Something has changed....filter noise

[Z7What]

I have a 10G with a AC30 with a AC50 impeller installed in it along with a pre-filter on the suction tube. I have been running this setup like this for almost a year and its been doing great.

3ish weeks ago the pump started making a clicking noise, I figured a piece of sand got sucked up when rinsing the prefilter so I decided to remove the pump to clean the impeller. It was a little dirty. Put everything together and started the pump up again and the clicking was gone. The next day it started clicking again. This time I removed the entire AC30 from the tank to clean the "tank" of the filter as well as the impeller again to make sure there wasn't sand stuck in it somewhere, there wasn't any. I did inspect the shaft that the impeller rides on and noticed a little wear but nothing major but went ahead and ordered a new one, so when I did need it I would have one. Put it all back together and it was quiet again. The next day the clicking was back. This time I noticed that there was barely any water pouring from the filter into the tank. I didnt pay attention enough the previous times it started clicking to see if water was flowing or not so I can't say if this was a new issue or not. I traced that issue back to the pre-filter on the suction. As soon as I removed the pre-filter water started flowing again and the clicking stopped.

I never wash my filters, only rinse them with tank water when doing a WC but being as I was only doing the pre-filter I figured it would hurt if I washed it in hot tap water. I wash it really good(wasn't dirty) and reinstalled it and everything was good until, yep you guessed it, the next day. The pre-filter was being pulled in like this )( again. I decided to remove it and order a new pre-filter.

Install the new pre-filter once it showed up and I kid you not, in 2 days it was pulled in like )( again, the clicking was back and barely any water was flowing. I removed the pre-filter and have been running with out it for a few days and not a single click or issue with the pump since doing so.

I don't understand how the prefilter was fine for a year then all of a sudden it was causing the pump to starve for suction. I replace it and in 2 days the same thing happened to the new filter.

The only thing that has changed in the last year was I added 1 local fair goldfish about 3 months ago. Although the goldfish has grown a bunch, I seriously doubt one 2" fish could cause this.

Thoughts?

Wayne

 

[Momgoose56]

I have a 10G with a AC30 with a AC50 impeller installed in it along with a pre-filter on the suction tube. I have been running this setup like this for almost a year and its been doing great.

3ish weeks ago the pump started making a clicking noise, I figured a piece of sand got sucked up when rinsing the prefilter so I decided to remove the pump to clean the impeller. It was a little dirty. Put everything together and started the pump up again and the clicking was gone. The next day it started clicking again. This time I removed the entire AC30 from the tank to clean the "tank" of the filter as well as the impeller again to make sure there wasn't sand stuck in it somewhere, there wasn't any. I did inspect the shaft that the impeller rides on and noticed a little wear but nothing major but went ahead and ordered a new one, so when I did need it I would have one. Put it all back together and it was quiet again. The next day the clicking was back. This time I noticed that there was barely any water pouring from the filter into the tank. I didnt pay attention enough the previous times it started clicking to see if water was flowing or not so I can't say if this was a new issue or not. I traced that issue back to the pre-filter on the suction. As soon as I removed the pre-filter water started flowing again and the clicking stopped.

I never wash my filters, only rinse them with tank water when doing a WC but being as I was only doing the pre-filter I figured it would hurt if I washed it in hot tap water. I wash it really good(wasn't dirty) and reinstalled it and everything was good until, yep you guessed it, the next day. The pre-filter was being pulled in like this )( again. I decided to remove it and order a new pre-filter.

Install the new pre-filter once it showed up and I kid you not, in 2 days it was pulled in like )( again, the clicking was back and barely any water was flowing. I removed the pre-filter and have been running with out it for a few days and not a single click or issue with the pump since doing so.

I don't understand how the prefilter was fine for a year then all of a sudden it was causing the pump to starve for suction. I replace it and in 2 days the same thing happened to the new filter.

The only thing that has changed in the last year was I added 1 local fair goldfish about 3 months ago. Although the goldfish has grown a bunch, I seriously doubt one 2" fish could cause this.

Thoughts?

Wayne

If I were you, because the impeller has even "a little wear" I'd go ahead and replace that. That is the piece that moves the water and any wear or impingement can drastically alter filtration.
I don't think the pics of your "pre filter sucking" got posted. Can you repost?
Edit: Did you check the intake tube itself? I routinely run a soft tube brush through my intake tubing and one time found a ball of 'something' stuck in there which explained my low waterflow.... just a suggestion

 

[Z7What]

I didn’t actually post a picture of the pre-filter. I was just basically using )( to show the shape.

Brand new the sides were straight like this “I I” and when the clicking starts and the flow slows/stops the filter is shaped like this “) (“ Which tells me that the filter isn’t allow enough water through it and the suction pressure of the pump is pulling in the filter.

Yes I did clean the suction tube. The pump works flawlessly and quietly now that I removed the pre-filter.

Wayne