Nobby's S-650
- Thread starter Nobbygas
- Start date
SPR
Well-Known Member
No I don’t stand on stools their dangerous. And you might see things that you don’t want to!
You start one job, and then it escalates.
A couple of days ago I noticed a small Apstasia growing, so yesterday I decided it needed to be nuked with Red Sea Aps X. I switched off the Return Pump and the Circulation Pumps, waited ten minutes for the circulation to die down, and then buried the little bugger in the white juicy stuff. "Die you horrible vermin, die!". I gleefully shouted.
Forty minutes later it was time to re-start everything, and up it all came. Except for one Circulation Pump. So, I took it out, cleaned it, and it worked again so I re-installed it, but by doing so I knocked one of the 'Vent' thingys, which fell off into the back chamber. Oh well, it needed a clean anyway, but I can't just clean one, so all four had to be taken out and cleaned. Not only that, but on the re-start of the main Return Pump I noticed that it struggled to actually fill up the tank. The flow from the Return Pump seems to be restricted or degraded, so now I realise that it also needs a damn good clean as well. What started off as a simple Apstasia death mission has turned into a full-scale cleaning mission.
Top Tip for cleaning the pumps:- I found one extra method for giving the pumps (especially the circulation pumps) a really good clean is to put about eight to ten inches of white vinegar/water mix into an old 10 litre salt bucket, and then just power the pump so it runs in the mixture for about five/ten minutes. It means the cleaning solution really does get to the parts inside the pump that maybe we miss.
I think I need a little visit to an LFS to calm myself down.
A couple of days ago I noticed a small Apstasia growing, so yesterday I decided it needed to be nuked with Red Sea Aps X. I switched off the Return Pump and the Circulation Pumps, waited ten minutes for the circulation to die down, and then buried the little bugger in the white juicy stuff. "Die you horrible vermin, die!". I gleefully shouted.
Forty minutes later it was time to re-start everything, and up it all came. Except for one Circulation Pump. So, I took it out, cleaned it, and it worked again so I re-installed it, but by doing so I knocked one of the 'Vent' thingys, which fell off into the back chamber. Oh well, it needed a clean anyway, but I can't just clean one, so all four had to be taken out and cleaned. Not only that, but on the re-start of the main Return Pump I noticed that it struggled to actually fill up the tank. The flow from the Return Pump seems to be restricted or degraded, so now I realise that it also needs a damn good clean as well. What started off as a simple Apstasia death mission has turned into a full-scale cleaning mission.
Top Tip for cleaning the pumps:- I found one extra method for giving the pumps (especially the circulation pumps) a really good clean is to put about eight to ten inches of white vinegar/water mix into an old 10 litre salt bucket, and then just power the pump so it runs in the mixture for about five/ten minutes. It means the cleaning solution really does get to the parts inside the pump that maybe we miss.
I think I need a little visit to an LFS to calm myself down.
SPR
Well-Known Member
All of this is very true!
I change the main pump with my spare around every 4 months or so and leave the one being cleaned in a citric acid bath for a week and when it comes out it’s like new. So hopefully it doesn’t stop at an inconvenient time.
What happened with the rear pump is because we don’t clean them often enough and it’s because of the stupid location of them. Infact if it wasn’t for the fact I like the clean look, I would consider 2 of the MP40 circulation pumps one at each end.
And all of the above is why I purchased 3 peppermint shrimps to eat the aiptasia rather than using my bottles of aiptasia x which means turning the rear pumps off! Lol.
SPR
Well-Known Member
Not this time but they did before so might get a few more - I don't have many aips anyway. But there are loads on the inside of the rear overflow. Amazing how nature adapts.
Ah, the inside of the rear chamber. Now you're talking ! I've got loads of those little hard white worm things in there. Fasands of 'em! It was hurting my Mild Cream Fairy Liquid hands when I delved into the chamber. Well, at least I did have them. With my messing around with the pumps and stuff I decided to tidy the chamber up, so I gave it a bit of a scrapping. It does look tidier now, and it's easier on my hands.
SPR
Well-Known Member
Did you not read and take note of point 2 of my article on palytoxins ! lol
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
Ha! This is how it always goes for me with kind of everything. Fish tank or not.
So yesterday I removed the main Return Pump for a good Dohbi. First I just washed it under the tap, then I ran it in my vinegar mixing tub for an hour. Next, I removed the front panel, but it was already sparkling clean inside. I re-installed it, and on power-up it was obvious that the flow was much better. The job was far easier than I expected and really wasn't any problem.
SPR
Well-Known Member
Is this the first time you have cleaned it !?
SPR
Well-Known Member
Feel free to use copy and paste from mine which is clearly much better and more detailed ! lol
SPR
Well-Known Member
Well that probably explains why your never ever going to clean the downpipe valve !lol
Its worth getting a spare pump if you can as back up and as you've found its actually very easy to change it over. Even getting the wire out is easy if you sort the tangle out.
I remember speaking with Kevin at Red Sea when I started out and he said sometimes things happen at the most inconvenient times like pump failure when just about to go away. So i now clean the pump about every 4 months or so and just swap out the old one and put the spare in. Soak it in citric acid for a week and then back in storage until needed.
I didn't now what was inside a pump when i first started so purchased the spare in case it failed before i learned how to do it!
I've been thinking of upgrading/replacing the return pump for a while, and having a spare is always a good idea. However, I did notice that while it was switched off, and also the skimmer was switched off, there was still a lot of noise being produced by the rear circulation pumps, and now I know that this is where the most noise is coming from. Sometimes the pumps can be slightly in the wrong position, so they touch the sides, and this can cause the vibration/humming sound, so I do tend to play around with them to reduce this, but I still feel that things could be better with these pumps.
Have you had a look at the Aquarimate App yet?
Have you had a look at the Aquarimate App yet?
SPR
Well-Known Member
‘It’s the 21st century’ you know, I use Apex Fusion for all recording of results and maintenance reminders. Admittedly a little more expensive than £9.99 but...
The maintenance reminders are currently just filter socks every 3 days and coral colours every 7-10 days.
The spreadsheet is a back up ‘at a glance’ sheet so I can just keep an eye on things. I don’t put maintenance reminders for pumps etc I just do those when I feel I must and that’s why I have dates when they were last done.
Your right with the circulation pump noise. Placement is key and I actually got some foam to put at the side of each one, but it didn’t make much difference as there is already some noise dampening material there so I didn’t use it.
I’ve got the Red Sea spare pump because it’s just a straight swap over and simple, and it works.