Getting No Return Flow. Any Help?

How's everyone.
I turned off my entire system to do some Aiptasia killing, and when I turned it back on I noticed that the return flow was almost non-existent.

Everything seems to be working fine, except there's no force on the 2 return nozzles.

I re-plugged it in multiple times hoping that it was something like that.
(I have Powerheads that suck instead of blow until you replug them back in a few times)

But, like I said, things seem to be functioning. I can see the water going out of the tank, into the sump.
It seems a bit weak, but I'm not sure.
I have the pump on full-blast as well. Maybe it needs to be replaced?

Anyone see anything? If you put your finger over the returns, you can barely feel a thing. If you lift up the pump and mess with it, it'll get better for a second or 2, but then back to nothing.

Here's a video, I don't know if it's helpful at all.
Thanks.
IMG 7807 - YouTube

 

Looks like the hose needs "primed". Kind of like getting a siphon going, the pump can't get the water up and over the side of the tank due to too much head loss. If that's not the case then maybe the pump seized up.

Try hooking up a shorter hose ( like 1 ft.) and see how much pressure/flow you get. If it barely pumps with that short of a hose then it's either clogged or seized IMO.

 

By primed do you mean lifting the pump out of the water, so it starts sucking in air?

Because, when I do that, it starts shooting out the returns like it should, but only for 20 seconds or so.

It's been working for a year or so, I turn it off and on all the time. Just this time, something happened.

 

Don't run it dry, whenever you unplug a pump and plung it back in the surge of power and abrupt starting of the propeller can cause damage over time. By prime I mean getting the hose full of water, best way would probably be filling the pump section as high as you can and lift the pump almost to the surface (without running air). This will lower the amount of work (head height) the pump has to do to get the water up and over the side of the tank.

 

It does not need to be primed. If it is moving water, it is moving water. It would sound like doo doo if it had air in it. If you are unsure, just tip the pump up with the power off to make sure no air is trapped in the casing. You could easily have something in the pump. Check the tubing and take the pump apart and make sure it is clear and clean. Take the return tubing off and see what it puts out in the sump... don't point it up

 

+1

Pumps do become clogged and require cleaning periodically.

 

What kind of a pump is it? Most pumps are easily taken apart. Ever so often you should be cleaning the suction cover, and then remove the impeller and clean that and the volute (area where the impeller sits inside). Give it a bath in a mixture of vinegar and water (2 parts water to 1 part vinegar should be good).

 

Remove the pump, disassemble it and soak the parts in some distilled white vinegar for an hour or two. Inspect everything for a white build up and especially look down in the magnet area inside the motor to make sure there is no buildup there which causes the impeller to drag. Remove the magnet and impeller from the shaft and clean the shaft well then put it all back together and it should be like new.

On your powerheads, if they are Hydor Evolutions they should not run backwards and you can contact Hydor Customer Support via email for free replacement parts, they are guaranteed for two years against defects.

 

Sounds like a clogged pump or something preventing the impeller from turning at full speed.

 

Check to make sure the impeller itself is working properly. I've had to replace just the impeller before. usually they are two parts to the impeller and it may just be stripped or something causing it to spin slower. The impeller attaches to the magnet and if that notch that spins the impeller is bad then it will reduce flow.