IM nuvo 20 return pump upgrade question

evodrgn · Feb 13, 2017

Not quite sure if I should be posting this in the AIO section or in the equipment section so mods feel free to move this thread if need be

This is my first AIO tank after taking an eight year break from the hobby and after reading about how so many have upgraded the nuvo 20's return pump I decided to do the same. I upgraded to the SIcce silent 1.0 pump and noticed that the middle chamber for the return has dropped dramatically as compared to when I was running the stock pump. I'm also running two spinstreams on the pump too. Is the return chamber suppose to be way lower that the other side chambers or am I doing something completely wrong?

I've also read that people replace the stock pump with two separate return pumps but I have no experience with AIO and have never seen the back of any of the tanks that others have set up before.

I've attached three images to try and show the difference in water level that I'm trying to describe. I've actually turned the flow down a little past halfway on the pump and it sits at about the same level as it does when the pump is on full blast.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

Joeganja · Feb 13, 2017

I have a innovative marine lagoon 25 and what I try to do is keep my return pumps water about an inch or two from the side chamber so you get more water flow from the 2nd to the return. What you can do is add more water because it's pushing so much out that your overflow/baffles arent pushing enough water so if you raise the height of the water you'll get more water going through there.

Acrofiend · Feb 13, 2017

Just add more water.

Darth George · Feb 13, 2017

I had that same problem. As everyone said, just add more water. My level in the back middle chamber sits about 1/2 inch from the top of the side chambers. When I dropped the new pump in it drained the chamber in a few seconds.