help!!! (1 Viewer)

[aggie4231]

ok last night after getting home from fishing, i add some top off to my tank. i start to eat dinner, and i hear the horrible sound of air being sucked through the return pump(coralife 580p). so i go check the tank, the water level basically is nothing in the sump, and the level in the tank is almost to the top. i have a 58rr oceanic with oceanic's overflow kit. the drain is 1" bulkhead, but the pipe is 1.5 or 2"(cant remeber). the flow going into the sump is not the same turbulent flow(im working on a microbuble problem because of this). the water height in the overflow is almost to the top of the "u-bend" where the Anti-siphon hole is. i for the life of me cant figure out the problem. nothing is blocking anyparts of the drain at all. i have change the ssetup since i moved the tank more than a month ago. i did clean my pump and removed an 90 elbow between the pump and return bulckhead, but everything all week has been fine. ive tried straight pipe for a drain, but that did work. so i need your help guys. ive moved the protein skimmer onto the back of the tank, and added some of my extra powerheads.

 

[ShaneV]

Im not sure i underdtand the problem, is the water not flowing from the tank to the sump?

 

[aggie4231]

its flowing to the sump, just a much reduced rate. normally the level of the water in the overflow is ~1 below the the airvent on the drain pipe. now it is at the airvent.

 

[ShaneV]

Have you taken it out and checked for something blocking it inside?

 

[Andy]

possible snail in the pipe?

 

[aggie4231]

there is no block the standpipe is 1.5" reduced to 1" bulkhead with 1" pipe to the sump. i believe i might have to many changes in directions underneath the tank, but if that was the case why after a month would it suddenly change, ive done 2 water changes and no changes in flow

 

[aggie4231]

my snail population is virtually low, after the move. i had/have a turbo snail that was in the sump, but he was in the refugium section and i had my baffles set-up to were it would be immpossible for him to go any where.

 

[ShaneV]

Have you checked all the pipes in the sump for blockages?

 

[aggie4231]

yes i have, i completly took apart the plumbing, execpt at the bulkhead, i glued the pvc to it(couldnt find any threaded adapters to go on the bulkhead). i had to make everything leak proof because im staying with my grandparents, and everything in there house is white, except the tank. im redoing everything when my sump comes in later this week.

 

[ShaneV]

Thats strange, seems like something would have to blocking it, or your pump starting working a lot stronger.

 

[aggie4231]

figured it out, after rechecking for blockage, i found a sea grass root in the drain. also, i had put some local macro in the overflow, and that all clogged the pipe, because it caused enough back pressure.

 

[ShaneV]

Glad you got it fixed!