Sedra pump problem?

rynon · 07/15/2007, 03:57 PM

I have the EuroReef RS-135 protein skimmer with the Sedra 5000 pump. My venturi becomes plugged with salt every so often so I clean out the air line the way EuroReef suggests.........RO water through the air line. Well today when I did this the pump made a loud ticking noise, almost like a shorting sound......only while the water was being drawn through the air line.....then it was back to normal. These types of things drive me nutty so I tried to figure out the problem. I took the needle wheel out, looked normal, cleaned it, put it back together and the same thing happened. I then took it apart about 5 times to see if something was assembled incorrectly.....not the case. The last thing I did was run the pump in the sink to rule out a "rattle" in the sump and not the pump.......it's the pump, and it's not a rattle. I just emailed EuroReef to see what they suggest I do. Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas of what I should do? This is my second pump in probably six months.......am I working on number 3? I am WAY less than impressed with these pumps. Thanks.

chaffey · 07/15/2007, 04:08 PM

if you can drill the tube that you insert the air tube, drill it as large as possible with out breaking it.

when you plug the pump is, expect some noise, but once it started running you shouldn't heard any noise from the impeller.

Once the impeller worn out, you will hear lot of rattle noise, sometime the impeller refuse to turn.

chaffey · 07/15/2007, 04:09 PM

drilling the tube will help with the salt clog up.

rynon · 07/15/2007, 04:21 PM

Thanks, that's an easy solution to the salt build up. I am still worried about the sound the pump makes.....it's odd that it only does it when drawing water only and not air. I have it running normally right now and it's not making a sound? As soon as I run water through it (through the pump and venturi), it makes a terrible sound?

07/15/2007, 03:57 PM	#1
rynon Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 686	Sedra pump problem? I have the EuroReef RS-135 protein skimmer with the Sedra 5000 pump. My venturi becomes plugged with salt every so often so I clean out the air line the way EuroReef suggests.........RO water through the air line. Well today when I did this the pump made a loud ticking noise, almost like a shorting sound......only while the water was being drawn through the air line.....then it was back to normal. These types of things drive me nutty so I tried to figure out the problem. I took the needle wheel out, looked normal, cleaned it, put it back together and the same thing happened. I then took it apart about 5 times to see if something was assembled incorrectly.....not the case. The last thing I did was run the pump in the sink to rule out a "rattle" in the sump and not the pump.......it's the pump, and it's not a rattle. I just emailed EuroReef to see what they suggest I do. Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas of what I should do? This is my second pump in probably six months.......am I working on number 3? I am WAY less than impressed with these pumps. Thanks.

07/15/2007, 04:08 PM	#2
chaffey Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Placentia / Rancho Cucamonga Posts: 2,080	if you can drill the tube that you insert the air tube, drill it as large as possible with out breaking it. when you plug the pump is, expect some noise, but once it started running you shouldn't heard any noise from the impeller. Once the impeller worn out, you will hear lot of rattle noise, sometime the impeller refuse to turn.

07/15/2007, 04:09 PM	#3
chaffey Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Placentia / Rancho Cucamonga Posts: 2,080	drilling the tube will help with the salt clog up.

07/15/2007, 04:21 PM	#4
rynon Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 686	Thanks, that's an easy solution to the salt build up. I am still worried about the sound the pump makes.....it's odd that it only does it when drawing water only and not air. I have it running normally right now and it's not making a sound? As soon as I run water through it (through the pump and venturi), it makes a terrible sound?