Mr. Saltwater Tank says.... (1 Viewer)

[RJREEFER]

This is an exerpt from MrSaltwaterTank.com This guy is obviously enthusiastic about his hobby, but shares some great "no brainer" tips from time to time.

The One Piece of Tank Maintenance That If You Aren’t Doing, Could Cost You Your Tank
June 29, 2010
If you have a reef ready tank with a built in overflow, make sure you check and clean your your down pipe breather tube regularly! (If you run a hang on the back overflow box, you’re insane)

I awoke at 2am this morning to the sound of a pump running dry and I ran down the hallway to my tank to find my sump running below half full. It turned out that the breather tube that vents air into the down pipe (see pic) was clogged so very little water was getting from my tank to my sump.

I quickly heated up some RO/DI in the microwave and poured it into the tube to clean out what was blocking the flow of air. 5 minutes later, everything is back to normal including my heart rate.

Checking downpipes and especially their breather vents is an essential part of tank maintenance and if you aren’t doing it regularly, add it to your routine to avoid overflows and a lost tank! Learn from my mistake and (almost) disaster!

 

[pramberg]

MrSaltwaterTank should consider running the herbie setup! Problem solved.

 

[RJREEFER]

MrSaltwaterTank should consider running the herbie setup! Problem solved.

Lol...I agree. Although I had never seen nor heard of that type of setup until I joined this forum. He's from Texas so maybe they know nothing of Herbie down there either :gay1:

I only have a single drain in my overflow but I don't use tubing for siphon air. My drain has a nipple at the top of the tube that sits above water. I can easily see if it gets clogged or not.

 

[pramberg]

Sounds like you're doing a durso and the nipple you are referring to controls the amount of air venting?

 

[kcooley]

everytime you stop your return pump you will get stale water and return in the hose that is connected inside the tube and to that nipple. so everytime you do that a little detrius gets in there, and may stick, but probably comes out when you return to operation. you can use a syringe and squirt water down the top of that nipple to clean said vent. having said that, you shouldnt need to clean for 6 months or so, but still a good regular maintenance tip.

 

[RJREEFER]

Sounds like you're doing a durso and the nipple you are referring to controls the amount of air venting?

Sure...if that's what it's called lol. I'm no reef plumping expert. But yes, the nipple at the top is what vents air into the drain. I don't see how mine would ever get clogged but I do check it weekly with my other maintenance.

 

[RJREEFER]

Ok yes, I looked it up and it's a Durso. I just gave myself a plumbing lesson I have to admit, my tank is pretty quiet.

 

[kcooley]

you should let me check it out sometime. maybe trade a frag or two.

 

[CaptainGreg]

do a close loop system. Problem solved

 

[Dalailammy]

do a close loop system. Problem solved

I live for your posts. Made my day.

 

[RJREEFER]

you should let me check it out sometime. maybe trade a frag or two.

You will have to school me on fragging my huge zoanthids colony. Never done it before. Wanna stop by tomorrow night? Otherwise I'll be back in town Monday evening.

 

[hypertech]

do a close loop system. Problem solved

Yeah, that'll fix his return pump. :brick: I think the real problem is that he doesn't have an airstone skimmer. If he had an airstone skimmer, the water would be clean and there wouldn't be anything to plug his downpipe.

I live for your posts. Made my day.

:rock:

 

[hypertech]

You will have to school me on fragging my huge zoanthids colony. Never done it before. Wanna stop by tomorrow night? Otherwise I'll be back in town Monday evening.

I used to take the rock out and hit with a hammer and chisel so a little piece broke off with zoas. Insta-frag.

 

[RJREEFER]

Just FYI this isn't a problem I am having. Just thought I would share the article. If you have suggestions for this guy go to his website and blog on his page. He might benefit from these posts. No one really seems to offer him suggestions that often.

 

[rihanssu]

Yeah, that'll fix his return pump. :brick: I think the real problem is that he doesn't have an airstone skimmer. If he had an airstone skimmer, the water would be clean and there wouldn't be anything to plug his downpipe.



:rock:

airstone..... hehehe