Check valve getting stuck

[KoleTang]

I put a check valve on my external skimmer so it wouldn't drain so much when it is off. It worked once flawlessly. Now when I shut off the pump the valve just stays open and the water drains out.


It's mounted vertically at a slight angle. (I followed the arrows to have the vertical and horizontal facing the right way because of the slant)


It almost looks like the valve is hitting the wall so it doesn't seal.







Here is a video. (all that racket me knocking things over when I pulled the plug)

 

[KorL]

Maybe there's some debris that's preventing it from closing. Is there enough water pressure to close the valve?

 

[KoleTang]

Yes there is enough pressure. It worked on the first try. But if you watch the video you can see the valve only close halfway.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Skimmers are full of slimy, dirty water and check valves will not work well in this or really any other reef application. Coming from theh wastewater treatment industry, and a reef tank is a miniature WW treatment plant, we avoid check valves like the plague. They always fail and require tons of maintenance, still failing even then. It only takes a small bit of slime or debris to defeat the valve seat or swing mechanism.

 

[KoleTang]

Skimmers are full of slimy, dirty water and check valves will not work well in this or really any other reef application. Coming from theh wastewater treatment industry, and a reef tank is a miniature WW treatment plant, we avoid check valves like the plague. They always fail and require tons of maintenance, still failing even then. It only takes a small bit of slime or debris to defeat the valve seat or swing mechanism.

Thanks, I think what I'm going to do is switch the main skimmer pump to recirc and add a feed pump. This way the skimmer won't drain as much into my sump, and should have a performance boost since the pump won't have to lift water up 3'.