Overflow and Plumbing Clog

[sethgmore]

Good evening,
I have a 200+ gallon aquarium with an overflow in the tank with pipes running outside to the sump. It’s about 10 feet of pipes. Overnight water leaked out of the tank and covered the floor. It was manageable but I inspected all the bulkheads and no leak. I realized it had to do with a blocking of a pipe and I’m thinking it’s the intake leading to the sump which caused water to rise over the overflow and out of the tank while the pump was still pumping water into the tank. I recently added snails and the weir comb has a broken piece a snail could’ve fit through. I had a mesh guard but it wasn’t covering the gap. Any ideas on how to flush a possible snail out or any other issue this could be? I don’t want to start cutting pipes looking for a snail that might not even be there. Thanks!

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

Good evening,
I have a 200+ gallon aquarium with an overflow in the tank with pipes running outside to the sump. It’s about 10 feet of pipes. Overnight water leaked out of the tank and covered the floor. It was manageable but I inspected all the bulkheads and no leak. I realized it had to do with a blocking of a pipe and I’m thinking it’s the intake leading to the sump which caused water to rise over the overflow and out of the tank while the pump was still pumping water into the tank. I recently added snails and the weir comb has a broken piece a snail could’ve fit through. I had a mesh guard but it wasn’t covering the gap. Any ideas on how to flush a possible snail out or any other issue this could be? I don’t want to start cutting pipes looking for a snail that might not even be there. Thanks!

Can you post some pics of the tank and plumbing? It will be easier to help with a visual.

 

[Jamie814]

Any ideas on how to flush a possible snail out

Pipe snake? $10 at Walmart.

Do you only have 1 drain line? No emergency drain?

 

[sethgmore]

Can you post some pics of the tank and plumbing? It will be easier to help with a visual.

I’m leaving on a flight right now but I can send one Monday

 

[sethgmore]

Pipe snake? $10 at Walmart.

Do you only have 1 drain line? No emergency drain?

I didn’t build the tank unfortunately so it only was built with one drain line, will a snake be able to reach through the length of plumbing I have?

 

[sethgmore]

Can you post some pics of the tank and plumbing? It will be easier to help with a visual.

Here’s the flow into the sump with me a running a hose through, and the video is the pipe outtake in the overflow

 

[sethgmore]

Here’s the durso I realized the holes were covered by salt so I opened them back up however the tank fills up and it isn’t bringing any water back into the sump I’m at a loss

Can you post some pics of the tank and plumbing? It will be easier to help with a visual.

 

[UncommonSense]

Try running a drain snake, like others have said… if that doesn’t clear your clog; you can always use PVC couplers to repair a cut section of pipe right near your clog after you clear it out!

 

[sethgmore]

Try running a drain snake, like others have said… if that doesn’t clear your clog; you can always use PVC couplers to repair a cut section of pipe right near your clog after you clear it out!

Ok what if there’s no clog at all and the durso just isn’t pulling water in correctly. Is that possible since the air holes were crusted over with salt

 

[UncommonSense]

Ok what if there’s no clog at all and the durso just isn’t pulling water in correctly. Is that possible since the air holes were crusted over with salt

It is technically possible, and worth testing with the air holes cleared!

It is more likely to be a clog in the drain though… you could try pumping water at high velocity through the drain in reverse, but this may not clear out a latched on snail, and will definitely make a huge mess!

 

[sethgmore]

Ya I think you’re right with it being a clog I troubleshot everything else with no positive result. I drained the overflow box area and I’m going to be cutting some pvc tomorrow directly under the tank where the durso pipe connects, to try and figure it out.

It is technically possible, and worth testing with the air holes cleared!

It is more likely to be a clog in the drain though… you could try pumping water at high velocity through the drain in reverse, but this may not clear out a latched on snail, and will definitely make a huge mess!

 

[UncommonSense]

Ya I think you’re right with it being a clog I troubleshot everything else with no positive result. I drained the overflow box area and I’m going to be cutting some pvc tomorrow directly under the tank where the durso pipe connects, to try and figure it out.

Just leave enough pipe after each fitting to glue a coupler on if possible, and it should be a quick fix!

 

[sethgmore]

Just leave enough pipe after each fitting to glue a coupler on if possible, and it should be a quick fix!

Will do, what cutting tool do you recommend the pipes are 2 inches

 

[UncommonSense]

Will do, what cutting tool do you recommend the pipes are 2 inches

Hmm… too big for a ratcheting pipe cutter…

Probably a hacksaw! It’ll take a bit longer, but you can fit it in a tight place, and make a fairly clean cut!

 

[ptrusk]

Before you start cutting, pull the stand pipe, lower the water in the sump so the drain is out of the water and suck on the drain with a shop vac. Should come right out. Suck it the way it went in.

 

[sethgmore]

Before you start cutting, pull the stand pipe, lower the water in the sump so the drain is out of the water and suck on the drain with a shop vac. Should come right out. Suck it the way it went in.

Ok will do that thank you! I’m hoping the snail didn’t get to far because there’s pipes underground but I’m assuming it got stuck early in an elbow

 

[sethgmore]

Hmm… too big for a ratcheting pipe cutter…

Probably a hacksaw! It’ll take a bit longer, but you can fit it in a tight place, and make a fairly clean cut!

Ok will do that thanks!

 

[sethgmore]

Before you start cutting, pull the stand pipe, lower the water in the sump so the drain is out of the water and suck on the drain with a shop vac. Should come right out. Suck it the way it went in.

Also the stand pipe connects to a bulkhead under the tank, should I be able to pull it out or do I need to unscrew the bulkhead. Took over this tank so not sure exactly how it’s attached

 

[UncommonSense]

Also the stand pipe connects to a bulkhead under the tank, should I be able to pull it out or do I need to unscrew the bulkhead. Took over this tank so not sure exactly how it’s attached

It’s quite possible that it’s going to be seized in… you can still shop vac the water out through the top of the standpipe!

Although, If the pipe isn’t 100% clogged, there should be no standing water inside it!

 

[sethgmore]

It’s quite possible that it’s going to be seized in… you can still shop vac the water out through the top of the standpipe!

Although, If the pipe isn’t 100% clogged, there should be no standing water inside it!

I don’t believe it’s 100% clogged because I still get slow water coming into the socks outside just not fast enough to keep up with the pump like before. Which makes me think it’s a snail. The cap on the standpipe is also glued on and it’s too tight to shop vac water through the standpipe opening. I might just cut and put a bucket under to catch any water still in there