Main Drain Clogged?

[Kenzo]

I'm running a herbie drain with an extra emergency drain, so 3 tubes to the sump total. I noticed my secondary drain getting louder recently. I figured I could adjust my gate valve on my primary and it would fix the issue. However, I couldn't find a spot to quiet down the drain and ended up eventually trying the gate fully open and everything in between to fully closed and noticed that neither caused the noise from the secondary drain to change much.

I'm thinking my primary may be clogged and I need to snake it, any other ideas I may be over looking or something overall that I'm missing?

 

[Coral reefer]

Can you see into the overflow and make sure it’s not clogged right where water goes into the main drain?
Internal or external box?

 

[SJ701]

Do you have a sea cucumber? My sea cucumber up and tried to move to the sump.. he made it but not without messing with the overflows for a few days.

 

[Kenzo]

Can you see into the overflow and make sure it’s not clogged right where water goes into the main drain?
Internal or external box?

My system is plumbed like this, the main drain is the one of the right. Unfortunately I'm unable to see into it.

 

[Kenzo]

Do you have a sea cucumber? My sea cucumber up and tried to move to the sump.. he made it but not without messing with the overflows for a few days.

I do not, that sounds a like a nightmare to have to deal with if he got stuck haha.

 

[SJ701]

I do not, that sounds a like a nightmare to have to deal with if he got stuck haha.

he got stuck in the skimmer pump .. hes fine now and living back in the display.

 

[Coral reefer]

So is main drain glued in at the bottom of the overflow box? If not unscrew/pull that pipe out and see what happens

 

[MolaMola]

I have a similar drain setup. Is your overflow screened? Before adding netting, I had a large trochus snail get lodged in the main drain. Like @CoralReefer said, you can probably unscrew that pipe. Fingers crossed

 

[divewsharks]

so it was running for some time quielty, and just recently starting making noise? Does anything change at all if when you opened the primary wide open? did you make any changes with your return pump?

 

[Kenzo]

So is main drain glued in at the bottom of the overflow box? If not unscrew/pull that pipe out and see what happens

Figured I'd have to do that, but didn't want to risk leaking underneath by unscrewing the tubing. Oh well, guess I'll drain the overflow.

 

[Kenzo]

I have a similar drain setup. Is your overflow screened? Before adding netting, I had a large trochus snail get lodged in the main drain. Like @CoralReefer said, you can probably unscrew that pipe. Fingers crossed

Does the weir count as screening? Lol, if not, then no it's not screened. Yeah it looks like it'll need to come apart.

 

[Kenzo]

so it was running for some time quielty, and just recently starting making noise? Does anything change at all if when you opened the primary wide open? did you make any changes with your return pump?

Exactly yes and nothing changed that I noticed. The emergency 3rd drain has a slow stream of droplets when the gate is fully open or fully closed.

I slowed the speed of the return pump so the noise of the overflow would be quieter. An attempt to keep my sanity, but definitely not a long term solution and lowering flow is not ideal for me.

 

[JVU]

Yeah sounds like your main drain pipe is at least partially clogged. You could try to snake it but more likely you’ll have to take it apart and clean it out. It’s a PITA. In the current situation you not only have the annoying noise but also loss of the safety of the extra pipe.

 

[MichaelB]

Amazon.com

Maybe something like this could be worth a shot.

 

[MolaMola]

Does the weir count as screening? Lol, if not, then no it's not screened. Yeah it looks like it'll need to come apart.

No, I would say the weir cannot keep anything out of the overflow. After I removed the stuck snail, I temporarily cable-tied plastic mesh to the weir to cover the overflow. I think that was over three years ago and the same mesh is there and no one has gotten into the overflow. You can't really see the ties, though maybe bc I'm not tall.

So your main drain has a standpipe in the overflow, right? I just unscrewed mine from the top and the snail was stuck inside. I did not have to disconnect anything below the overflow. Is your situation different?

 

[Kenzo]

So thanks to the advice and infinite wisdom of the online reefing community, I was privy to adding a union when I set my tank. This addition made this situation so my easier to deal with.

My clog ended up being a trochus snail, which I cleared and proceeded to reassemble my unsightly plumbing job.

Now I'm back to enjoying my tank without the maddening sound of a partial siphon.

Thanks all for your help

 

[Coral reefer]

Whatcha gonna do to prevent it from happening again?

 

[Kenzo]

Whatcha gonna do to prevent it from happening again?

You sound like a reef father haha.

TBD, thinking of a way to incorporate some screen on the drain as another member mentioned above.

 

[Coral reefer]

They make strainers for this purpose

 

[MichaelB]

plenty of options like @ coral reefer mentioned. I just wouldn't recommend one with the finest of screens easier to get clogged up. At least white part if finger nails size gaps.

Neptunes, and aquatic collection have them in person. online Amazon or bulk reef supply as well.

If you use them, don't glue them like i did easier to remove clean later on.