Return BARELY returning....

[Ryan88]

I just check the two return heads in my tank and theres barely any water coming out of them..looks like a possible clog, but i don't know how thats possible for algae or anything to get in there. Any thoughts??

 

[john90009]

any chance that a snail made a brave journey into the pipes by any chance? Would be smart to take the pumps off and give them a thorough cleaning.

 

[Nickjr000]

If it stopped overnight then somethin probably got into it

 

[Ryan88]

How do I go about cleaning the pipes?? I mean draining the overflow..how would I do it??

 

[john90009]

Turn off the return pump so water isnt flowing down the overflow. Drain out what ever water you can with a turkey baster and then take off the tubing. What is holding the tubing onto the overflow? I dont know what kind of overflow and plumbing you have sorry.

 

[Nickjr000]

Take the pump off and pour water down overflow and into the return. If water comes out both where you disconnected pump then they're not clogged and it's the pump

 

[Ryan88]

I'm not sure I know what you mean LOL. I mean theres two pipes..the drain pipe and then the one that has the two returns (T shaped). Now if I dont drain all the water out..won't unscrewing the pipe from inside the stand have all the water spill out??

 

[john90009]

Oh your pump isnt in a sump, I dont know what your tank is like so i guessed it was in a sump or refugum. Uh-mm hah idk i never had to deal with that problem before.

 

[Ryan88]

My pump is in my sump..I have clear tubing running from my pump to the return tube. So it has got to be that the actual return pipe is clogged. I need to know how to drain the overflow completely

 

[njstillwell]

to drain the overflow just take a power head and some tubing that fits around the discharge side of the pump drop it down your overflow. Now thats done turn the pump on and pump it into a bucket that is clean and you can save the water. Once that is done un-screw the bulk head let the remainder drip in to a bucket or what ever you have handy then take apart you pipe to see if there anything stuck in there.

 

[Ryan88]

I actually fixed it..it wasnt that bad. Just toke the thing apart from the outside. Now thats fixed...anyone have any good tips to limit alot of algae??

 

[Hirobo]

I actually fixed it..it wasnt that bad. Just toke the thing apart from the outside. Now thats fixed...anyone have any good tips to limit alot of algae??

if it's clear tube change it out to black tube so no light gets to it

 

[njstillwell]

are you running a phospate reactor?

 

[njstillwell]

phosban reactor?

 

[Ryan88]

Have one...I'm not sure if its workin right...the media I have is like at the top of it and like blowing around?

 

[Hirobo]

Have one...I'm not sure if its workin right...the media I have is like at the top of it and like blowing around?

should be gently tumbling mine is filled halfway maybe a little less of media

 

[Ryan88]

Wow really I have just a little bit in there...think i should add more..its just like a handful sitting at the top

 

[magic]

The amount of phosban you use is determined by the size of your tank. Too much is not a good thing. There should be dosing instruction on the container. The media should be barely moving at the surface as Hirobo suggested.


Bob

 

[Hirobo]

Yes magic is right it depends on how many gallons of water is in your tank taking in consideration of rock and sand displacment this is what i use. I have been using for the whole summer so I have incresed the dosage to 4 grams per gallon

Smart ReefTM RemPhos is granular ferric oxide (GFO) a phosphate remover

Dosing:

1.Start with 2 grams of Smart ReefTM RemPhos per gallon of water in the system.
2.After a few months the organisms in the tank will have adjusted to the lower phosphate environment and you can increase the dosage to 3-5 grams per gallon of water. These are suggestions, adjust according to your tanks water quality.
3.Rinse and place in the reactor.
4.Adjust the flow rate so the Smart ReefTM RemPhos gently tumbles