First post...but got a question..already

[Anonymous]

Chris,

So leave it empty?

 

[ChrisRD]

So leave it empty?

Yup.

 

[Anonymous]

ok, thanks Chris. I do trust your advice.

 

[spaulr]

Don't mean to hijack the thread but....
IME I would be VERY wary of that RIO pump that "mysteriously" started working. I'd replace it with a mag or other "higher" quality pump. RIOs have been known to do very baddddd things when they stop working.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the suggestions but i tore apart the rio pump, put it back together and now it is magically working again. i donk know what its problem was, but it is skimming away right now, hopefully it will continue to work. Oh i was wondering, would it hurt to throw in a couple more turbo snails in my tank, or should i wait till it is done cycling...ive noticed that they have been going to town on the brown algea(diatoms i guess) that is growing in there

thx

I have a rio pump running my skimmer. I have to take it apart every month or so to clean the impeller. Just use a tooth brush to clean all the moving parts...if there is any calcium built up, soak the pump parts in vinegar.

That pump should last years, but it will keep stopping on you now and then and you will have to clean it.

In contrast, I have maxi-jets and mag pumps that run for ever without a single cleaning.

You get what you pay for.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't mean to hijack the thread but....
IME I would be VERY wary of that RIO pump that "mysteriously" started working. I'd replace it with a mag or other "higher" quality pump. RIOs have been known to do very baddddd things when they stop working.

I've heard that too, but again, my rio stops often and has worked for a long time.

Rios have been known to nuke tanks when they leak fluids into the water. Mag drive pumps can't do that, so they are preferable.

But the size pump that runs a skimmer is little more than a powerhead. The rio pumps that have nuked tanks are large pumps.

Even if that small pump leaked fluid, I doubt it would be enough to nuke a tank of 60 gallons. And if it did, it wouldn't start back up.

His impeller probably got gunked up with something.

Heck, I once couldn't figure out what stopped my pump and ended up pulling out one of my wifes two foot long blonde hairs that was wrapped around the shaft! :lol:

 

[AstroCreep]

Will do!!