as it skips over the first 2 sections! I need a solution or have the company who made it stuffed it?

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Ive had this issue...I found that the space between the sump chambers PLUS the filter material slowed the water flow down so much it would overflow between the chambers...I only fixed it by reducing the output of the pump

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Sounds likely a case of a big pump needs a big filter.

Most sump filters have a optimum liters per hour flow rate.

Only so much water can pass through particular medias and channels at a time.

Thought of teeing of and diverting a portion into a K media tumble bio filter,,,,, or just simply tee of onto any other filter of choice.

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i read in your comments shieldsy that the water just flows over the top of the 2-3rd chamber.is the glass on these chambers all the way to the top of the sump tank?that could also be part of the problem.i know there are sumps that have chambers that go from a high point to a lower height but then ull use a smaller pump.

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If the chambers are only 150mm wide and you have a 6500 lph pump,, then that's a pretty big pump I would think,, especially with media to pass through also.

General rule of thumb for a safe side turn over is twice the tank volume in one hour.

But if you decide to split it,,, I'd suggest to put a manual valve in line of the split.

This way you can gradually open the valve till you reach the max capacity flow rate in sump when the new water level falls to the level you want it.

Having the sump finely tuned like this may be beneficial as when the media gets blocked and needs cleaning, you'll know because the water will start flowing over again.

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