Water return nozzle.. Flow clogged?

ChuckNasty · 12/19/2015, 02:10 PM

Hello, ladies and gents!

So I'll attach a picture, but basically my water return that sends the water back to my display tank from the back compartment after it has been sent through the skimmer is on the fritz. It used to have much more pressure and a strong flow, but as of late, it has been reduced to a very pitiful flow.

Maybe it has become clogged, I did lose a fish recently and found no trace of it anywhere, maybe it got stuck in there? Regardless of how it has become clogged, I have pretty much no idea how I would go about cleaning it... It was hard enough to get that set up with OUT water let alone with all my marine critters and 24 gallons of water!

Any help would be huge, as this return hose is what I use for my surface agitation, and oxygenation!

Thanks! Chuck

shifty51008 · 12/19/2015, 02:13 PM

Have you cleaned the return pump lately? Take it completly apart and clean

ChuckNasty · 12/19/2015, 02:44 PM

The tank is only about 7 months old, is that normal? Also how do I clean something like that when there is water in the tank?

Sk8r · 12/19/2015, 02:47 PM

x2. Small snails and cheato moss have ways of getting into the impeller chamber and reducing flow. All you have to take apart is the impeller chamber, which is usually a matter of 4 screws on the front (discharge end) of the pump---disconnect the pump from the hose first. if you are not at all handy, do this on a day when you can take it to your lfs for help---but it's simple. Check the impeller to be sure that's ok, that it hasn't broken a flange or eaten a snail or wad of moss. Reassemble.

If you see white gunk deposit that's hard, running the pump in a bowl with a pure vinegar bath will clear it out considerable in 12 hours, and most tanks can go pumpless that long.

CStrickland · 12/19/2015, 03:15 PM

I run my pumps and powerheads in vinegar for an hour every 3-4 months. After that softens everything up I take them apart and use a kids toothbrush and some q-tips to clear the remains. I like it, its gratifying, and I think machines work better if you keep them in good order instead of letting them get bad. Like how you change the oil in your car.

what pump are you using?

ChuckNasty · 12/19/2015, 03:29 PM

Honestly guys, the tank I am using right now, does not have a sump or a pump which you guys are talking about. This tank has a rear chamber, that does everything a sump does. Everything Im using right now, came with the tank in a "kit" so I just kind of had to assemble it. Literally, the "pump" is just a hard plastic hose (see picture) that i put together and plugged in. I have no idea how I would go about disassembling that with water currently in the tank.

CStrickland · 12/19/2015, 03:36 PM

Do you remember the name of the kit?

gone fishin · 12/19/2015, 03:40 PM

There must be a pump somewhere to push the water back to the display. The loc line in the picture, what does it attach to?

If you were closer I would come give you a hand.

gone fishin · 12/19/2015, 03:43 PM

If you got a skimmer it has a pump, is it pulling double duty? supplying the skimmer and returning to the tank?

ChuckNasty · 12/19/2015, 07:43 PM

Yeah, it's the Fluval Sea M60

ChuckNasty · 12/19/2015, 07:45 PM

Yeah, fishin, a hand would be most welcome. Not much for salt water tankers up here haha.

gone fishin · 12/19/2015, 07:50 PM

Just did a quick read on it. You have a circulating pump in that compartment somewhere. I would guess that needs to be cleaned. I have not seen that particular setup but it must be able to be removed somehow. pumps need cleaned and replaced. Good luck

CStrickland · 12/19/2015, 08:05 PM

It looks like the return pump is the skimmer output?
page 7 has the instructions to maintain the skimmer and its pump, and there's some blowout diagrams that might help
http://fluvalaquatics.com/media/blue...mer_Manual.pdf

Where it says clean the airline, I just use a turkey baster to push a little rodi down the airline. The rest of it is pretty straight-forward.

ChuckNasty · 12/19/2015, 09:22 PM

strickland, my problem doesnt really relate to the skimmer.

CStrickland · 12/19/2015, 10:06 PM

That makes no sense though. You say it doesn't have a pump, and that the skimmer is unrelated. There's nothing left to push water into the return nozzle...

bundybear1981 · 12/19/2015, 11:33 PM

On the user manual for that tank it shows a 'filter pump' which essentially is a return pump. This is most likely where the issue lies, or some of the pipes running from this to the loc-line assembly.

Fluval Manual

ChuckNasty · 12/20/2015, 01:36 AM

So do I have to take the water out of the tank to do this?

bundybear1981 · 12/20/2015, 02:53 AM

By the looks of the diagrams the pump is in a weir overflow section so all you need to do is turn the pump off and remove it. There shouldn't be any need to drain the tank.

ChuckNasty · 12/21/2015, 01:15 PM

Ok, Ill give that a try

12/19/2015, 02:13 PM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	Have you cleaned the return pump lately? Take it completly apart and clean __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

12/19/2015, 02:44 PM	#3
ChuckNasty Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Spooner, WI. Posts: 105	The tank is only about 7 months old, is that normal? Also how do I clean something like that when there is water in the tank? __________________ \|\| 24 Gallon / 1.026 Salinity / 80 Deg. / mixed reef \|\| \|\| There's an old saying... "White water in the morning." \|\|

12/19/2015, 02:47 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	x2. Small snails and cheato moss have ways of getting into the impeller chamber and reducing flow. All you have to take apart is the impeller chamber, which is usually a matter of 4 screws on the front (discharge end) of the pump---disconnect the pump from the hose first. if you are not at all handy, do this on a day when you can take it to your lfs for help---but it's simple. Check the impeller to be sure that's ok, that it hasn't broken a flange or eaten a snail or wad of moss. Reassemble. If you see white gunk deposit that's hard, running the pump in a bowl with a pure vinegar bath will clear it out considerable in 12 hours, and most tanks can go pumpless that long. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

12/19/2015, 03:15 PM	#5
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	I run my pumps and powerheads in vinegar for an hour every 3-4 months. After that softens everything up I take them apart and use a kids toothbrush and some q-tips to clear the remains. I like it, its gratifying, and I think machines work better if you keep them in good order instead of letting them get bad. Like how you change the oil in your car. what pump are you using? __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

12/19/2015, 03:29 PM	#6
ChuckNasty Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Spooner, WI. Posts: 105	Honestly guys, the tank I am using right now, does not have a sump or a pump which you guys are talking about. This tank has a rear chamber, that does everything a sump does. Everything Im using right now, came with the tank in a "kit" so I just kind of had to assemble it. Literally, the "pump" is just a hard plastic hose (see picture) that i put together and plugged in. I have no idea how I would go about disassembling that with water currently in the tank. __________________ \|\| 24 Gallon / 1.026 Salinity / 80 Deg. / mixed reef \|\| \|\| There's an old saying... "White water in the morning." \|\|

12/19/2015, 03:36 PM	#7
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	Do you remember the name of the kit? __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

12/19/2015, 03:40 PM	#8
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	There must be a pump somewhere to push the water back to the display. The loc line in the picture, what does it attach to? If you were closer I would come give you a hand. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

12/19/2015, 03:43 PM	#9
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	If you got a skimmer it has a pump, is it pulling double duty? supplying the skimmer and returning to the tank? __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

12/19/2015, 07:43 PM	#10
ChuckNasty Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Spooner, WI. Posts: 105	Yeah, it's the Fluval Sea M60 __________________ \|\| 24 Gallon / 1.026 Salinity / 80 Deg. / mixed reef \|\| \|\| There's an old saying... "White water in the morning." \|\|

12/19/2015, 07:45 PM	#11
ChuckNasty Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Spooner, WI. Posts: 105	Yeah, fishin, a hand would be most welcome. Not much for salt water tankers up here haha. __________________ \|\| 24 Gallon / 1.026 Salinity / 80 Deg. / mixed reef \|\| \|\| There's an old saying... "White water in the morning." \|\|

12/19/2015, 07:50 PM	#12
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	Just did a quick read on it. You have a circulating pump in that compartment somewhere. I would guess that needs to be cleaned. I have not seen that particular setup but it must be able to be removed somehow. pumps need cleaned and replaced. Good luck __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

12/19/2015, 08:05 PM	#13
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	It looks like the return pump is the skimmer output? page 7 has the instructions to maintain the skimmer and its pump, and there's some blowout diagrams that might help http://fluvalaquatics.com/media/blue...mer_Manual.pdf Where it says clean the airline, I just use a turkey baster to push a little rodi down the airline. The rest of it is pretty straight-forward. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

12/19/2015, 09:22 PM	#14
ChuckNasty Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Spooner, WI. Posts: 105	strickland, my problem doesnt really relate to the skimmer. __________________ \|\| 24 Gallon / 1.026 Salinity / 80 Deg. / mixed reef \|\| \|\| There's an old saying... "White water in the morning." \|\|

12/19/2015, 10:06 PM	#15
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	That makes no sense though. You say it doesn't have a pump, and that the skimmer is unrelated. There's nothing left to push water into the return nozzle... __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

12/19/2015, 11:33 PM	#16
bundybear1981 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia Posts: 685 Blog Entries: 1	On the user manual for that tank it shows a 'filter pump' which essentially is a return pump. This is most likely where the issue lies, or some of the pipes running from this to the loc-line assembly. Fluval Manual __________________ Tank inhabitants : 2x Clownfish, 1x Blue Koran, 1x Foxface Lo, 1xCoral Beauty, 1x Blue Tang, 1x Sailfin Tang Current Tank Info: New Build : 250g (6x3x2) with 2x RW15 pumps, 2x 2200lph return pumps, Tunze ATO, Jebao Dosing Pump, AquaOne G220 Skimmer

12/20/2015, 01:36 AM	#17
ChuckNasty Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Spooner, WI. Posts: 105	So do I have to take the water out of the tank to do this? __________________ \|\| 24 Gallon / 1.026 Salinity / 80 Deg. / mixed reef \|\| \|\| There's an old saying... "White water in the morning." \|\|

12/20/2015, 02:53 AM	#18
bundybear1981 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia Posts: 685 Blog Entries: 1	By the looks of the diagrams the pump is in a weir overflow section so all you need to do is turn the pump off and remove it. There shouldn't be any need to drain the tank. __________________ Tank inhabitants : 2x Clownfish, 1x Blue Koran, 1x Foxface Lo, 1xCoral Beauty, 1x Blue Tang, 1x Sailfin Tang Current Tank Info: New Build : 250g (6x3x2) with 2x RW15 pumps, 2x 2200lph return pumps, Tunze ATO, Jebao Dosing Pump, AquaOne G220 Skimmer

12/21/2015, 01:15 PM	#19
ChuckNasty Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Spooner, WI. Posts: 105	Ok, Ill give that a try __________________ \|\| 24 Gallon / 1.026 Salinity / 80 Deg. / mixed reef \|\| \|\| There's an old saying... "White water in the morning." \|\|