Pump and filter problem

[Jim27]

Help! I have a 32 gallon trash can with lava rock for my filter the pump pushes the water into the bottom it flows upward through the rock and gravity flows back into the pond through a pipe cut a few inches below the top. This has worked fine the last three years now all of the sudden it overflows out of the to of the top of trash can. The drain pipe is not stopped up anyone have any ideas nothing has changed. Thanks.

 

[Lisak1]

Well, only one of two possibilities that I can see - either the outlet is plugged (which you say it isn't) or the pump is pushing too much water too fast for the outlet to handle. I don't know why that might have changed, though...

 

[DeepWater]

What diameter is the outflow pipe? What GPH is the pump? How much head loss? Can you put a shop vac on the outflow pipe, inside that trash can, and then suck or blow out the outflow pipe?

 

[carolinaguy]

If you can, try blowing the outflow out with a compressor. There are large rubber plugs you can buy that will fit the diameter of your pipe. I think we got them at a swimming pool retailer, but I can't remember exactly where. Drill a hole in the center and insert a small diameter air gun through the hole. Just push in the pipe end and fire away. Used to use this technique when winterizing our swimming pool to blow out the return skimmer lines.

We had a blocked 2 inch line in our last pond and I just could not clear it. Used a 25 foot drain snake, that might be another tool to use, but it didn't hit anything. A frog got into the line and got stuck at the return valve. Had to dig up the valve and remove the frog body. Yuk!