If you're flow has decreased, check your pipes! Picture included

[chad vossen]

I was getting terrible flow in one of my systems, and so I finally took it down to redo all the plumbing when I found the cause...

 

[Labridaedicted]

That, friends, is why it is important to install unions in your plumbing!

Is it mostly sponge and tubes, or that gross yellow detritus/bacteria mat that seems to build up in dark places?

Edit: Also, why check valves fail.

 

[DracoKat]

I wish I was smart enough to add unions. if I wanted to clean it, I'd have to cut one of the pipes now. or maybe use a long flexible pipe cleaner.

@chad vossen - how old is that set up? to give me an idea of how long that buildup took place

 

[erk]

Biofouling is an unavoidable occurrence. Better to design your system to take it into consideration. Oversize the piping and pump. Add valve to control the flow of the pump and as the biofouling increases, open the valve to keep flow at the same rate. Eventually you will need to disassemble for a thorough cleaning. Add unions to facilitate easy assembly and disassembly.

Biofouling growth occurs very quickly, but as for rate at which it grows, that depends on the system and flow rate in the pipes. It might follow that lower flow rates result in more growth, but if you have some organism in your tank that enjoys high flow, they might thrive in the piping. If you have a lot of bacterial growth in your sump, expect similar in your pipes.

 

[reefwiser]

Good one, lots of flow, equal lots of animals.

 

[Greybeard]

PVC is cheap, and easy to work with. Clean it? Nope. Toss it, and cut some more.

 

[Starwar]

Wow, that is one heck of a clog...

 

[KJAG]

A reminder to eat healthy and stay active as the same phenomenon occurs in your arteries if you don't!

 

[joseserrano]

how long has your tank been running, be interesting to see time frame this took to get this clogged.

 

[Peter Blue Reef]

PVC is cheap, and easy to work with. Clean it? Nope. Toss it, and cut some more.

I stand with Grey Beard. Replacing is easier than doing 6 additional steps.

 

[JamesP]

I have a $10 pipe snake I got from lowes. I installed my overflows with a removable twist off cap on the top on the back of the tank and I snake down from time to time.

 

[chad vossen]

This system had been running a few years before we tore it down and redid everything. Those vermetid snails would break off and clog my return lines all the time so I knew they were in the plumbing, just had no idea how bad it had gotten. haha

 

[JamesP]

Yeah I hate those guys lol