Vectra M1 Return Pump installation question

[mrtian97]

hi Reefers,
I just installed Vectra M1 in sump, currently the inlet just open since I have filter socks so no worries with snails, etc.

The top side of the inlet is about 2" below the water line, which I believe plenty of water cover to avoid bubbles. The water level is steady (my overflow is balanced with the pump speed, I am running about 50%).

About every 10 minutes or so, the water returned to the tank is mixed with air and I can see venturi formed between the pump inlet and the water line. This lasted maybe 5 seconds then back to normal.
If I put a strainer on the Inlet (like the strainer kit that Ecotech sells), will this help avoid sucking the air, or do I need to have more water between the inlet and water line? I can connect an elbow to the inlet so the inlet is pointing down to provide deeper water line.

Thanks in advance

 

[Jimbo662]

Is your sump set up so that you can raise the water level in the return section? That's what I did when I installed a new pump a couple of months ago...I was having the same issue.

 

[mrtian97]

Thanks, how much water level that you have to avoid this issue? Can I accomplish this by using 90 degree elbow that pointing down or an angle?

 

[Jimbo662]

I think I've got about 3" above the pump inlet. A 90 elbow would probably work also.

 

[William Bunton]

The 90 degree elbow is what I used to eliminate the vortex.

 

[mrtian97]

Great, I will try that tonight.

Thanks for everyone input.

 

[dbrewsky]

the elbow should help, have you tried changing to orientation of the pump? could be that the currents around the intake are helping create the vortex? I dont have my vectra very deep below the surface and I haven't seen it happen on mine.

 

[mrtian97]

Thanks, I will look into this, unfortunately my sump is just one open tank (40 breeder tank) without any dividers. The filter sock at one end and the return is at the opposite end. Right by the sock, I have protein skimmer. Other than that, I have 2 eheim heaters on egg crate (to avoid breakage), flex tubings of inlet and outlet to my UV (UV is outside the sump) and NextReef MR-1 media reactor (also outside the sump). I don't see current around the inlet of my Vectra, but I can also try direct my outlet tubing from MR-1 reactor to the other side (this one is the closest to the vectra inlet)