This CAN'T Be Good...

[AJ_77]

Turned off my return pump for a few minutes last night. When it started back up, about a week's worth of tiny mysis shrimp pieces came flowing out of the returns! What a cloudy mess! It didn't look to be decomposing - yet - and the fish ate a bunch of it, but what the heck?!?

I have a 1" PVC return that splits to each side of the tank. The right side has 2 outflows, the left a single. Obviously, somewhere is a problem spot (hopefully just one), maybe just enough of a clog to catch some food. I've been feeding via the sump - dropping the food into the last chamber and letting the pump deliver it. But even if I drop the food straight into the tank over top, some will circulate through and get caught. Should I turn off the return pump while feeding until I figure this out?

Thing is, the return system is welded together, from the pump to where the edge of the tank, and it can't come out the back of the stand unless I drain the tank and move it away from the wall - woops. Maybe lacking foresight there...

My first idea was to drain the sump, get a HOT skimmer, and put a plug in the overflow and be done with it. Some more LR, maybe a canister filter...

Any advice??? A super-long pipe cleaner??

Alan :confused: