Aquaclear 20 Makes Dripping Noises

My Aquaclear 20 is driving me insane!
It the media basket it keeps making dripping noises. On the outflow area instead of a smooth flow, there are 2 areas where the water water has jumps, for lack of a better word. One in the middle and one where the water climbs up the wall. I a attaching a photo that hopefully shows it. It bothered me so much I took the media out and put it into a different filter because I couldn’t take the noise!

Here is the photo...




I tried to move the media around, but it still made the noise! I am not quite sure what to do now! Any ideas?

 

I can't tell for sure, but it looks like the water level in the main part of your filter is really high.
The green line in my snip of your pic is where it looks like the water is at the back. Anything above the red line under the handle (should be the same level on the other side of the box insert) is bypass, ie water that's NOT going to the bottom of the main box and passing up through the media.
All of this spells an overstuffed filter. Too much resistance from the media in the main part of the filter is causing water there to be choked, so it's bypassing the media and coming over from the pump section at the top. The high water level in the media area is racing down your outflow like a sluice or chute (blue line).
I don't know if all this is causing the sound you're hearing, but it would certainly be affecting the filter's ability to do its job, if i'm seeing things right in your pic.

 

Should I take some media out then? I am using what came in the box.

 

If I'm understanding the issue correctly, could you cut a small piece of sponge to go on the outflow? Nothing too big that it would slow down the flow dramatically, but a thin piece just enough to take care of the 'jumps' you describe?

 

overstuffed or not cleaned or not level

 

Should I take some media out then? I am using what came in the box.

Not sure how to answer that... I also run a couple of AC20's for hospital or quarantine, and I use them with just the sponge and ceramic media they came with (I only use the carbon when removing meds or smells). Even with all 3 (sponge, carbon, ceramic), but esp with only 2 (sponge and ceramic), mine have never been so full that the media comes up to the lift handles. Sure you haven't got anything else in there, or added some extra rings in that plastic bag?
Alternatively, maybe the sponge has lifted from the bottom of the grey cartridge insert? You do have the sponge at the bottom, right? Has the sponge been custom-cut, or trimmed, so that it's not properly held in place by the ridges on the cartridge insert?

 

Everything is as it was, no modifications etc.
Its fairly new so it should be that dirty but I do have an old house so not being level is possible.

 

I took the carbon out and put the media back in, still made the noise, so I changed the flow and it's fine now!
The only thing is... I forgot to put the media box in lol. fail! It's late now so I will have to fix it tomorrow and put the box in.