Question about JBJ nanocube

[Oilers]

I have a 28G nanocube for a few months now but the problem only occurs this week. The other day I noticed the back chamber (where I place the pumps) was running dry and the pumps are blowing air into the tank so I top it off. However, after I refilled the back chamber, I had water overflowing the tank and spilling onto the floor. So I took some water out of the tank to stop the water from overflowing but then the back chamber was running dry again and I couldn't get them to balance somehow. What am I doing wrong?

[Enigma]

That is very peculiar.

Are you using the surface skimmer on the intake grill? Have you upgraded the NC28's return pump? Have you checked for obstructions that could be impeding waterflow between the chambers?

[Oilers]

I hang the surface skimmer in one of the slots in the back chamber as well. I haven't upgraded or changed anything the last few months so it baffles me why this is happening. The back chamber has been running dry before and I have topped it off time and time without any issue.

[Enigma]

Maybe remove the surface skimmer. Something must be impeding the water flow from the display into the back chambers, or the water flow through the first back chambers into the return chamber. That is the only reason I can think of why the display area of the tank would be overflowing.

If you had upgraded the pump, my guess would be that the pump was pumping water into the display area more quickly then it could drain into the back chambers. If you're using the same pump you have been all along, I don't think that should be the issue. If anything, I'd suspect that the volume of water the pump was moving would decrease over time: not increase.

Another thought . . . I have an NC12 and an NC24. There is a little hole in the divider between the display and back chambers. It is beneath the the intake/overflow grill. Did you silicone that hole closed? That's a popular mod, and one I was actually going to do. I don't know if closing off that hole would make a huge difference to the flow or not.

[ChizerBunoi]

That little hole in the first overflow chamber is a fail-safe. It evens out the water level between the main display and all 3 chambers when the power goes out.

[Snaz]

I have an aquapod with similar chambers. If the return pump returns water faster than the overflow the pump chamber will run dry. Check and clean all paths that the water flows back to the return pump so it does not run dry.

[Oilers]

I took out everything in the back chamber and cleaned it last night. Everything seems to be A-okay now. Thanks for the help everyone. :biggrin: