Noisy powerheads

[clown1]

Have posted this problem on several forums, perhaps you's could be the ones to solve it!!?
Bought 3 x hagen aquaclear 402's for my reef tank installed them onto my system 2000 wave module and they make one hell of a racket when they come on. rattling and spurting out bubbles all over the place!! unfortunately aquaclears are renowned for not being wave module friendly and this noise is normal, i didn't know this and don't want to have to go to the expense of replacing all 3 powerheads. does anyone know of a way of modifying them, perhaps different impellers? glueing the vane wheel so it doesn't do that qurter turn? i was even told that hanging them upside down would work....(it doesn't)!! the noise is driving me crazy!! help!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Replace the powerheads...

 

[WRASSER]

CLOWN,
don't know to much about these power heads, but it sounds like they are air bound every time you start them up. maybe that is your problem. get rid of the air maybe the sound will go toooooo!


good luck


wrasser 8)

 

[ChrisRD]

Maxijets seem to do OK on a wavemaker. IME they will get noisy once they get some Ca build-up, but a cleaning (vinegar soak) straightens them out again for a while.

Maybe you can try running a Maxijet or two on your wavemaker and just run your 402s normally (they are good powerheads IME, apparently just not good on a wavemaker)...

 

[clown1]

can't afford replacements sorry!! i did a little research o the net last night and somewhere i read that stopping the free turning of the impeller vane wheel might work. don't want to try until someone else has. isn't air getting into them, theyr'e hung upside down!! i've also heard the maxijets are good on wavemakers. any techies out there know what the differences are between the maxijets and aquaclears?? do maxijet impellers have the free wheel vane??

 

[PeeJ]

strange...my 402s are quiet.

 

[clown1]

are they on a system 2000 wavemaker, the old one without the lcd display on it??

 

[WRASSER]

clown,
how's the weather over there? don't know to much about wavemakers, but what i did was buy a plastic rock hollowed out. i als bought a RIO power head, i drilled small holes on top of the plastic rock so it could pull water in from top and bottom. i drilled a bigger hole for the discharge, i then placed the pump into the hollow part. i then placed the pump on top of two pieces of LR one on each side. i have had to clean it once this year, it doesn't make any noise. the flow is perfect for me, and it kinda blends into the reef.

good luck



wrasser 8)

 

[Anonymous]

I guess for the mean time, maybe just running the powerheads without the wavemaker...if 402's arent very compatible with your wavemaker, then perhaps dont run them and saving up for some of the maxijets..those are the recommended powerheads for wavemakers...sorry this isnt what you want to hear, but if you cant tolerate the noise, whats the lesser of two evils...a wavemaker is Not a necessity for your tank...

8)

 

[Anonymous]

2x posted..Grr second time today...
8)

 

[clown1]

Wrasser, haven't rio's also got a bad reputation for being cr@p on a wave module?? the weather's rubbish over here about 4C. hopefully it will be considerably warmer in Cuba next month!! the English don't always just talk about the weather!!!
might have to take them off the wave module and put them on timers for a while, at least noise every couple of hours is better then every 4 minutes!! it's a good job i only paid 5 pounds ($7.50) for the sys2k!!
C'mon you guys, NE more suggestions??

 

[WRASSER]

clown,
sorry don't know anything about wavemakers,just thought i'd give you another angle to look at hope things work out for you when you sleep.


good luck


wrasser 8)

 

[WRASSER]

clown,
sorry don't know anything about wavemakers,just thought i'd give you another angle to look at hope things work out for you when you sleep.


good luck


wrasser 8)

 

[clown1]

thanx for trying wrasser, if you hear of NE thing let me know??!

 

[WRASSER]

clown,
i sure will keep you in mind if i hear anything!!




wrasser 8)

 

[clown1]

i have seen adverts for silencers for some powerheads does anyone know if these work?? they are good powerheads, very reliable, powerful and quiet (once they get started!!)

if it help to get you motivated, the majority of the sites i have tried have been british, so here's the chance for you reefs.org contributers to prove you know more than us brits!!! :mrgreen:

 

[clown1]

just received an e-mail from hagen they suggested that i return them to the shop where i bought them, but because it's not technically a fault with the product, the store won't take them back. perhaps they ought to stipulate on the packaging/adverts that aquaclear's aren't compatable with wave modules?? don't think i'll get much for them second hand, so i might try the impeller glueing..... :?

 

[WRASSER]

clown,
did alittle calling around. one of my LFS (beverly's). they have a wavemaster going. didn't think about it at the time. they had it going for about two years with no real problems. matter of fact i have never seen problems at all. the pumps they use are made by MARINE LAND.
HOPE THIS HELPS.


good luck,


wrasser 8)

 

[Anonymous]

The inherent design of a cheap powerhead is such that it will rattle during startup. Maxijet, as one mention, has less of a problem, but it is still not a good idea to stop/start them very often thru out the day.

 

[cman]

There was a post about a year ago where someone showed how they had glued a piece on the impellar to stop the chattering noise.

There were pictures on exactly what to do. It might be on ReefCentral.

Hope that helps.