Please Help Corner Overflow Not Working

[espkh9]

hey i have a perfecto i think 125 reef that all of the sudden as i was doing water change started to not work properly the pump mag 12 wors great just the water isnt flowing into the corner overflow its not "overflowing" its coming into the sump but at very weak levels like 20 percent than the norm for years this has never happend, i noticed that the overflow corner in that little compartment theres no bubbles comin out of the 2 pvc piping that come attached to thae tank its a tank that came reef ready i think it was called at the time and the pvc is into the glass theres a air tube that sticks out from one of them and it usually makes some bubbles then everything is good the only dfference now is no bubbles and its not overflowing i tried pouring water in the corner overflow section but the sump just got filled with water i tried creating a siphon to sorta kick start it but failed its a touch thing to do or tricky..
its hard to put this in words but ill try and hopefully someone can guide me or give me a clue cuz im having a nervous breakdown and im affraid of a fire or a flood i have 2 small children and a wife that doesn't like when the fish tanks dont work...
so to put it simply its a 125 reef tank with a corner overflow (built in) i have pictures of this tank in some other threads called "my 125 vreef" u can see exactly what it looks like ... i just do not know how to link u guys to it.. but its simple 125 reef tank with corner overlow its not a box its just a corner overflow. sorry im trying to get the words out...i just spent 1 hour getting shocked with my 150 gallon reef another problem....really im sorry.for being so iggnorant. i would really be so thankful if some one can help me out my guess is i must get it "kickstarted" or created a startup siphon i dunno dont thiese corner overflows just work automatically ? (like im filling the overflow the tank and the water just goes into the sump under the tnak and its not flowing into the overflow and streaming its dribbling.)so it flows at 100 percent and then the mag 12 returns the purified water after(after going through the wet/dry then skimmer back into the tank its just running at like 20%..the mag 12 works fine and is same as usual to my knowledge,but the water is slowly dribbling into the overflow box and im affraid the filteration wont be adequate at this poor flow to keep the tank from getting dirty and causing floods or params problems i have a nice load in there not overcorwded but the filter needs to run right or the water will get foggy algae might build up and the trates and ammonia might spike i have fish and corla sin there for some many years and i have no idea what happend the power went out and the this... nothing has changed the pvc or tube if u will that the water overflows in doesnt seem to be jammed or something stuck in it and its in the same position as always. sorry for babbling i just am a nervous wreck and i need some help fixing it...the 1 thing i noticed is that theres no bubbles coming out of the pvc in the corner overflow and i almost got it to start working properly i took my hand and just pushed water in and it was working but then stooped its liek i got almost to the top of the moontain then rolled back down i was so close once i get it flowing it will run well and that what i need for the fish inverts corals to beclean healthy and teh tank being safe..otherwise i might have to do water changed of 25 gallons daily i cant imagine the filter broke ? i think i just need to get it kickstarted and i need some help badly thank you so much!

hope this link works if not just look at the thread my 125 reef TY https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=319712

 

[spendingdough]

Try and unplug the hole at the top of the drain pipe? It could be affecting the flow......

 

[spendingdough]

It might be plugged with salt build up.

 

[espkh9]

i dont understand ?? sorry..

 

[espkh9]

the holes or lines of hole at the top of the overflow box are clean i took off the slight algae that was on them but it has ran when it was much dirtyer,the water from the tank is not overflowing into the overflow corner...i didint undertsna dhwta u went try cleaning the airstick that comes out of the pvc pipe in the corner overflow that might have salt built up and just like that its preventing the water from fowing in.. it used to be like a small waterflow now its like slowly dribbling in.. its like theres no current pushing the water in the overflow corner

 

[spendingdough]

There should be a plastic air vent on the water return....make sure it is clear....like pouring gasoline out of a gerry can with no vent....gas comes out slow.....open the vent and the gas pours out. Here is a picture of mine ....its a little tube coming out of the return.

 

[espkh9]

perfect i have the same or a very simillar one.. what exactly should i do ? just pour water in it pull it out ? i dont wann make one wrong move and do something terrible...
thanks

 

[espkh9]

Originally Posted by SpendingDough
http:///forum/post/3027455
There should be a plastic air vent on the water return....make sure it is clear....like pouring gasoline out of a gerry can with no vent....gas comes out slow.....open the vent and the gas pours out. Here is a picture of mine ....its a little tube coming out of the return.
i see what u mean can u explain to me what to do i dont exaclt understand the anology but know what ur saying thats why there are probably no bubbles like normaly there would be what do i do ? TY ))

 

[spendingdough]

if the elbow twists off take it off and wash it it could be plugged with salt .......there is no other reason i can think of other than the pipe being blocked for the water not to flow. Is the overflow chamber filling up with water when you turn the pump on?

 

[spendingdough]

I have a plumber at my place right now for a poker game and he told me the same thing. Stick a skewer down the hole to unplug what ever is blocking it ......he figures it is an airlock.

 

[espkh9]

maybe this can help u see something off ??
i dont know how to clean the clear tube that sticking up from the pvc from th ereturn pump but it has been dirtyer and worked well for years just tonight with my luck this happends on a power outage...everything else electrical in the 125 reef is working well even this problem for now is minor im getting like 20 percent not the full flow of 100% i tried cleaning it with a cloth and pouring water on the tube but still not working properly, maybe in the photos u will see something or you can describe to me what to do..?
i m affraid to do somethign im not capable of doing or dont know much about to make things worse if i break or do something to the pvc pipe i have major major problems, what i dont understand is why the water level dropped a bit and its not flowing like normal into the overflow? i think something happend and i need to like kick start it or create a siphon but im not qualified or its not working

 

[spendingdough]

You should not have to start the siphon. Use a bamboo skewer or a piece of wire or something to clear that little plastic tube it is probobly blocked and creating an airlock.

 

[espkh9]

poker sounds fun sorry to interupt and i hope u guys are having fun....well i put up some pictures ill try to stick a skewer in the hole but i dont feel comfortbale taking off the elbow im affraid of what might happen.the chamber is almost filled to the top and its running just 20 percent not full capacity..still ok but just out of the blue its odd..usually i see bubbles coming from i guess that tube that sticks out of the return pvc pipe but now nothing just the water settled at like 90 percent up the overflow box like the lines that are in the tank the bottom is flowing water like the bottom of the top holes like that bottom 20 percent and the other 80 percent is doing nothing.. its like 1 inch of water is just went into the sump and no mater if i put more water it wont flow into the overflow part fully i hope i make some sense lol...like theres the upwards holes and then where the mag 12 pump is there is a hole and usually its flowing in there pretty good now iys just barely dribbling in i cleaned of as much algae/salt on the outer lyers of the pvc and overflow as i can. its working at 20 percent now the wet dry is built for a 500 gallong tank it has a 40 gallon sump so id rather have the tank running then brake it although i wanna fix the problem i need to find some1 maybe a plummer or someone around here that knows how to not break anything or if some1 on the boards can describe to me in a way i can understand i can try that...thanks guys for the time and much obligded.

 

[espkh9]

is the bubbles that use to be in the overflow significant it has been there since day 1 and eveything worked great, now no bubbles and problems or issues...ill try doing that thanks but if i clear it up to work properly i need the bubbles in the overflow box to return correct ?
thanks

 

[espkh9]

ok im an idiot my wife said wait for the plummer i tried to fool around with the elbow and i pulled the return pvc up a bit and we had a flood my wife is killing me i first tried the bamboo cleaning that tube is pristine clean...im gonna get a plummer cuz i just moped up a brand new granite kitched full of water and my wife isnt talking to me and im sleeping in the kids room lol sometimes this beautiful hobby just gets so frustrating but im addicted. thanks guys...so i cleaned the tube that sticks out there a hole in the elbiob cleaned that as well, but everything back how it was and im back where i started with other problems lol, i hope plummers know how to fix pvc fish tank stuf i cant move my fish 50 corals etc.. into a new tank my back will break...

 

[goinbroke]

looks like you dont have enough water in the tank to get it to syphon. when i do a waterchange i shut all my pumps off, do the water change, top off water until it starts to flow down the stand pipe in the overflow. then i turn the pumps back on(and usally have to add more water.)
from the look in your picture the water looks about 2 inches below the slits at the top of the corner overflow.
just wanted to let you know at home depot they sell a remote operated eletric power strip. best thing i've added to my system in a long time. it has 2 always on outlets(for skimmer and fuge) and 6 outlets that will come on and off with a remote switch you can put anywhere. earlier you said you were getting shocked. get one of these and no more wet hands-wet wires!

 

[espkh9]

thats good ill get that.. because i did get fried with the other reef tank last night...
i shut down the ph and return pump etc do the water change then restart everything...
its been working the same way for years this time its not overflowing veryy odd...
i add more water but it goes into the sump.. the tank reamins 1.5 inches below normal level and does not overflow into the corner overflow its prob a simple thing im just not smart enough to fix it or experienced and i dont know who to call.. but with my corals inverts and fish i need the wet dry running at full capacity good thing its for a 500 gallong tank cuz its runing on 20-25%

 

[espkh9]

what are the details on the remote power strip i would like to get the correct one going to home depot tom. do u have a name of the company who makes it any additional details would be great!

 

[ifirefight]

To me it seems your return pump must not be "returning" the water to the tank properly. Is there a gate valve on the return pump that may have got closed a little? Instead of a plumber, I would call a local aquarium maintenance company. You say you have a 125,150,210,and another tank...you surely must have some knowledge about aquariums and equipment...maybe you overlooked something.. good luck.

 

[espkh9]

makes sense i just recently added a fan clipped on to the sump as its getting hotter than might be pushing up ever so slightly against the return tube or might have did something to the mag 12 the gate vavle was removed a while back ago i was told it wasnt needed...what does it do anyways ?