Wet-dry not draining - Any suggestions?

[geoff_tropheus]

I have a wetdry rated for a 400 gallon aquarium driven by 2-Mag 12's

There are 2 built in corner overflows with drain and return on each.

For those that have seen this setup, there used to be Bio-Balls in the overflows but I have since removed them.

I have completely drained, rinsed out the overflow drain tubes, and hoses to the wetdry and removed all the bio-balls from the overflow boxes.

I have replaced the BlueBonded mechanical pad and watched that the sump bioballs drain well and all this looks good.

The problem: I am stacking water in my overflows to the point where it will not drain at all. I have tried all sorts of raising and lowering, and swaping hoses.

When I set this wetdry up with the original owner, this thing flow'd and drained so loudly, this is why we stacked the overflow with bio-balls. He ran this same setup for the last 2 years and not had this problem. So I am not sure why its happening to me now. He did add the 2-Mag12's (1200gph) just in the last 4 months or so. Originally Rio's 3100's (900gph). Even still though, he did not have this problem I got.

My current solution: Unplugged one Mag12 and am operating on the other pump. I have added a modifed Maxjet for the other side.

So I am maintaining the same drainage rate, and relatively the same circulation.

Next iteration: Hardplumb and remove the hoses, I just hate doing that.

Any others?

Thanks,

Geoff

[wesleydnunder]

What size are the drain lines? It may be that with the two pumps you are physically pushing more water into the tank than gravity can pull down the overflow hoses.

Still, if he didn't have this problem before...possible too that the hoses aren't venting properly (something which causes slow drains in a house DWV system).

Mark

[Mzungu]

Mark,

Geoff probably knows exactly what you're talking about when you say that the hoses might not be venting properly. But I don't. Just to be sure, and not to bug Geoff later on by asking him to interpret (heh), can you explain a bit more what you mean?

We're stumped. Geoff has tried everything. The weird thing is, as both of you pointed out, the previous owner did not have this problem at all, and the wet/dry setup hasn't changed at all from one house to the other.

[Zulaab]

It sounds like the vent hole at the top of intake is to small. Air is being trapped and causes the water to flow slower into the piping below. How is your drain tubes installed in the overflow box ? Picture ?

[wesleydnunder]

Mark,

Geoff probably knows exactly what you're talking about when you say that the hoses might not be venting properly. But I don't. Just to be sure, and not to bug Geoff later on by asking him to interpret (heh), can you explain a bit more what you mean?

We're stumped. Geoff has tried everything. The weird thing is, as both of you pointed out, the previous owner did not have this problem at all, and the wet/dry setup hasn't changed at all from one house to the other.

Properly vented piping allows air displacement as the water flows down. Improper venting will cause the water to create an upstream vaccuum, slowing its flow.

Mark

[imagirlgeek]

Since I don't know what your wet/dry looks like, please cut me some slack on this. It sounds very similar to something I just found on one of my wet/drys that started seriously degrading in flow. I had checked the hose, the drip plate, the bioballs...then I found a vertical 'spray bar' (pvc with slots cut into it) in a separate compartment. When I popped it off, it was full of sludge. Granted, this wet/dry is unlike any of our other wet/drys in the house, so I wasn't even looking in that extra area of the sump, but after cleaning that out, all is well. Just wanted to throw this out there since it took me by surprise.

[Lawsman]

Are we talking about the new Oceanic RR tanks (Oval inlet box) or the older version with just the old tube/mesh (Square inlet box) or is the tank not RR at all and U R using a detached overflow box?

I have a 300 gallon wet/dry from Percision Marine and I run two Mag 5's and just barely keeps up?

We need pics!!!! i have used both. It does seem like you r running a bunch of GPH? I have a valve on the outlet of my mag to slow flow if I have to.

[Mzungu]

That's the reason we turned off one of the Mags - to slow the flow, in case gravity just couldn't keep up.

When I get home (before Geoff, today) I will find the vent holes and see how they look, clean them out if needed, etc.

If that doesn't work, I will snap some pictures.

Thanks for ALL the help and suggestions, everyone!

[Mzungu]

Oh, and I will also look for any secret sludge factories in there. Thanks, Traci. :)

[mgarrido]

Are you using durso pipes in the overflow chambers? What is the intake diameter? Post pics please.

[ssrprelude]

If I remember correct, it is a RR tank. Two 6"X6" OF boxes in the corners, pvc durso pipe that is very tall and well ventilated. But I don't think there are enough slits cut into it for that much flow. Water coming in is way stronger that the water going back to the sump, in turn gets backed up.

[mgarrido]

Do you remember if it's 1" or 2" intake holes?
1" Could handle 600gph, if you have 2 1" you could handle 1200gph, if you are running 2 max12 your pushing 2400gpg, that means you are above your limit.
1.5" could handle 900gph and 2" 1200gph

[Mzungu]

But we've only been running one Mag12 for a couple days now - it's still not draining.

Uploading photos right now. Gotta head to move my apartment to the house, so we'll be back and I'll post photos then.

Geoff just measured and says the drain is 1 1/4", the return is 1".

Remember, the previous owner ran the two Mag12s on this for months and had no problems.

[Mzungu]

Okay, here:

(BTW, the other overflow box has a LOW water level. Meaning, it's good.)

[ssrprelude]

There is your problem, the lines are sagging! The U bend in the ribbed return lines are full of water, the water coming down cannot push it into the sump. Try elevating the lines to create a downward flow.