skimmer fail again!

[parrotchute]

SO, still having problems with my skimmer - it won't work after I shut it off, just makes a grinding noise and doesn't develop any suction. I'm going to buy a new pump for it, but until it gets here, how long can I go without a skimmer?

My filtration is just LR/LS with good circulation from kor pumps.

I've asked the question before, but never really got a direct answer...
Thanks guys, panicking!!!!
Alex

 

[parrotchute]

follow up - after testing it in the bucket, water appears to be getting sucked through the part where the bubble plate goes, and is coming out through the pipe I thought was the INTAKE. Almost like it's running in reverse....???

 

[bobby]

You don't NEED the skimmer. They're just really big helpers is all. Just keep and eye on you nitrates and do alittle big water changes and more often and you should be fine. If you have a high bioload then you might need to step it up from that too.

What skimmer are you running? Do you have a pic?

 

[parrotchute]

I have a HOB to bh-800, it's a really good skimmer, just the pump has been giving me serious issues. It's the one at the bottom: http://www.coralvue.com/Hang-On-The-BackSkimmers.html

 

[bobby]

I have never used one of them so I'm not real sure where the air intake is. Is water coming out of the tube on the left of the pic? Have you tried taking the pump apart and cleaning it and looking for anything off in it?

 

[parrotchute]

I was confused on the layout, it's going the right way...
I just took it out, cleaned it very thoroughly, and put it back in (40 minutes later, one electrocution, and covered in dirty water), and it still made that grinding, humming noise. Usually, when I was having problems with it, I'd unplug it and plug it in a few times, and it would "catch" and start going normally. So...no idea.

 

[bobby]

Electrocution? Unplug it and leave it out till the replacement comes. Take the pump back apart and stick your finger in the hole the impeller goes in and spin your finger. I got a feeling that you'll feel a lump on the inside. I bet it might have overheated and caused the windings to be slightly be exposed causing the shock and the lump would make the impeller jam causing the noise.

I think octopus pumps are known for overheating, at least they were known for before.

 

[bobby]

You might have to try acouple of times. I had a pump before that had that same problem and it took a few times to feel it. It wasn't bad enought to make it stop running, but it was bad enough to make the pump pull more amps and trip my GFI.

 

[parrotchute]

nah, electrocuted myself on the power strip because my hand was wet.

Think it could still be the impeller - would that explain the intermitent operation? Once it "works", it stays working until the next time I unplug it.

 

[bobby]

Could be the body. Did you try feeling the inside? Have you checked the shaft. Long shot, but my CSS had a broken shaft and it would run great....untill I turned it off. Once I tried turning it back on it I would have to plug unplug and plug again till it kicked on.

Does yours stay running after it's on or once it's been running for a while it stops? If it stops on it's own I bet the body over heated and there is a lump on the inside that expands and stops the impeller.

 

[parrotchute]

Once it's on, it stays on. Sounds like what you mentioned, being the shaft. What's the fix? Just replacing the pump?

I already ordered a new one, ($150 including the rush shipping) kind of irritates me, being how new it is - I'm going to pursue getting a free replacement from the company, but I don't have time to wait and in the end, I'll just have an extra...

Didn't play with it anymore, kind of lost the energy (plus I showered and got clean) to keep futzing with it.

Alex

 

[bobby]

Man that's an expensive pump. If it continues to run I'm thinking the pump is good, but it's hard to say with out seeing it.

 

[parrotchute]

Man that's an expensive pump. If it continues to run I'm thinking the pump is good, but it's hard to say with out seeing it.

Well, I got an email back from aquavue, and this is what they suggested:
"This sounds like an impeller issue. The impeller is sticking and not
allowing the wheel to spin freely. I can either have you send us the pump
and we can fix this for you or I can tell you have to fix it yourself. What
you will need to do is remove the pump and open it up to gain access to the pin wheel impeller. There is a yellow locking pin at the top of the wheel that holds it on to the magnet assembly. You can pull the wheel off or use a flat screw driver to pry the pin off. Once you have the wheel off drill out the diameter of the center hole. Don't go big just enough to get a little larger diameter so the wheel will spin back and forth on the plastic guide that is mounts to. You can also use sand paper to open the diameter just a small amount if you do not have a drill bit that will open it slightly."

So, I'm going to cancel my replacement order, and give that a try.

 

[Smitty]

Good luck with that. Hope it works, cause that 150.00 is expensive for something you could possibly fix yourself...your tank should be fine for a while without a skimmer.