Overflow problem

[forsaken541]

I have a 90 gal glass with a CPR overflow with the single 1" drain line that goes to my sump. The sump return is a Mag 7. I have noticed that over time even after cleaning it that the overflow is not doing a good job of pulling the slime coat on the water down into the intake. I am noticing that the oil slick on the top of the tank goes almost the whole way across the tank. This overflow used to pull the top of the tank water off really well. What can I do I know that the large oil slick is probably not helping my takn exchange O2 very well. Please Help!!
Erik

 

[reefaddict]

overflow problem

you might want to look into what is causing that kind of oil slick, you could have some big chemistry problems. do all the water parameters test out ok?

 

[DonW]

Give it more surface aggitation with a power head. Should help alot.

Don

 

[dnjan]

Your return pump probably isn't returning as much as it used to, resulting in a reduced flow rate which is insufficient to wash the surface scum into the overflow.

Clean your pump, and also check to see if there is any kind of buildup in the return line.

 

[wrightme43]

Do you have a skimmer? If the "oil slick" is not being removed and is just going down the pipe and put back by the mag 7 its never going to disapper? If you have a skimmer is it working right? I am just asking questions to try and help. Steve

 

[tonym]

I remember that happening to me with that overflow, and it was always a reminder to clean the tubing connected between the power head and the overflow, the nipple on the overflow, and the pump. When the "suction" looses strength, the CPR overflow tends to rely on the water level in the tank to "push" its way through it rather being pulled through. Hope that makes sense. Anyways, as soon as I would clean the tubing and pump, and made sure that the overflow itself was clean, it would work properly.

 

[forsaken541]

Thanks for the info. after looking at the tubing to the power head and the nipple area I think it may be clogged up a bit. I will clean it all out and see what happens. I'll let ya know if it works.
In answer to the other questions I checked all water params and I have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates or trites. Ph is about 8.2 . Temp is 80-81 and I have an Urhin Pro skimmer with a mag to drive it. I is working really well and I also just added my gheto fuge to the sump, (I'll post picks later)
Thanks ,
Erik

 

[forsaken541]

I just wanted to give an update on the oil slick problem I was having. Well I tried evrything to get my overflow box to pull this slick off but it just would not co-operate. The cyano continued to get worse no matter what I did so i went and put my emporer 400 back onto the tank and spent 2 days blowing off my rocks and stirring up the sand bed. The emporers filters were full after 2 days of this and the cyano problem is getting better. Also the oil slick has gone away. I am not sure if it is just having some mechanical filtration or the way the emporer keeps the top of the water so churned up but I won't be taking the emporer off anytime soon.
Thanks for all your suggestions,
Erik