Help! Overflow slowing down

Dj City

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 16, 2017
Messages
3,755
Reaction score
4,665
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Good morning.
I need a little help.

I have a 110gal DT. I also have 2 problems.
I have a cinnamon clownfish that has been living in my wire for the last 4 years. I thought she was dead years ago but obviously she jumped into the wire trying to escape my monster maroon and she had been there happily ever since.
I need to remove her so I can have the tank fallow.
Along with that, my overflow is slowing down so I'm pretty sure I need to clean the pipes out.
I don't know how to disassemble it.
A little help would go a long way.
20181222_173909.jpg
20181223_130726.jpg
20181223_130853.jpg


Thank you in advance.
 
OP
OP
Dj City

Dj City

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 16, 2017
Messages
3,755
Reaction score
4,665
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nobody can let me know how to do this?
Do the pipes just pull out?
Screw out?
I can't afford to mess this up.
 

Angrywalnut

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
Messages
106
Reaction score
68
Location
New Jersey
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think you are trying to remove pipes from weir?
Without knowing tank history or assembler its hard to know what was done.
The bulkheads are probably slip on the top side. The pipes inside the overflow should twist(if slip fit) and come out but be forewarned it can take some force
to get them out. They may have also been GLUED in by mistake, by assembler. If they don't twist, somebody may have glued. This is unlikely because its would make
removing bulkheads difficult.

The bulkheads have gaskets where they meet the glass. Trying to remove the pipes in overflow may cause them to start leaking. You might be able to snug
up the large nuts if they leak but do not over tighten. If they do leak and tightening does not remedy, you will need new gaskets or possibly bulkheads.
The white PVC appears to be siliconed into bulkhead? If so you can twist and remove. The return pump bulkhead appears as if the nut will pass over
the hose barb. If you have to remove bulkheads for leakage, unscrew the large nuts from the bottom and pull them out.
 
OP
OP
Dj City

Dj City

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 16, 2017
Messages
3,755
Reaction score
4,665
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think you are trying to remove pipes from weir?
Without knowing tank history or assembler its hard to know what was done.
The bulkheads are probably slip on the top side. The pipes inside the overflow should twist(if slip fit) and come out but be forewarned it can take some force
to get them out. They may have also been GLUED in by mistake, by assembler. If they don't twist, somebody may have glued. This is unlikely because its would make
removing bulkheads difficult.

The bulkheads have gaskets where they meet the glass. Trying to remove the pipes in overflow may cause them to start leaking. You might be able to snug
up the large nuts if they leak but do not over tighten. If they do leak and tightening does not remedy, you will need new gaskets or possibly bulkheads.
The white PVC appears to be siliconed into bulkhead? If so you can twist and remove. The return pump bulkhead appears as if the nut will pass over
the hose barb. If you have to remove bulkheads for leakage, unscrew the large nuts from the bottom and pull them out.

THANK YOU!!!
I was hoping someone would give me some guidance. I will drain some tank water, kill the return pump and try to pull the pipes.
 

Saveafish

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Messages
844
Reaction score
1,477
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nobody can let me know how to do this?
Do the pipes just pull out?
Screw out?
I can't afford to mess this up.
Well, with that power box under it. I wouldn't just go yanking at err.
 

roberthu526

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
1,673
Reaction score
1,222
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would guess your overflow slowed down because your return pump is slowing down due to build ups. Overflow is gravity fed so it doesn’t really slow down. It all depends on how much water the return pump pushes back into the tank.
 

Gonebad395

Anemone hound
View Badges
Joined
Dec 23, 2018
Messages
1,238
Reaction score
4,918
Location
Highland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How old is the return pump I would guess it’s that first try cleaning it. Soak it in vinegar for a few hours put in a bucket of water after soaking in the vinegar and run it.
 
OP
OP
Dj City

Dj City

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 16, 2017
Messages
3,755
Reaction score
4,665
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would guess your overflow slowed down because your return pump is slowing down due to build ups. Overflow is gravity fed so it doesn’t really slow down. It all depends on how much water the return pump pushes back into the tank.

How old is the return pump I would guess it’s that first try cleaning it. Soak it in vinegar for a few hours put in a bucket of water after soaking in the vinegar and run it.

Return pump slowing down makes the water level in the display tank lower, not higher.
Drain pipe clogging and slowing down makes the water level in the display tank higher.

The return is pushing the same amount of water back to the tank but the tank is draining slower. The sump level is slightly lower than normal triggering the ATO more frequently.

Return pump slowing down CAN'T make the water level IN THE DISPLAY TANK higher because it pushes LESS WATER into the display tank.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Dj City

Dj City

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 16, 2017
Messages
3,755
Reaction score
4,665
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah! Bad bad place to have a power bar there.

I agree 100%
The power for the entire reef has been moved to a Neptune Apex in an external cabinet a few months ago. I have not gotten around to removing the power strip yet but it's disabled.
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

WHAT AMOUNT OF LIVE ROCK AND SAND SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR OPTIMAL BIODIVERSITY/FILTRATION?

  • 100% live rock + bagged sand

    Votes: 34 28.1%
  • 100% dry rock + 100% live sand

    Votes: 41 33.9%
  • 50/50 live/dry rock, 50/50 live/bagged sand

    Votes: 27 22.3%
  • 75% live rock, 25% live sand

    Votes: 11 9.1%
  • 25% live rock, 75% live sand

    Votes: 8 6.6%
Back
Top