Elevate your return pump?

[AllAmericanReefs]

Hi, I am having an issue where sand is seeping into my return chamber of my 20 gallon AIO. I am wondering if anyone would recommend putting like an egg carton you use for frag racks sometimes, underneath my return pump to elevate it a few inches and not suck in sand that it blows into my DT. Would that be okay to do? Or any other recommendations to stop the return pump from picking up sand?

 

[AFHokie]

First thing to figure out would be why sand is getting into your return.

 

[AllAmericanReefs]

First thing to figure out would be why sand is getting into your return.

I'm not sure what they're called, but there is 2 small holes from the DT to the chambers in the back. The first hole is in the first chamber and the 2nd is in the return chamber. These holes are there to make sure the back chambers don't go dry in case of an emergency. Pretty sure the sand gets in thru those holes but I don't feel like plugging those holes is a good idea. Would rather have my return pump elevated off the sand in there if possible.

 

[TokenReefer]

The water doesn't enter from the wier at the surface of the water?

 

[Shibaken3]

picture

 

[AFHokie]

My AIO also has a lower flow through that you can optionally plug. I keep mine open to increase flow toward the bottom but it has a grill like cover and no sand goes that high.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with elevating the pump a bit if the flow is strong enough to suck sand through the hole and to the return it might be strong enough to suck it up to the pump inlet.

 

[AFHokie]

Also, the vast majority of tank designs do not have a lower inlet so unless your AIO chamber is very uniquely built there is no harm in plugging the lower hole.

 

[AllAmericanReefs]

My AIO also has a lower flow through that you can optionally plug. I keep mine open to increase flow toward the bottom but it has a grill like cover and no sand goes that high.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with elevating the pump a bit if the flow is strong enough to suck sand through the hole and to the return it might be strong enough to suck it up to the pump inlet.

Do you know where I could purchase a mesh plug for those holes? I really don’t want to completely plug them but would be nice to not have the sand come through

 

[AFHokie]

Do you know where I could purchase a mesh plug for those holes? I really don’t want to completely plug them but would be nice to not have the sand come through

What brand is your tank? Mine came with the plug, it’s like a plastic grate more than mesh. I described it wrong at first.

 

[AllAmericanReefs]

What brand is your tank? Mine came with the plug, it’s like a plastic grate more than mesh. I described it wrong at first.

JBJ