help my $800 vortex brewer wont circulate

[JayTrinity]

ok I built it. Its just not working well and one tube wont pump water.

The pump was a nicer one, the largest one they had at the store.

Questions, do you need an airstone? I was told it makes bad things grow in the stone.

2. where should the air tubes go?

The outlet is 3/4 inch from 2 inch to 1 inch then outlet is 3/4

it moves lots of water but it does not DRAIN in a cyclone formation.

was considering going 100% one inch but dont have the parts and they wont surface mount.

IT WAS WORKING LAST YEAR! been in storage so I worked on it and cleaned it and help.

 

[Mt Toker]

Are you getting air through the tubes?
Are you filling the vessel with enough liquid?

These are the 2 things that give me problems with my brewer. Either not enough liquid to be pushed up with air, or not enough air to push up the liquid.

 

[growingcrazy]

That is one hell of a contraption...

I notice 2 things right off the bat that would make it function much better...

Put a 90* elbow on the riser tubes straight into the side of the tank. Install your air lines just above the rubber coupling in each riser.

With your system if the airlines aren't exactly at the same level in the bottom of the tube it could push the air out elsewhere. The small 90* is also asking for blockage. You can also build a brewer with only one riser if your pump isn't up to the task.