Noise is driving me nuts :(

[Bori]

Hello. Maybe someone here can help me out here. I recently added a 2nd life reef over flow to my 110 aga. I wanted more flow and always had to tune down my Iwaki 70 about 1/3 so it wouldn't overflow my tank. The addition went well. The flow is GREAT. I had to rearrange and re-pipe (pvc) the outlet pipes. Now I solved one problem and seem to have created another.
I was getting micro bubbles when I opened up the Iwaki all the way and after much searching I found the culprit to be a cracked union ball valve I replaced (I must have tightened it too much), and too much flow into the sump which I took care of with a sump sock. The microbubbles are almost completely gone. But now when I open up the pump full throttle the wooshing noise coming from it is deafening. It sounds exactly like the pressure valve from a steam radiator and man is it loud!!! I've searched High and low for the cause of the noise to no avail. I now find myself turning my pump back down by 1/3 so we can watch and hear the TV. Any suggestions before I replace every union ball valve I have connected...And please SPEAK UP so I can hear you. Thanks --Rob--

 

[Bori]

OK I took apart the Iwaki & gave it a thorough cleaning. Looks & runs brand new. But the noise has not dropped 1 decibal. I'm assuming it's one of the union ball valves. As everything else is hard plumbed & I checked the joints for leaks. So off to Home depot I go, or Savko online, before I get called in for snow duty. So if anyone has any suggestions before I replace them please up speak now. Thank you. --Rob--

 

[bad coffee]

is the return pump sucking air in from the sump? also, is it mechanical or water noise you're hearing?

B

 

[Bori]

There are air bubbles in the sump from the skimmer but I put a sponge block on the intake & the microbubbles flowing into the tank are minimal. The sound is a loud wooshing and very similar to a pressure valve on a steam radiator.

 

[Bori]

Here are some pics that might help. Let me know if you see something I'm missing. Sorry about the lousy pics. Thanks

Notice the pump turned down about 1/3

T'd off to the chiller

The two over flows

To the sea swirl and spray bar

To the sump/fuge/skimmer

Side View

And some happy fish

 

[noodleman]

is the sound coming from the water falling into your overflowboxes?

 

[Bori]

No, it's coming from the actual pump. A loud wooshing, hi pressure sound. Like pressure valve from steam radiator.

 

[georgelc86]

How about running the pump without water. Or running the pump outside attached to a garden hose or something. Basically what I am getting at is that if it is still happening away from your tank then it may be a bushing in the motor assembly that is or has failed. Mind you I know nothing about these pumps but they look like swimming pool pumps and I had a similar issue.

 

[Bori]

Thanks for the reply georgelc86. I posted this on RC and got a fix. Apparently my bulk head (1") was too small for the pump and sump. By upgrading to a larger bulkhead (1 1/2") it lessened the noise considerably. Down the line I'll get a bigger sump drilled and it should eliminate it all together. --Rob--

 

[albfelix]

i had a pan world 100x and it was noisy for my taste also. I went with a Red Dragon 6.5, 3-4 times more money then pan world but it is dead quiet, pushes 2x of the amount of pan world and wastes 1/2 wattage (65watts only for 1750 gph, max 13 feet head). It is expensive but I figure in the long run will save money on electric bill and will make up for the price.

 

[BrooklynsReefMan1]

check to see if the water isnt coming into your overflwo box..... that will make a rakit