Problem with flow, possible pump or plumbing?

[esears]

Hi, we just finished installing a new tank yesterday (which was the worst day I've ever had with fishkeeping, but thats another story. ) The problem I'm having is that there is almost no return flow at all.

The setup is as follows:

125 AGA Aquarium "Megaflow" tank with the two corner internal overflows. The two supply lines to the tank go down and meet in a "T" under the tank. The "T" intersection then has a shutoff valve installed (yes, its open) and does two 90 turns to go through our garage wall and out into the garage. I've attached some pictures to help explain a bit.

The hard lined PVC piping is the supply lines (3/4") and the larger (1 1/4) is the drain lines.

The system is NOT a closed loop. The drain lines drain into a container in the garage that is acting as a sump. At the bottom is a bulkhead that feeds the return pump. There is also another bulkhead on the container that feeds a Quiet One pump that feeds the skimmer container.

The return pump is an Iwaki Mag-Drive that states it's flow is at 13.7 gallons a minute.

It did work fine before we moved it and re-plumbed it although it is the same exact setup now minus the fact that the plumbing is 1/4 smaller. Is this enough to limit the flow to a trickle? I can hold my thumb over the return on the loc-line and stop the flow coming out so there is almost no pressure.

The straight pipe running across runs from the skimmer container back to the main "sump".

Yes, things are a bit messy right now but I'm just trying to get it all up and running first before I make it all look neat and try not to electocute myself at all.

I'm thinking that maybe I'll have to make it a true closed loop system and plumb one of the drain lines directly to the Iwaki and the other one to the sump and skimmer system? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

edit

Here is what is coming out the top. It isn't even making it out of the dual loc-line.

 

[mmkeeper]

Have you got air in the line?

 

[payge]

how can we tell?? and what would we do if we did have air??

bleh this is the doooowwwns of reef eh?!

ALso there seems to be die-off/ cycling happening to the rocks in the tank..is that normal??

thanks,
esears and payge

 

[Krish]

How much longer is the run now as opposed to how it was before? I can tell you this, when I did my closed loop last month, I wasn't impressed at all with the output when I ran a few elbows, 45's and flare nozzles on it, but the minute I eliminated all the bends and ran flex pvc as well as put on straight nozzels, it was like I doubled the pump! What I see coming out of your lockline looks extremely strange though. It is almost like you have a valve closed...

ALso there seems to be die-off/ cycling happening to the rocks in the tank..is that normal??

Depending on how long the rock has been out of the water, you would have some die-off IMO. I've had it happen to me before. I wouldn't worry too much and just let it cycle out

 

[esears]

I switched the pump out from the iwaki to a mag 12 and its better than it was before. Nothing to write home about but at least it isn't stagnant anymore. Speaking of which it wouldn't have been possible at all without soem support from the Indoor Reef (Thanks guys!) who are letting me borrow the pump to help troubleshoot mine.

I also got rid of one of the 90 bends but I'm not too sure where else I can eliminate them. Right now I'd settle for being able to see more than 2 inches into the tank. I'm unfortently going away for the next 4 days so I need to get it somewhat maintanable by tonite which it hopefully is now.

I'm probably gonna get a 1600 gph gen-x pump here in a few days which should hopefully help rectify the problem if it is pump-related.

 

[rudeanduncouth]

Definitely consider using larger PVC. It can make a large difference. Though with smaller piping you should have more pressure. You will also be limited by the smallest pipe you use. Just my .02.

 

[esears]

Definitely consider using larger PVC. It can make a large difference. Though with smaller piping you should have more pressure. You will also be limited by the smallest pipe you use. Just my .02.

I stuck with the 3/4 because the pump was plumbed for 3/4 and also the intake on the bottom of the pump for the return is a 3/4 fixture. I figured it would impeded it just as much to reduce it at either of the poitns.

 

[rudeanduncouth]

good point. I know most mag pumps are 3/4" and but if you do the math they can never kick out there full flow at that rate.

 

[esears]

This is what I get from trying to make it look nice and neat. I end up impeding the flow. Oh well, I'll just go out and get 4 lengths of hosing and route em through the wall and see if that helps. Hopefully with that and a 1800 gph pump I should be set for a while.

 

[liveforphysics]

Now, I havent seen the setup in person, but I doubt that the plumbing is the problem.

Possibily the intake area to the pump is cavitateing with air? What is the total height difference between the surface of the water in the sump that the pump sits in, and the surface of the water level in the display?

 

[Scooterman]

Ok, you said your plumbing hasn't changed, so I'm guessing your head pressure hasn't also? Is the distance from the sump to the overflow outlets the same? If you increased your height in distance then your looking at more head pressure to overcome. One other thought even though it may be crazy, is there anything that possibly got caught inside your plumbing to restrict flow? Since you switch pumps & you did get more flow I'd bet you increased your head by adding height to your plumbing but this is a guess with information provided.