Help please? Powerhead question

kjwcpm · 06/07/2012, 08:47 AM

Hey all,

The Nuvo Pico 4 has a very convenient and clean design, but I may be paying the price for that now.

The existing CUC in the tank have been working away at the Live Rock I got from the LFS. I assume the white surfaces are calcium deposits, and they have been loosened up over tck rubbleime.

The unit uses as cascading series of three chambers. Chamber one is the filter, which currently has a combo of bio mesh, chemi-pure and live rubble in it. It then flows over into chamber two which has a small Marineland heater. Then it makes it's final flow into chamber 3 which contains the pump, a small pipe and then returns via a powerhead at the top of the pipe back to the tank.

Last night, the unit started acting up a bit. You would hear a bit of strain on the pump, followed by a blast of white powder (calcium?) from the powerhead. The frequency has gotten larger over the last 12 hours. I've tried a PWC, but the process continues to be the same.

Water parameters remain unchanged since adding food yesterday. Still ammonia in the tank but no trites or trates.

Is this something the powerhead has to simply cycle through? Is this something I need to address right away? Does calcium need to be removed from the tank and if so how?

Sorry if these are really basic questions. Just trying to avoid a tank meltdown before I even get started.

Thanks,
Kevin

shecter · 06/07/2012, 08:50 AM

Sounds like its sucking up air and pushing micro bubbles into the tank. That's how my return pump acts when my sump is to low. How's the water level?

mtc1966 · 06/07/2012, 08:51 AM

try giving the power head a vinegar bath may be clogged up a bit

kjwcpm · 06/07/2012, 08:56 AM

@shecter - Tank levels seem to be fine.

@mtc1966 - think you may be on to the problem. I'll check that out.

kjwcpm · 06/07/2012, 09:47 AM

Looks like I might have it fixed. Took apart the powerhead nozzle, tube and pump. Reassembled it all and fired it back up. Seems to be running cleaner now. Maybe the tube separated at a connection somewhere?

Here's what the tank looks like so far:

Is this brown splotch the start of the infamous diatom bloom?

mtc1966 · 06/07/2012, 10:00 AM

cool tank . does look like a bloom to me. have you decided on occupants yet?

kjwcpm · 06/07/2012, 10:04 AM

Not yet. I've thought about a pair of tank bred clowns. But I'm also looking at that Falco - really neat fish and looks like it wouldn't be bad to start out with.

Maybe just one clown and one Falco....

gmate · 06/07/2012, 11:36 AM

Looks like Diatoms to me. Also, vinegar bath like Mike suggested is a great idea. Make sure you clean it out of all the vinegar before it goes back in the tank.

06/07/2012, 08:47 AM	#1
kjwcpm Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hebron, CT Posts: 42	Help please? Powerhead question Hey all, The Nuvo Pico 4 has a very convenient and clean design, but I may be paying the price for that now. The existing CUC in the tank have been working away at the Live Rock I got from the LFS. I assume the white surfaces are calcium deposits, and they have been loosened up over tck rubbleime. The unit uses as cascading series of three chambers. Chamber one is the filter, which currently has a combo of bio mesh, chemi-pure and live rubble in it. It then flows over into chamber two which has a small Marineland heater. Then it makes it's final flow into chamber 3 which contains the pump, a small pipe and then returns via a powerhead at the top of the pipe back to the tank. Last night, the unit started acting up a bit. You would hear a bit of strain on the pump, followed by a blast of white powder (calcium?) from the powerhead. The frequency has gotten larger over the last 12 hours. I've tried a PWC, but the process continues to be the same. Water parameters remain unchanged since adding food yesterday. Still ammonia in the tank but no trites or trates. Is this something the powerhead has to simply cycle through? Is this something I need to address right away? Does calcium need to be removed from the tank and if so how? Sorry if these are really basic questions. Just trying to avoid a tank meltdown before I even get started. Thanks, Kevin

06/07/2012, 08:51 AM	#3
mtc1966 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: middletown,ct Posts: 6,528	try giving the power head a vinegar bath may be clogged up a bit __________________ 65g seahorse tank 20g sump with a reef octopus skimmer ,tlf 150 reactor, red sea ozone generator controller,cpr hob fuge with light and 2 China led lights one 42x1 w and one 24x3 w. occupied by 4 ecectus seahorses a couple small gobies and cuc. Current Tank Info: 58g main with 20g sump

06/07/2012, 10:00 AM	#6
mtc1966 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: middletown,ct Posts: 6,528	cool tank . does look like a bloom to me. have you decided on occupants yet? __________________ 65g seahorse tank 20g sump with a reef octopus skimmer ,tlf 150 reactor, red sea ozone generator controller,cpr hob fuge with light and 2 China led lights one 42x1 w and one 24x3 w. occupied by 4 ecectus seahorses a couple small gobies and cuc. Current Tank Info: 58g main with 20g sump

06/07/2012, 11:36 AM	#8
gmate MASC Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 2,267	Looks like Diatoms to me. Also, vinegar bath like Mike suggested is a great idea. Make sure you clean it out of all the vinegar before it goes back in the tank. Last edited by gmate; 06/07/2012 at 11:58 AM.

06/07/2012, 08:50 AM	#2
shecter Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: northeast connecticut Posts: 1,453	Sounds like its sucking up air and pushing micro bubbles into the tank. That's how my return pump acts when my sump is to low. How's the water level?

06/07/2012, 08:56 AM	#4
kjwcpm Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hebron, CT Posts: 42	@shecter - Tank levels seem to be fine. @mtc1966 - think you may be on to the problem. I'll check that out.

06/07/2012, 09:47 AM	#5
kjwcpm Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hebron, CT Posts: 42	Looks like I might have it fixed. Took apart the powerhead nozzle, tube and pump. Reassembled it all and fired it back up. Seems to be running cleaner now. Maybe the tube separated at a connection somewhere? Here's what the tank looks like so far: Is this brown splotch the start of the infamous diatom bloom?

06/07/2012, 10:04 AM	#7
kjwcpm Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hebron, CT Posts: 42	Not yet. I've thought about a pair of tank bred clowns. But I'm also looking at that Falco - really neat fish and looks like it wouldn't be bad to start out with. Maybe just one clown and one Falco....