Filling tank for first time

[gridley]

My wife and I are finally ready to do a test of our system. We completed the plumbing tonight and intend to fill the tank with freshwater tomorrow to test the plumbing.

What is the best procedure for determining what the proper water level in the sump should be? Thanks for your help.

[gregzz4]

First time turning on a return pump on a new tank is always kinda nerve-wracking

I started off with the tank full, and the overflow full to the top of the standpipe
Then I filled the sump to a level comfortable for me - a couple or more inches below full is a good start. Keep in mind that this is all you have in the system, so it can't get any higher right now ( unless your tank back-siphons during a pump off )
It's a helpful idea to make a mark on the outside of the sump at this point with a pen on some masking tape. This will show you where the on and off levels are relating to your pump

Then I turned on the return pump and went from there

I keep my sump as full as possible, probably the same as most, but I allow for an extra few gallons in case something unforseen happens when the pump (s) are off

Things to watch out for right now are;
-Return pump is too strong and overfills the overflow box, eventually overflowing the top of the tank
-When you turn off the return pump, the return pipe outlets back-siphon water from the DT and over-fill the sump
-The return area of your sump is not large enough and you run the pump dry ( not likely in most cases, but watch for it )

Have fun

[gregzz4]

Also, during all this watching the water levels, you are inspecting all your plumbing for leaks

It was pretty nerve-wracking for me the first time

Once it started to settle into it's level, I was really proud of myself. It's very satisfying

[daplatapus]

I guess there are a couple ways to do it. I'd fill my display tank until it starts to go over the overflows. Then fill your sump to the safest point it allows.
This stage simulates a power outage in reality. No water flowing. Fire up your return pump. If you need to add more water, something in the design is wrong because if the power ever goes out you've just added more than the sump can safely allow and will probably overflow. So it's important to fill your sump the first time to the maximum safe limit then fire it up and add no more than that.

That being said, you'll want to mark the return chamber of your sump at the level it stays at once the system is running for 15 minutes or so. This is where you'll notice any evaporation. If your tank is marked all you need to do is top it off to that mark with fresh RO/DI water as you notice it drop due to it evaporating.
Hope that helps.

[daplatapus]

Du'oh! Gregzz4 beat me to it

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by daplatapus

Du'oh! Gregzz4 beat me to it

HAHAHAHA
I'm sure there are 100 ways to say what we both did

Your reply explained better what mine didn't about the sump level

[fishytime]

+1 to Greg.....Im not sure if you are planning to use RO water or not but I fill my tank with RO for the test, this way if things are good to go all I have to do is add salt and simmer

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by fishytime

+1 to Greg

Shucks guess I'm finally lernin'
Always nice to have the experienced ones give a thumbs up Thanks !

Originally Posted by fishytime

Im not sure if you are planning to use RO water or not

I used RO my first time and ended up dumping it all down the drain
After my many plumbing changes, and 2 more times of filling the system with tapwater, I was finally ready to put the RO in and add salt with no looking back

Mine is my first SW build, and so is your's, so it won't hurt to test it with tapwater in case you find something you don't like or weren't prepared for/expecting

If you run your system now, this doesn't apply, but, if you go for weeks like I did during testing ....
Wash your whole system out well and scrub everything as the slime that builds up needs to be removed before your final fill

[gridley]

Thanks for the help - I will proceed with the tap water just in case I have leaks - I'm not completely confident of my plumbing skills - I installed a new bathtub in the ensuite four years ago and flooded the family room .
Deborah and I also want to take our time with the aquascaping and intall a solid foundation of dry rock. Hence a second reason to go with the first fill of tap water.

Thanks for the help.

[gregzz4]

Help is always free

How much LR are you going to use ???

I made a big mistake with my system and now am regretting it
I started off with the only LR I could find that I liked ...
I put 14# of rock into a rubbermaid and cured it for 3 months. Once I started curing it, I didn't look for any more as I didn't want to mix different rock.
I then ended up with less than .2lbs/g, and that's nowhere near enough