simy696 Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 can he get in there if so yeah he may have got himself sucked up in one of the pipes there fore reducing flow sure he not under a plant or somthing. have you tried turning pump back on again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 I've turned it on and off a number of times. My concern more so is why it's happened. I'm only saying he may be stuck somewhere because I can't find him and because when the pump is on the water level on the sump is drastically reduced to the point where the pump is exposed which again makes me think there is a blockage.( when I got home there was only about 5-6 inches in the last chamber so I quickly turned the pump off (to which the water rises) and turned the knob at the pipe off also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckmeister Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 there may be a blockage. There may be some debris down there that the shop didn't catch like plastic...your catfish might have gone down and got caught up in it all etc. I'd get a hose and push it gently down the line to unblock anything that may be there. Another problem may be that the retailer sold you an over sized pump. It is pumping the water back into tank faster than it can fall into your sump. I hope you dont despair too much from these...you have a really nice tank...when you get it sorted you'll have something you'll be happy to relax around and show off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staplez Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Use the ball valve to limit the pumps flow rate. Small turn at a time, wait and watch. Not the best solve but better then nothing. If anything other then water and crap can fall into your weir then it may need a small rethink. Worst comes to worst PM your address and I'll come have a look see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccal Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 One of the few good people ^^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 7 hours ago, Chuckmeister said: there may be a blockage. There may be some debris down there that the shop didn't catch like plastic...your catfish might have gone down and got caught up in it all etc. I'd get a hose and push it gently down the line to unblock anything that may be there. Another problem may be that the retailer sold you an over sized pump. It is pumping the water back into tank faster than it can fall into your sump. I hope you dont despair too much from these...you have a really nice tank...when you get it sorted you'll have something you'll be happy to relax around and show off. I do know for sure he installed a bigger pump than required, he did mention that and told me when he gets back he was going to swap it over for me but in saying that, wouldn't the problem have occurred sooner rather than now? I'll see if I can get a hose down, hopefully this helps. I have seen a little slithers of piping debris in the sump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkw Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Agree with chuck here, best try try a length of garden hose to move whatever debris is in the pipe. Failing that you could potentially use a sink snake from Bunnings. Catfish won't fair well though. Are there teeth at the top of your weir? From the looks of your photos the water seems to fall straight over a flat edge of glass -- if so it won't be the last time this happens. Teeth should be easy enough to retrofit though. -Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 7 hours ago, Staplez said: Use the ball valve to limit the pumps flow rate. Small turn at a time, wait and watch. Not the best solve but better then nothing. If anything other then water and crap can fall into your weir then it may need a small rethink. Worst comes to worst PM your address and I'll come have a look see. Thank you so much Staplez. I'll try what you and Chuck and Dkw have suggested, along with calling to see if anyone else at the LFS where I purchased the tank could help. (The guy that built and installed this has gone overseas until the end of the month). If I can't sort the problem out I would be more than happy to pay you to come have a look although I'm about an hour away from u! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 20 minutes ago, dkw said: Agree with chuck here, best try try a length of garden hose to move whatever debris is in the pipe. Failing that you could potentially use a sink snake from Bunnings. Catfish won't fair well though. Are there teeth at the top of your weir? From the looks of your photos the water seems to fall straight over a flat edge of glass -- if so it won't be the last time this happens. Teeth should be easy enough to retrofit though. -Dan Dan there is nothing up there, I am def going to have to get them to fix this with whatever is suitable as I don't want this happening again, for mine and the fishes sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Just my luck. Switched everything back on and it seems to be working (although my lord the smell was horrendous), the owner from the shop is on his way and of course it seems to be up and running. ? Although I still can't find the darn Pleco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 21 hours ago, Chuckmeister said: there may be a blockage. There may be some debris down there that the shop didn't catch like plastic...your catfish might have gone down and got caught up in it all etc. I'd get a hose and push it gently down the line to unblock anything that may be there. Another problem may be that the retailer sold you an over sized pump. It is pumping the water back into tank faster than it can fall into your sump. I hope you dont despair too much from these...you have a really nice tank...when you get it sorted you'll have something you'll be happy to relax around and show off. Chuck, I had 1 of the guys from the LFS come out tonight. Still can't find the Pleco. He said to give it a couple days and it should make its way out and if it doesn't he needs to take the plumbing apart. He did take the plumbing that want glued in the weir apart to see if he was in there but couldn't find him. (Is it usual for the plumbing up there not to be glued?) As soon as he opened the cabinet door he shook his head and said, "why the hell did they put this pump on this tank," apparently way too big. It's a Sedra 5000l/h pump. The installer did say that it was a temp pump till he got back as they didn't have the 1 he wanted to put on it in stock at the time. He's turned the valve half way so the flow from the pump isn't as strong as he'd prefer the installer to rectify the issue. He did say that he didn't really think that this was at fault though as it shouldn't have taken a week for it to do what it has done. He also tightened the bulkhead (I think that's what the black pipe is called) but he said that too is a temp fix as he recommends they come back and seal everything properly. He wasn't impressed that they rushed the installation because they had to leave for overseas and has offered me a discount on the wild caught Ikola I've got my eyes on and the assurance that he will have the installers come over as soon as they get back. Also gave me his mobile and after hours number in case of an emergency. I have to say a big thank you for all of yours and everyone else's input, there really are some fantastic people on here. I'm sure I'll bug you with something else that comes up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simy696 Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 its all a learning process and we are learning from your issues too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 1 hour ago, simy696 said: its all a learning process and we are learning from your issues too. Hopefully I actually figure out what occurred So it doesn't happen again! And hopefully the Pleco makes its way out of wherever he is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckmeister Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 for me personally I'd be a little annoyed at what you spent (great gear), the pressure he has placed you under, a rushed job (installation, and yes everything needs to be glued) for someone wanting or needing a holiday and the fact that you have a sump that is not ideal (submerged bio balls). I would be raising these points when he decides he's had enough sun soaking. I'm not interested in shop bashing, far from it but these guys should know some basics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Definitely going to demand it all be fixed when they get back. They are such nice people which is why I don't think anything was intentional but it has been an experience from hell this far to say the least. which chamber should I swap the bio balls into? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 RIP little man. Maybe he was the cause of the blockage, either way I'm also going to try and find some mesh that will save any future tragedies occuring in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simy696 Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 id say thats one of the issues the shop has caused you. you may want to show that pic to the lfs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Simy I sent him the pic msg this morning, he called me apologetic and told me as soon as they fix everything to pop into the store to pick up another Pleco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link2Hell Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 yep that is the smell of decomposing pleco you were greeted with top of the weir should run a screen like a comb to stop fishy things getting in there if not the they tend to have a drilled pipe fitted into the bulkhead that way only fry can make their way into the the sump if the get through also if the return pipe is under water level and not covered with a screen like guard Plecs tend to like swim into a current and can get ground up in the pump or jam up the piping that is until they decomp and turn into a snowball effect good that you got the owner to see the fit up and problems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophSixx Posted February 11, 2016 Author Share Posted February 11, 2016 The owner wasn't impressed at all but the guys that fit everything did say that they'd have to come fix things when they got back. They knew I had no idea about the sump and plumbing so probably had their fingers crossed nothing happened. Been a nightmare so far but I have to say that with all the hiccups I'm learning a little more and more. I'll wait till they rectify before placing another Pleco in there that's for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjoconr Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Its a great idea to allow the fry to enter your sump, over the last year a large number of fry have survived by going over my wier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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