High Tide Aquatics

Tank Overflowing

Kara13

Kara13

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Two nights ago, my tank overflowed from the top. I had a Apex COR 15.

Yesterday I took everything in tank apart and checked for blockages and cleaned it. Put in a new simple Sicce pump. The tank will still overflow if I let it run.

The overflow area in the tank is now filling all the way with water then emptying below the area of the pipes. I'm not sure how to describe it, so I have a video.

www.karacapaldo.com

Fish Tank | fish tank - SD 480p

Kara Capaldo Photography
www.karacapaldo.com

https://www.karacapaldo.com/p65493008/h85898f17#h85898f17

I'm not sure what to do next and would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!!
 
Is there a hole in the top of that drain pipe?
Screenshot_20230804_065304_Chrome.jpg

There should be. It might be clogged.

What is happening is you are creating a siphon. Once the water level gets high enough it flushes down the pipe until air gets in the pipe, and it starts all over. This is how toilets flush as well.

This does not look like a new tank, so my guess is something is blocking the vent that is supposed to supply air to the plumbing to prevent siphon.
 
Meshmez said:
Is there a hole in the top of that drain pipe?
View attachment 49029
There should be. It might be clogged.

What is happening is you are creating a siphon. Once the water level gets high enough it flushes down the pipe until air gets in the pipe, and it starts all over. This is how toilets flush as well.

This does not look like a new tank, so my guess is something is blocking the vent that is supposed to supply air to the plumbing to prevent siphon.
Click to expand...
Thanks. That makes sense. I've taken the side piece of the pipe off and cant find a blockage. I'm attaching a pic and highlighted the piece I can take off. Do you know if the very top piece comes off? It doesn't easily. I appreciate your help.
 

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Maybe see if you can push a straightened paperclip - or something narrow and rigid - down the black plastic tube hole to see if anything is blocking.
 
It was! I used a thick wire and could mostly unclog it. It's clogged about 12" down now. Do I need to take apart from below in sump area and unclog that way?

How clean do you keep your overflow area? I haven't keep mine clean. Maybe too many bristle worms clogging it?
 
Looks like lots of vermetid snails have taken over the overflow section. The visible long brown tubes (shells) are likely a fraction of what you can't see in the overflow. Can you remove more of white PVC tubing that makes up the durso? If so you could do a soak in citric acid to dissolve the snails and tubes. Or if you can remove just the top, you can jam a long rod to smash them up and send them into the sump to clean up.
 
Darkxerox said:
Looks like lots of vermetid snails have taken over the overflow section. The visible long brown tubes (shells) are likely a fraction of what you can't see in the overflow. Can you remove more of white PVC tubing that makes up the durso? If so you could do a soak in citric acid to dissolve the snails and tubes. Or if you can remove just the top, you can jam a long rod to smash them up and send them into the sump to clean up.
Click to expand...
I;ll give that a try. Any chance, do you think it unscrews? The guy who installed it went out of business:( I'd hate to break it.
 
Kensington Reefer said:
Kinda...

If possible
Change the plumbing ti use a T instead of the drilled 90
Drill air holes in a cap on top of the T
Click to expand...
That makes sense. I'll look into changing that. I'm wishing I had a system that has the emergency pipe also, Herbie overflow. Not sure why the tank was done this way. I was too new to even know what questions to ask when it was designed.
 
Kara13 said:
I;ll give that a try. Any chance, do you think it unscrews? The guy who installed it went out of business:( I'd hate to break it.
Click to expand...
No idea, everyone installs things their own way. I'd assume the whole durso is just wedged into the bottom drain and not glued. Maintenance folks like @Coral reefer would know more than me and maybe you can hire someone to swing by and take a look.
 
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