Sump issues PLEASE HELP

[JonPhillips]

So, got the system home yesterday, (3.5 hours with fish in bucket) 65g with 2 clowns, angel peel, coral beauty, scoter, mandarin, blue hippo, bubble tip anemone, and clean up crew. all doing good in a tank with 3/4 level water and a little more than 10 new gallons of water. in tank filter, one powerhead, and lights are all running.

NOT the sump. the pumping is weird and needs work (please see pic) I got this will absolutely no media and have no idea how it was being ran. Also, when I got there and he was dissembling, the return pump broke. He glued it and it broke again.

Three questions:

How do I set up the sump? (not digging the two chamber design, doesn't seem effective)

What do I glue the pump with?

Are my fishy friends ok until I get that done? (lots of live rock in the tank, fish seem hungry)

 

[JonPhillips]

current water level

 

[rayn]

My guess is that will never hold right again, no matter how much glue you put on it. Get a new pump.

Water drains into the sump, flows over or under the baffle, and is returned out of the other chamber.

If not, get a shutoff on the drain line and return line/s if needed and close them. Fill the tank. As long as there is movement and gas exchange at the surface you can fix the sump and plumbing.

 

[tgp4274]

they should be alright for awhile as long as you have water movement and surface movement for gas exchange....
as for the pump....... prob best buy new one as if glued it an it let go prob wouldn't be pretty....
good luck

 

[JonPhillips]

My guess is that will never hold right again, no matter how much glue you put on it. Get a new pump.

Water drains into the sump, flows over or under the baffle, and is returned out of the other chamber.

If not, get a shutoff on the drain line and return line/s if needed and close them. Fill the tank. As long as there is movement and gas exchange at the surface you can fix the sump and plumbing.

great. there is only a shutoff on the return. my plan is to cut both return and exchange and do new shutoff valves. The return hose didn't reach to the bottom of the sump so the pump as just hanging. He was also running the protien skimmer in the exchange.

In your opinion, what media should I put in both chambers?

 

[rayn]

Rock. Maybe some type of algae if you want a fuge of sorts. I tend to fight nutrients in my tanks as it is and don't need bio balls or anything like that to trap excess nutrients.

 

[JonPhillips]

they should be alright for awhile as long as you have water movement and surface movement for gas exchange....
as for the pump....... prob best buy new one as if glued it an it let go prob wouldn't be pretty....
good luck

Thank you.

Rock. Maybe some type of algae if you want a fuge of sorts. I tend to fight nutrients in my tanks as it is and don't need bio balls or anything like that to trap excess nutrients.

Perfect, filter floss at the top?

 

[rayn]

Thank you.


Perfect, filter floss at the top?

I don't. I don't run socks either. I am as low maintanence there as possible. I just know myself and won't change floss, socks, pads, bio balls. Or rinse them.

Only time I did was to reduce bubbles, and I figured out the bubbles and removed the filter media.

 

[JonPhillips]

That's just the thing, there is no extra baffles to remove bubbles, so I am a little worried about that...

 

[AnthonyM1]

When I glue plastic together I mix a small amount of abs and acetone together to make a slurry, get it kind of thick. Put on both surfaces and press together, wait a day a wala

 

[JonPhillips]

When I glue plastic together I mix a small amount of abs and acetone together to make a slurry, get it kind of thick. Put on both surfaces and press together, wait a day a wala

Where does one purchase such products?

 

[AnthonyM1]

Acetone a Walmart, abs most any plastic part in your house.

 

[JonPhillips]

Acetone a Walmart, abs most any plastic part in your house.

Can you be a little more specific please and walk me through the process a bit? and pretend I am in kindergarten when you do it because I am.

 

[rayn]

That's just the thing, there is no extra baffles to remove bubbles, so I am a little worried about that...

I have a two chambered sump. Water flows over 1 baffle and under a second about a inch away. It then flows over and around a rock wall...extra live rock for bio filteration. This also aids in eliminating bubbles from getting to the return plumbing.

 

[JonPhillips]

cool. this is making more sense now. Thank you.

 

[KorL]

I think the return pump can be salvaged if need be. Glue using super glue or weld on and attach the barb back onto the pump housing.

Once dry attach vinyl tubing and above that add a union so you're not messing with the barb when doing any maintenance.

Another option is put a pvc coupling over the broken nub on the pump and sealing it crazy glue or welding. Then build your return line from there. Make sure to add a union as well. I've this before when buying a used return pump missing some parts, I just improvised using some pvc couplings to fit my existing plumbing

 

[tj w]

Best to get a new pump for sure. Make sure you have some water moving in the tank for now until u get a pump.

 

[KorL]

From the looks of it, if you get like a 3/4" or 1" pvc coupling and place over the nub on the pump having it over over lap. And seal it with glue from the inside, it will look clean and flush with the pump. use painters tape if you're worried as long as you're careful and pay attention to detail it will look alright. lol

 

[ngvu1]

The tank can be OK for weeks, just raise the water level to below the over flow box so no water goes to the sump for now while you fix the return pump.

The return pump from the picture, I cannot tell if the hose/barb adapter is broken in half or the whole thing is 1 piece and that barb part broke off (not fixable). If it is a broken barb adapter only then you have to find a way to take the other piece still stuck inside the pump out and use a new one. MarineDepot might/should have that. What is the pump model?

look at this eihem pump hose barb adapter. I expect your pump is like that

For you sump, it looks to me like 1 chamber is for the drain and 1 chamber is for the return pump. The return pump chamber has hose to connect to an ATO....

 

[ngvu1]

I would not use that pump with a glued barb adapter. if you cannot replace the barb, get a new pump....a piece of mind is priceless .....