How much is too much?

[Justin Boucher]

Hello,
I was curious to know if anyone else out there periodically discovers water
under their sump? Not a lot of water, just enough to fit between the
cabinet floor and the sump. I seem to have a very small leak and can't find
any evidence. The only way I know I have water under the sump is because I
can where it is through the clear acrylic sump. The cabinet floor is custom
made and coated with a marine varnish (3 coats) but since the sump is
directly on the floor, there is really no possibility of it just air drying.

This raises another question. How many of you have sumps set up or made of
clear material that you would even be able to tell if there was water under
the sump? As I mentioned above, I can see the evidence under the sump,
however there is no seepage coming out from under the sump.

It's getting rather frustrating that I seem to have so many leaks popping
up. Any suggestions out there in how some of you may have handled similar
situations?

Thank you,
Justin
240 FOWLR (No Fish yet, still setting up)

[Matt Awbrey]

Shoot Justin...If the system isn't set up yet, nows the time to remove the
sump and really take a close look at where it might be leaking from. Trust
me, it's much easier to do it now then later when it's up and running and
keeping fish alive. Common places to look for leaks are any bulkheads and
also along the seams where the acrylic joints have been glued. Most sumps
tend to be made of 1/4 acrylic which is fairly easy to cause a seam to
delaminate. Also, check the return lines and the main tanks outflow line.
Sometimes a small amount of water, either from splash or leaky bulkhead or
fitting will cause a very small to a very large amount of water to trickle
down the lines and appear to be a sump problem. Sometimes water coming from
the main tank to the sump will make just enough splash as it arrives at the
sumps drip tray to cause the water to splash out over the edge if ever so
slightly. Anyhow...it's best to find it now then to wait til you got fish.
Best of luck
"Justin Boucher" > wrote in message
...
> Hello,
> I was curious to know if anyone else out there periodically discovers
water
> under their sump? Not a lot of water, just enough to fit between the
> cabinet floor and the sump. I seem to have a very small leak and can't
find
> any evidence. The only way I know I have water under the sump is because
I
> can where it is through the clear acrylic sump. The cabinet floor is
custom
> made and coated with a marine varnish (3 coats) but since the sump is
> directly on the floor, there is really no possibility of it just air
drying.
>
> This raises another question. How many of you have sumps set up or made
of
> clear material that you would even be able to tell if there was water
under
> the sump? As I mentioned above, I can see the evidence under the sump,
> however there is no seepage coming out from under the sump.
>
> It's getting rather frustrating that I seem to have so many leaks popping
> up. Any suggestions out there in how some of you may have handled similar
> situations?
>
> Thank you,
> Justin
> 240 FOWLR (No Fish yet, still setting up)
>
>

[Justin Boucher]

Thanks for the insight. I removed the sump and cleaned up the spilled
water. I also double checked all my bulkhead fittings and plumbing seams
with no real sight that any of them were the culprit. The sump passed a
water containment test when I first got it and I inspected all the seams
(only one was questionable since the seam wasn't crystal clear). I've put
everything back together and am making more regular checks to see if I can
locate any possible leaks. So far so good if you consider not finding any
leaking water good even though you never found the source.

Justin

"Matt Awbrey" > wrote in message
news:uvAbc.8039$zh.6680@fed1read07...
> Shoot Justin...If the system isn't set up yet, nows the time to remove the
> sump and really take a close look at where it might be leaking from. Trust
> me, it's much easier to do it now then later when it's up and running and
> keeping fish alive. Common places to look for leaks are any bulkheads and
> also along the seams where the acrylic joints have been glued. Most sumps
> tend to be made of 1/4 acrylic which is fairly easy to cause a seam to
> delaminate. Also, check the return lines and the main tanks outflow line.
> Sometimes a small amount of water, either from splash or leaky bulkhead or
> fitting will cause a very small to a very large amount of water to trickle
> down the lines and appear to be a sump problem. Sometimes water coming
from
> the main tank to the sump will make just enough splash as it arrives at
the
> sumps drip tray to cause the water to splash out over the edge if ever so
> slightly. Anyhow...it's best to find it now then to wait til you got fish.
> Best of luck
> "Justin Boucher" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hello,
> > I was curious to know if anyone else out there periodically discovers
> water
> > under their sump? Not a lot of water, just enough to fit between the
> > cabinet floor and the sump. I seem to have a very small leak and can't
> find
> > any evidence. The only way I know I have water under the sump is
because
> I
> > can where it is through the clear acrylic sump. The cabinet floor is
> custom
> > made and coated with a marine varnish (3 coats) but since the sump is
> > directly on the floor, there is really no possibility of it just air
> drying.
> >
> > This raises another question. How many of you have sumps set up or made
> of
> > clear material that you would even be able to tell if there was water
> under
> > the sump? As I mentioned above, I can see the evidence under the sump,
> > however there is no seepage coming out from under the sump.
> >
> > It's getting rather frustrating that I seem to have so many leaks
popping
> > up. Any suggestions out there in how some of you may have handled
similar
> > situations?
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Justin
> > 240 FOWLR (No Fish yet, still setting up)
> >
> >
>
>

[Marc Levenson]

Justin,

I've had that happen many times. Even a very small splash will wick quite a
puddle under a sump that seemingly never goes away.

I do recommend that you put a piece of rigid 1/2" foam under your acrylic sump
to avoid any pressure points. You can find 4'x8' sheets of pink foam at Home
Depot for under $10. It is used for insulation on new construction homes.

Marc


Justin Boucher wrote:

> Thanks for the insight. I removed the sump and cleaned up the spilled
> water. I also double checked all my bulkhead fittings and plumbing seams
> with no real sight that any of them were the culprit. The sump passed a
> water containment test when I first got it and I inspected all the seams
> (only one was questionable since the seam wasn't crystal clear). I've put
> everything back together and am making more regular checks to see if I can
> locate any possible leaks. So far so good if you consider not finding any
> leaking water good even though you never found the source.
>
> Justin
>
> "Matt Awbrey" > wrote in message
> news:uvAbc.8039$zh.6680@fed1read07...
> > Shoot Justin...If the system isn't set up yet, nows the time to remove the
> > sump and really take a close look at where it might be leaking from. Trust
> > me, it's much easier to do it now then later when it's up and running and
> > keeping fish alive. Common places to look for leaks are any bulkheads and
> > also along the seams where the acrylic joints have been glued. Most sumps
> > tend to be made of 1/4 acrylic which is fairly easy to cause a seam to
> > delaminate. Also, check the return lines and the main tanks outflow line.
> > Sometimes a small amount of water, either from splash or leaky bulkhead or
> > fitting will cause a very small to a very large amount of water to trickle
> > down the lines and appear to be a sump problem. Sometimes water coming
> from
> > the main tank to the sump will make just enough splash as it arrives at
> the
> > sumps drip tray to cause the water to splash out over the edge if ever so
> > slightly. Anyhow...it's best to find it now then to wait til you got fish.
> > Best of luck
> > "Justin Boucher" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Hello,
> > > I was curious to know if anyone else out there periodically discovers
> > water
> > > under their sump? Not a lot of water, just enough to fit between the
> > > cabinet floor and the sump. I seem to have a very small leak and can't
> > find
> > > any evidence. The only way I know I have water under the sump is
> because
> > I
> > > can where it is through the clear acrylic sump. The cabinet floor is
> > custom
> > > made and coated with a marine varnish (3 coats) but since the sump is
> > > directly on the floor, there is really no possibility of it just air
> > drying.
> > >
> > > This raises another question. How many of you have sumps set up or made
> > of
> > > clear material that you would even be able to tell if there was water
> > under
> > > the sump? As I mentioned above, I can see the evidence under the sump,
> > > however there is no seepage coming out from under the sump.
> > >
> > > It's getting rather frustrating that I seem to have so many leaks
> popping
> > > up. Any suggestions out there in how some of you may have handled
> similar
> > > situations?
> > >
> > > Thank you,
> > > Justin
> > > 240 FOWLR (No Fish yet, still setting up)
> > >
> > >
> >
> >

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Matt Awbrey]

Great point Marc. $5.26 w/tax at homedepot : ) "Marc Levenson"
> wrote in message ...
> Justin,
>
> I've had that happen many times. Even a very small splash will wick quite
a
> puddle under a sump that seemingly never goes away.
>
> I do recommend that you put a piece of rigid 1/2" foam under your acrylic
sump
> to avoid any pressure points. You can find 4'x8' sheets of pink foam at
Home
> Depot for under $10. It is used for insulation on new construction homes.
>
> Marc
>
>
> Justin Boucher wrote:
>
> > Thanks for the insight. I removed the sump and cleaned up the spilled
> > water. I also double checked all my bulkhead fittings and plumbing
seams
> > with no real sight that any of them were the culprit. The sump passed a
> > water containment test when I first got it and I inspected all the seams
> > (only one was questionable since the seam wasn't crystal clear). I've
put
> > everything back together and am making more regular checks to see if I
can
> > locate any possible leaks. So far so good if you consider not finding
any
> > leaking water good even though you never found the source.
> >
> > Justin
> >
> > "Matt Awbrey" > wrote in message
> > news:uvAbc.8039$zh.6680@fed1read07...
> > > Shoot Justin...If the system isn't set up yet, nows the time to remove
the
> > > sump and really take a close look at where it might be leaking from.
Trust
> > > me, it's much easier to do it now then later when it's up and running
and
> > > keeping fish alive. Common places to look for leaks are any bulkheads
and
> > > also along the seams where the acrylic joints have been glued. Most
sumps
> > > tend to be made of 1/4 acrylic which is fairly easy to cause a seam to
> > > delaminate. Also, check the return lines and the main tanks outflow
line.
> > > Sometimes a small amount of water, either from splash or leaky
bulkhead or
> > > fitting will cause a very small to a very large amount of water to
trickle
> > > down the lines and appear to be a sump problem. Sometimes water coming
> > from
> > > the main tank to the sump will make just enough splash as it arrives
at
> > the
> > > sumps drip tray to cause the water to splash out over the edge if ever
so
> > > slightly. Anyhow...it's best to find it now then to wait til you got
fish.
> > > Best of luck
> > > "Justin Boucher" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > Hello,
> > > > I was curious to know if anyone else out there periodically
discovers
> > > water
> > > > under their sump? Not a lot of water, just enough to fit between
the
> > > > cabinet floor and the sump. I seem to have a very small leak and
can't
> > > find
> > > > any evidence. The only way I know I have water under the sump is
> > because
> > > I
> > > > can where it is through the clear acrylic sump. The cabinet floor
is
> > > custom
> > > > made and coated with a marine varnish (3 coats) but since the sump
is
> > > > directly on the floor, there is really no possibility of it just air
> > > drying.
> > > >
> > > > This raises another question. How many of you have sumps set up or
made
> > > of
> > > > clear material that you would even be able to tell if there was
water
> > > under
> > > > the sump? As I mentioned above, I can see the evidence under the
sump,
> > > > however there is no seepage coming out from under the sump.
> > > >
> > > > It's getting rather frustrating that I seem to have so many leaks
> > popping
> > > > up. Any suggestions out there in how some of you may have handled
> > similar
> > > > situations?
> > > >
> > > > Thank you,
> > > > Justin
> > > > 240 FOWLR (No Fish yet, still setting up)
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>
>