water level with an overflow tank

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built in overflow
 
Then all the talk of shimming is pointless as a built in overflow is fixed in place and cannot be raised except by puttying in the space between the teeth.
 
You should have valves on your outflow. Just close them off a bit so that the water doesn't drain as fast and keep the inflow into the tank on max. It should raise the level.
 
No offense viboy, but that won't work. It will simply raise the water level inside the overflow box. Not the display tank water level. If it is restricted far enough the water inside the overflow box will eventually rise to match the display tank and then the display tank water level will start to rise. But by that point you will have stopped all surface skimming and defeated the point of the overflow box.
 
so got it running again STILLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
have one more leak to fix, bloodyhell i thought i had them all fixed.

so it is currently drained.

anyway, i have redone the plumbing and had the pump running full power this time. the increased flowed raises the water level on its own, about 1/2" higher than it was when pump was running throttled back. i wasn't expecting that. for now it plan to leave it be i think.
 
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