In need of a pump!!

R

RoachBug

New member
OK today officially sucks big time!! Started of with a ****ty day at work, topped off with finding out I have to work OT (need the moola but had plans). I come home to see that the sump in my tank is running low for some reason while tank level is high.I did not have time to mess with it so I shut off the power and changed gear and headed back into work.

Got home round 11 and tried to figure out what was up. No matter how I adjusted the outflow, all the watter kept pulling out of the sump and into the tank. While monkeying around my pump decided to crap out on me!! Not only do I need to find a new pump (which I know run a lot of $$), I have not figured out how I am even going to be able to change it out without flooding out the living room.

So I have a couple questions. First off does anyone know where I can find a cheap pump for a 125g tank. Secondly anyone near Marion care to come over and brainstorm about how to replace it? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Roach
 
Hello!
I just bought a mag 9.5 from Salty critter, in Vermillion, but alot of places carry them... I believe it was around $70.00...pumps 950 gph.....I didn't need alot of flow, but if it's wide open on my 125, I have a 40 gallon sump, it returns the water faster than it drains into the sump...

You do not have any ball valves or places to disassemble your return??

If it were me, I would drain your main tank below the overflow, so no more can make it into the sump...then you may have to drain a small amount out of your sump, in order to change out the pump.... not sure how your system is configured, but that should work for either a back overflow, or a bottom, with built in overflow box...

HTH! I live fairly close to Marion, about 35 minutes....not sure I can be of any assisstance though! I would glady stop by to see what you have going on....
 
Aye, I have a overflow which gravity feeds to the sump. A friend helped me set up the tank when I started out and I am thinking we did not plan for contingencies. I should be able to drain out hte sump enough that I should not loose too much water into the living room, however, I am thinking that I will have to replace some pvc. He has all the joints/connections cemented. I guess after work tomorrow I will be headed out to try and find a pump and go from there.

There is a Pets Plus and another pet store here in town, though I have no clue if they carry pumps. I never looked for one before and all I really remmeber seeing at either place is powerhead and air pumps. Hopefully I won;t have to go all the way to Columbus. I am glad to hear that you foudn one relatively cheap, when I looked on line they were all $200 plus.
 
Make sure that you purchase a "quick disconnect" for your return line....not sure if you are familiar with them, but they are grey, fairly large, and actually come apart via a plastic nut, actually seperates two sections of pvc...only about 5-6 bucks, and well worth it... I can completely take out my pump. I also have a ball valve installed right above my quick disconnect, so that I can stop water flow from the tank to the sump, if I need to....

Might as well add to the headache now, and fix it so that this doesn't happen again...

Sorry for your misfortune, I can relate...
let me know if there's anything I can help you with...

Is Mansfield closer for you than Columbus, or about the same?
I know there is also a store in galion, called KC's fish, not sure if he'll have a pump, but a call to information, and then to him, might save you a trip to Columbus....

Good luck!
:D
 
I can't possibly imagine how you have this return pump plumbed that you will get water all over by removing it. if that is the case then I don't understand what is keeping your whole room from flooding anytime you shut off the return line for anything.

your gravity feed overflow should stop feeding after you switch off the return pump. that is how mine works. after a few seconds it drains down below the overflow teeth and reaches equalibrium, yes a bit of water is down in the sump but it is not so full as to overflow. the only way that would occur is if the return line keeps a siphon and pulls water down to the sump that way. if that is the problem then you just need a siphon break in the return line. if that isn't it and it is just the extra water draining in before the overflow stops then your sump is VASTLY too small. in the event of a power outage your sump should have enough extra space to accommidate all excess water that accumulates before the overflow reaches equalibrium, otherwise a blackout could result in a MAJOR flood for you.

siphon breaks are also important as this too will prevent outage flooding, I myself have one siphon break, but need a second to make it more efficient, I just am so lazy that I keep putting it off.
 
I think right above I was a little unclear, but it seems to me that you are saying your overflow will flood the sump, this should not be possible as every overflow I have ever seen relies on water continously flowing into the tank in order to keep the level rising enough to overflow back out of the tank. so therefore no return pump bring sump water up to the tank, no more water going back down the overflow out of the tank. the water should never just keep flowing out and out on it's own, if it does then it is a seriously poorly designed overflow, and I don't even know how it would be able to do that in the first place.
 
Is this a hang on overflow or a drilled tank? If it's a hang on make sure the siphon tube(s) don't have any obstructions (algae, snails, accumulated air bubbles, etc..) they will all cause water to be pumped from the sump faster than it can drain from the tank...
If your pump has more flow than your overflow has capacity that could be the problem as well, it's unlikely though since it's been working till now. I would say the obstruction is the more likely cause of your troubles. If it's the pump a ball valve of the correct size for your return can adjust the pumps flow to the tank.

Marie, The quick disconnect you're describing is a union.

BTW I know AA in Columbus has suitable pumps on the shelf but you'll need the OT money...
 
Roach, you get this fixed?

Where in Marion are you? I can come and give you a hand.





*Edit*

Sent ya a Private Message
 
Last edited:
Treg stopped by today to help out, it was decided my current plumbing scheme leaves a tad bit to be desired. Anyhow, without spilling too much water we were able to get the old pump *with expception of the face-plate* off to try and clean/salvage it. It was found to be DOA...BAH!

Picking up a slightly used WMD30RLXT American Motored Iwaki Water Pump from ICU2 tomorrow! Need to rethink the plumbing this time around a tad. Hopefully tomorrow I can make a trip to Lowes and get things back up and running.

Thanks again Treg and ICU2 for the help!!


Roach

"in honor of my ability to break the unbreakable, my avatar has been updated"
 
:lol:

We give it a go, no luck.

Good thing is, we didn't manage to break anything else. :D

I say, drill a hole in the stand, Put the new pump on the left side.
(Having room to work on stuff really pays off down the road.)

Cut all the old plumbing off and file it where it belongs. ;)
Your probably looking at $40 for new plumbing parts, a few hours of cursing and several trips to Lowes... :D

(Thats how I plumb anyway...)

Let me know when your doing this, I may be available again. I've got all the tools we would need, and then some...
 
bigdaddyadam,

It sounds like he has an external pump. So, when the pump was removed, it would drain the sump everywhere. That is what I can understand from all that was written. If that is the case, a ball valve and a union on the intake of the pump would be a wise addition.

Fred
 
Or drain out the return section of the sump by siphon or a small pump (Maxijet works pretty good).

Alternately insert a plug into the bulkhead on the inside of the sump...slip or threaded plug depending on the type of bulkhead installed... :thumbsup:
 
I drained the Sump below the intake with a Maxi Jet and a bucket but the guy that put this together for him used an external pump, threaded the fittings on the pump then glued the PVC to the fittings. No shut off Valves, no Unions, just glued PVC.

I imagine the guy did that because Roachbugs stand has a left side and a right side, the sump and pump are both in the right side packed in there like sardines. Basically there was just no room to put everything in one side and do it right with union shut off valves in the plumbing.

The only way to get the pump out was to remove the pump housing screws and let all of the water in the plumping drain out of the pump. Which actually wasn't that much. He has anti siphon holes in the return lines so there was probably less than 3' of 1" lines with water left in them.

We can drill a hole in the stand divider and put the new pump in the empty left compartment and have plent of room for true union ball valves. Which I think he is planning on doing. It'll be fixed right this time. ;)
 
New Iwaki pump installed, along with new plumbing! All up and running again.....with no apparent leaks!!

I also received 2 of the 3 MH bulbs I ordered off of Ebay. 175watt 14k MH's, I love the new bluish spectrum. The corals look great under them. The brand is Ashi (which I have never heard of before) but they were dirt cheap, so I figured I would give em' a try. 2 14k and 1 10k cost me $34 and some change, with shipping! Came shipped from Hong Kong, excellant packaging and only took about 8 days. Seller's name is Greatdeal and he had a bunch of bulbs for sale with the full array of selections.

Thanks again for all the help Treg and of course to ICU2 for the pump. I owe ya both!!

Roach
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7211603#post7211603 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RoachBug
.....with no apparent leaks!!
Click to expand...

I hope not, That cement I brought over was alful gummy. I was a tiny bit nervous. :D


Sorry I had to bail on ya and miss out on the firing everything up!
 
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