Tunze 3155 not priming

[Brieninsac]

I have a new Tunze 3155 for my Red Sea Reefer. Because the 2.8 gal. ATO chamber is higher than the sump I'm feeding the return line from the ATO into a plastic tube so it doesn't continue to run after shutting off.

I remove the pump for a couple of hours after I refill the ATO with RO/DI water and kalkwasser so the precipitant can settle. However, when I turn the pump back on I hear it trying to prime but nothing flows. It seems the only way I can do this is by lowering the return line below the pump and after it shuts off move it back to the top of the plastic tube.

Is it normal to have to do this to get the pump to prime?

 

[rvitko]

If you tip the pump upside down to release any trapped air after you submerge it, that will solve the issue. It is getting air locked by the removal and drying out. Alternatively a kalkwasser reactor after the pump would be the best option as the kalkwasser is very hard on the pump, the most the pump will last in kalk is 12-18 months.

 

[zeemofree]

I have a new Tunze 3155 for my Red Sea Reefer. Because the 2.8 gal. ATO chamber is higher than the sump I'm feeding the return line from the ATO into a plastic tube so it doesn't continue to run after shutting off. I remove the pump for a couple of hours after I refill the ATO with RO/DI water and kalkwasser so the precipitant can settle. However, when I turn the pump back on I hear it trying to prime but nothing flows. It seems the only way I can do this is by lowering the return line below the pump and after it shuts off move it back to the top of the plastic tube. Is it normal to have to do this to get the pump to prime?

I lay mine o it's side so the air will move out when I pull it out of the water

 

[Brieninsac]

Right now I have the flow dial to the lowest setting. Would increasing it give it more power to prime itself better? If not, I'll try tilting it on its side in the ATO.

 

[rvitko]

It might help, but generally if the pump was removed from water or ran dry, air will be trapped in the impeller housing and it will struggle to prime and pump, a higher speed might help, but it can take several minutes.