Sequence 4200 Pump

[riparks]

Our pond has been up and running since May. We made a couple of minor tweaks, but the water is clear and the water parameters are good. The only problem we have not is that the drains for our bio filters (2 55 gallon barrells) are not working properly, so I have been sucking the gunk from the bottom with my shop vac. Yesterday, I unplugged the pump to clean the gunk from the bio filters and do a 20% water change. When I plugged the pump back in, it came on, but did not "pick up the water" (in my husbands words). We do not have a priming pot, but my husband put a piece of pvc pipe beside the pump that sticks up and we pour water into the pump to prime it. We took the pump apart and there is no clogging and the impeller is clean. Any ideas on why the pump won't "pick up the water"?

I didn't post pictures of our build process, I've been in and out of the doctors office a lot the past couple of months for several problems and have to have surgery on Friday. I'll try to post a picture today if anyone is interested. I didn't turn out exactly as I thought it would, but I am exteremly happy with it.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[koidaddy]

It sounds like its need to be primed. I have a leaf pot on mine and it takes a few minutes to pull the water from the bottom of my pond to the pump. @5' One thing that helps me is I have ball valves going to each barrel that I close before shutting off the pump. Then once the pump is cleaned I open one of them to get water flowing back through the plumbing into the pond from the filter. You will see the air bubbles as this is happening. Then close the valve and turn the pump on then open the valve. The reason I close the valve before powering up the pump is because the pressure comming from the barrels/filter will keep the pump from starting sometimes.
Hope this helps some.

 

[riparks]

Thanks for the quick response. I don't have a leaf pot, but I do have a pre-filter. There is a valve, not sure what kind. It is located after the pump and before the filters, it is used for both filters. I did close this valve before I sucked the gunk out. After the pump was cleaned and replaced, I filled the pvc pipe beside the pump with water, turned on the pump and opened the valve. Usually, you can hear the water going into the filters from the swirlers in just a few seconds. Nothing we have tried has worked this time. I do have 2 submersible pumps circulating the water in the pond right now, I am very worried about my fish, it's been so hot here lately and I've read several horror stories of people losing fish.

 

[addy1]

Another thing that helps is plumb in a hose bib, you can then use a hose to prime the pump. I have the same pump, it does take a little to prime, do have the leaf basket on mine.

Make sure you do not have an o ring issue. It could be pulling air which will keep it from priming.
Check the lid and where the line is plumbed into the pump, a small piece of debris will cause an air leak

 

[koidaddy]

Yes I agree with addy on an air leak also. Are you on well water addy? I like your idea about the hose bib but all I have is city water at the moment.

 

[riparks]

Addy, where is the o ring? I don't have a priming pot, is there an o ring on the pump I should look at? What is a hose bib? I've checked all the places where the pvc is joined (it is all glued in place) and can't find a leak. Please forgive my ignorance on the plumbing, hubby did it all, I don't know the names of the parts and pieces.

 

[koidaddy]

I think addy has a place plumbed into her pvc where she can hook a hose into it before the pump the assist with the water flow to get it going. There are either o-rings or rubber washers at the pvc connectors to the pump.

 

[riparks]

That makes sense. Off the my pre-op appointment. I'll check everything out when I get home. Thanks again for your help.

 

[addy1]

Sorry was outside. I plumbed in a t right before the pump, in my arizona pond, the top of the t reduced it down to the size of a hose bib, but also right before the hose bib have a shut off valve. I would open the valve, run the hose, fill the piping, flip on the pump and shut the shut off valve.

There should be a seal where the two inch pvc attaches to the pump, on the in and the out.

Yes here well water, but in arizona city water, the little bit of water that went in to prime the pump I did not worry about, but then again the pond was 14k gallons.

 

[riparks]

I got the pump working today. The way I did it was to take the water hose on full blast into the pvc pipe that runs from the prefilter to the pump, then into the pvc pipe that comes from the bottom drain to the prefilter and the pump started working. I guess this might mean there was air somewhere inside the pvc pipe, right?

 

[addy1]

I got the pump working today. The way I did it was to take the water hose on full blast into the pvc pipe that runs from the prefilter to the pump, then into the pvc pipe that comes from the bottom drain to the prefilter and the pump started working. I guess this might mean there was air somewhere inside the pvc pipe, right?

good possibility, before I did the hose bib, I always had to stick a hose into the pvc line, even had a check valve installed. It was a real pain in the hiney........... arizona pond, this pond it primes just fine