Oscillating Pump... what do I do?

[Tangtastic]

For the last couple months my tank's main pump has been making this 'gulping' noise every so often. The majority of the time it runs smoothly and doesn't make that much noise, but then intermittently, it will make this 'gulping' noise as if maybe there were waves going through the water in which it was pumping from and the flow rates weren't constant or something?? The after a minute or so of this 'gulping', it returns to normal. It wasn't doing this before? So what could be the problem??

We completely disassembled, cleaned and reassembled, so there is no blockage, and it still does this.

Has anyone had this problem before??

I have a 90 gallon tank that cycles through a 10 gallon refugium below. The pump is 15W, 115Volt.

Thanks a bunch!

-Amber

90 gallon reef tank
100+ lbs live rock
Mushrooms
Hairy mushroom
feather dusters
Xenia

1- Yellow Tang
1- Sailfin Tang
1- Percula
1- Blue Damsel
1- Target Mandarin Goby
1- Coral Banded Shrimp
1- Porcupine Puffer (yes... he gets along with ALL of his tank mates... even the shrimp)

:bluenod: Such a Sweet Addiction! :bluenod:

 

[cracker]

What do Ya think Guys? The intake is sucking air from the surface?
Tangtastic, Is there a whirlpool above the pump?

 

[Tangtastic]

No. Pump is completely submerged, not moving and water is calm. Not a ripple.

In the main tank overflow, there is a foam tube surrounding the pipe that leads to the refugium acting as a filter. Do you think there is too much algae and the foam isn't getting enough water flow through it causing this gulping of the pump?? There is only about 6 inches of water in the overflow and therefore only 6 inches of that foam is filtering the whole tank. That portion of the foam is pretty green.

I'll pull the foam and clean it again and see what happens.

Any other ideas in the meantime??

Thanks

 

[Tangtastic]

Alright... that didn't help?? I don't know what to do. I don't necessarily think this is hurting anything, but it is pretty annoying. I hope it doesn't burn out my pump...

Any thoughts?

 

[tbittner]

It definitely sounds like it is sucking air from somewhere. The pump is submerged in your return part of the fuge? Can you post a picture? That would help.

 

[Tangtastic]

Yes. 10 gal fuge below 90 gal tank, pump submerged in fuge. plastic pipe runs from pump to larger clear pipe, then to pvc pipe coming from tank, pvc pipe runs up to top of tank and through spout into tank, then water runs out the overflow, down another pipe, and back into the fuge. There is no leaking, but I can see a lot of air in the pipe joining the pvc and the piping connected to the pump. If the pump is not taking in air... then it must be between the pump and the pvc pipe, but there is no leak? But i guess if the air is being sucked in then no water would be let out...

hmmmm....

But then sometimes it runs smoothly and no water leaks then either?

Wierd?

You don't think my pump is having fits do you? Does that even sound possible that the pump would intermittently not intake smoothly?

I guess I'll have to listen closely to it while it is gulping to see.


I'll post some pics if I can't figure it out.

Thanks cracker and tbittner

 

[Triggerjay]

What brand pump is it? I had a Rio wear out a plastic bushing, and it did the same thing you are explaining. A new impeller assembly solved the problem.

Jason

 

[tbittner]

Are all of the pipes from the pump back to the tank the same size? I wonder if it's not caused by a differential head pressure.

 

[Tangtastic]

THey do change size, but it used to run smoothly and just lately started this gulping, so you would think that if it were the differentiation in pipe sizes, it would have done that from the beginning? I'm thinking it might be the pump. I'm going to check that out. Where would one go to get pump 'parts' anyway??

 

[mps9506]

This might sound silly... are you sure it's the pump and not the drain plumbing making the noise?

 

[tbittner]

Good question, Mike.

Parts can usually be purchased at places like Aquarium supplies for your tropical fish tank, saltwater fish tank, saltwater aquarium fish, freshwater aquarium fish & reef aquarium. Aquarium filters, aquarium lighting, aquarium tanks, protein skimmers & more for your reef tank.