Sump trouble

[kanniebo]

Hey guys. My name is Kasey and I joined this forum with hopes that someone can help me kick start my aquarium. I recently moved to Hawaii so I don't really know anyone here to help me, so here goes. I have a 60 gal Deep Blue rimless tank with a 30 gal sump. I decided to go with all hard plumbing because I really felt like it would like nice when I was done. Which it does. I did a dry run before I connected the final piece and it seemed to work fine. I connected the return plumbing to my tank, and after an initial burst of air, all I get is a trickle of water, if I am lucky. So I started troubleshooting. I installed two unions, one just downstream of the pump, the other just downstream of the check valve. I disconnected the union just downstream of the pump, rush of water, works fine. I connected the check valve, rush of water, works fine. I have a 90 degree fitting downstream of the check valve that is kind of a t fitting, it has a 1/2" connector and gate valve downstream of it that remains shut and is capped off if I am not doing water changes (all hypothetical, obviously my system doesn't work) But I did use it to drain the line down from the return line in the tank and then turned the pump on and water flows fine through there as well. I am at a loss. The pump will not put water into my tank. Every 10th time I turn on the tank it sounds like sudden rush of air through the return line in my tank, and then nothing, just bubbles. Please help.

[Lavoisier]

Check valves are never a good idea but not likely to be your problem right now. Pics?

[kanniebo]

I don't know how to post pictures on here? They are on my phone and I don't see an upload option other than the URL, which I don't have.

[awolusa]

What is the height from the pump to the tank. Sounds like the head pressure is too high.

[kanniebo]

about five feet

[gone fishin]

What kind of pump is it?

Is it possible your pump is losing its prime?

[kanniebo]

It's a Fluval SP something pump. How do I manually prime it? Or where can I look to find out? The owner's manual is terrible.

[gone fishin]

I typed in fluval sp and got a fluval sea sp 4 pump. If this is your pump Then I am afraid it may not be the right pump for you. In a previous post you said it was about 5 feet from the pump to the tank. The specs on the pump was only good for 3.6 ft of head.

[Vinny Kreyling]

I just looked & the chart said over 1100 gal @ 7".
Make sure the piping up to the tank is NOT smaller than the pump outlet.
Make the run as straight as possible, no check valves, use 45's instead of 90's if you can, your sump should hold any water that drains when pump is off.

[gone fishin]

OOPs that's What I get for looking at charts late at night. Sorry.

can you remove the check valve and see how it pumps.

[Roccus]

Being a plumber, I'll add one other possibility.... you may have what we call a "flap a door" meaning that you used enough glue that you actually created a blockage from excess glue that may inhibit the flow one way.. acting just like just like a check valve...I've seen it a few times with smaller pipe ( 1/2").... and as others have suggested .. double check the pump specs because it does sound like you have excessive head pressure..