trying to make a drain for protein skimmer please advise?

[ozorowsky]

Hello,

I have a euroreef protein skimmer thats working well so far. It had a barb at the bottom of the collection cup, that was not drilled.

I have a quarantine tank as well as a 340gallon DT. Both of those I have drains tied together that lead to my bathroom sink so when I do a water change I just open a valve, let water drain out. Has been working great.

I plumbed in this barb at the bottom of my protein skimmer and poured water in there to test the drain but its not draining!

Just to go through what happens; Home depot didn't have a 3/4 90 degree barb so I improvised. I bought a T, put a pvc cap at bottom of T. Then from middle ran 3/4 tube to pvc with a ball valve (in case some kind of reverse flow issues). When I remove the 3/4 tube from the T and do my test water pees out the side of the T no problem. I then hook up the tube, and I know there is a slight incline in the hose but its still lower than the highest point in skimmer cup, but its like the water just won't flow. I can't figure out why. Its a major bummer. Anyone know why or any ideas whats going on here? I'll post pics for reference

 

[ozorowsky]

Attaching pictures of the drain now

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Any kind of back pressure in the pvc, under water?
I had a similar problem when a drain exit became clogged by snow.
Cleared & problem went away.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

If the plumbing goes up at some point (even if it goes back down) and it's not always totally full of water, you will get an air bubble in the high section that blocks flow.

Reroute so it's always sloping down, with no upward sections, from the skimmer cup to the point where there's an airbreak, and it'll work.

 

[ozorowsky]

If the plumbing goes up at some point (even if it goes back down) and it's not always totally full of water, you will get an air bubble in the high section that blocks flow.

Reroute so it's always sloping down, with no upward sections, from the skimmer cup to the point where there's an airbreak, and it'll work.

Trying this without seeming success I think its because of where the actual nipple/elbow is placed.

What are the chances of some form of inline pump I can splice in and turn on as skimmer cup fills up let it suck whatever down push it out the drain and then just turn it off?

This skimmer cup is like 12" round, would like to find a way to automate this if possible.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

I would use the bottom 90 & get it right up against the nipple.

 

[Daddi0]

You could always use an aqualifter? Seems like you are higher at the drain in sink.