Bubble Magus NAC 6 now noisey

Discussion in 'Protein Skimmers' started by arrivalanche, Apr 24, 2014.

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  1. arrivalanche

    arrivalanche Bristle Worm

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    So for some reason my NAC 6 sounds like an old refrigerator. Ive cleaned it multiple times in the past but this time I soaked the whole thing in vinegar and water to break up any buildup on the outside of the pump and chamber. When I put it back together is sound like there is something wrong with the needle wheel. I took it back apart again to see what the hell could be making the noise and everything is fine. The pump is only about 6 mths old and seems to be fine. As I was trying to diagnose the issue I did notice that if i cap the air inlet to it, the sound goes away but the sound is not coming from the hose. Its definitely something in the pump.

    Has vinegar been known to mess skimmer pumps up? maybe breaking down something?
     
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  3. Vinnyboombatz

    Vinnyboombatz Giant Squid

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    Are you sure you reassembled it correctly? How long did it soak??:confused:
     
  4. arrivalanche

    arrivalanche Bristle Worm

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    Positive. I even broke it down twice to be safe. I soaked it overnight.
     
  5. arrivalanche

    arrivalanche Bristle Worm

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    Also, what i thought was weird with this needlewheel that I dont remember about my last one is that the magnet and the needlewheel can rotate freely for about a half of a rotation. I thought I remember the last one being one solid assembly. My only thought was that it helps it get started again when powered on.
     
  6. arrivalanche

    arrivalanche Bristle Worm

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    So I fixed it tonight. I was smart and kept the old pinwheel and it didnt have that rotation between the magnet and the wheel. I superglued the two together so it couldnt spin anymore and boom.... noise gone.
     
  7. Tcox807

    Tcox807 Spaghetti Worm

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    I have the bm-q180 and it's a touch noisy.
     
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  9. Vinnyboombatz

    Vinnyboombatz Giant Squid

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    Glad you got it fixed.Just keep in mind that vinegar is an acid and can damage rubber orings/bushings.Three hour soak is more then enough time to remove calcium/buildup if straight vinegar is used.;)
     
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  10. arrivalanche

    arrivalanche Bristle Worm

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    point taken. not sure what happened but Ill be more careful next time.
     
  11. zesty

    zesty Sailfin Tang

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    This is good to know. Sometimes I'll just throw equipment in a bucket and let it sit overnight or over two nights if I get busy and don't need the eq straight away.