Help with 12g nano filter

[scubasteve20]

Hello, I need some help with my nano. Here's my setup, 12g all stock Nano, bioballs & carbon removed, ~13 lbs LR, ~2" live sand. I'm having some issues with the filter and pump. The pump chamber used to randomly change water levels from so full that the water just flowed right over all the filter media to so low that the pump would suck air. I recently removed everything from the filter, cleaned sponges, disasssembled and cleaned the pump, and put it all back in like this: four sponges in the first chamber, ceramic rings in the second, pump in third with flow set completely open and the pump chamber still stays completely full. What am I doing wrong? I've lost most of my livestock I think due to oxygen starvation since there is no turbulence in the water. What can I do to make my filter/pump system work properly? I plan on getting the small Fission protein skimmer and possibly upgrading pumps, would this help? Also, I can't seem to grow any coralline. I have 5 hermits, 5 snails, small zoanthid colony, two small sponges, and LOTS of copepods(sp?). Water checks good all the time & I don't overfeed but I can't really seem to keep anything else alive. I would really appreciate any inputs and sorry for the long post. I'm just getting frustrated and poor.

Steve

 

[AttackDonut]

For starters, try running the back chambers with just the pump for a bit, make certain the chamber water level stays level.

Next, add back your ceramic rings and repeat.
Save your money on the Fission skimmer, they are *completely* worthless.
Use only 1 sponge for last, and see how it goes.
Coralline algae can take a long time to start, so have patience.

 

[scubasteve20]

OK... So the back chambers should stay full? I switched to a CAP (generic?) 600 pump today and I'm getting a lot more flow which can't be a bad thing. I'll pull all the filter stuff out tonight when I rearrange my LR and run it for a couple days. Do the rings ever need replacing? Also, I'm almost positive the light in it is original with over a year on it so I'm searching for a replacement for that, any recommendations? I found another LFS that said he'll do a complete water test, my regular place just did a 5 in 1 and salinity so maybe I'll find part of my problem there. Thanks for the help,

Steve