Tricks for cleaning a CPR overflow box

[Daddy-o]

The water level in my reef has gone up about 1/2 inch. The only reason I can think of is the CPR overflow box has crud growing in it. Does anyone have a trick for cleaning one out? It is hard plumbed and while i can cut the plumbing, I would prefer not to.
Cheers! Mark

 

[Greg P]

Sometimes my gate valve would have growth inside.
While running, I'd crank it all the way open and closed a few times to clear it out. Crunch crunch
Aside from that, you'll need to get in there to clean things out

 

[Daddy-o]

Sometimes my gate valve would have growth inside.
While running, I'd crank it all the way open and closed a few times to clear it out. Crunch crunch
Aside from that, you'll need to get in there to clean things out

There is no gate valve.

 

[Greg P]

No valve between the overflow box and the sump?
Then I'd take it all apart and clean the whole works

 

[Greg P]

Figure this out yet?

 

[Daddy-o]

Figure this out yet?

Nope

 

[Greg P]

Short of cutting the plumbing, only thing I can think of is to turn off the return, cap the drain in the sump, fill the drain with 50/50 vinegar/water and let soak for 30mins to 1hr. A cap just press-fit will hold with friction alone.
Pull cap and clean out sump drain section. And maybe some kind of long scrubber to brush inside the drain while filled before dumping the vinegar mix.
Good luck!

 

[Daddy-o]

Short of cutting the plumbing, only thing I can think of is to turn off the return, cap the drain in the sump, fill the drain with 50/50 vinegar/water and let soak for 30mins to 1hr. A cap just press-fit will hold with friction alone.
Pull cap and clean out sump drain section. And maybe some kind of long scrubber to brush inside the drain while filled before dumping the vinegar mix.
Good luck!

Thats what I was thinking

 

[Greg P]

Let us know how it works out

 

[Daddy-o]

Had a bit of time this morning so I got to work on this. I turned off the return pump and siphoned the tank til the water level was below the weir. I capped the hole in the bottom that drains to the sump and placed a bucket under the drain pipe. Filled the CPR box with straight white 5% vinegar and let the Aqualifter hooked to the nipple circulate the vinegar for about 20 minutes. Removed the plug to drain the crap out. Filled twice with R/O to rinse and started it back up. It flows really good now. Amazing how much a flush with vinegar got out. These are the 3 nasty bucket fulls: