Cleaning a mag drive pump

[Anonymous]

Of course I have lost the directions that came with it, and I think it might need cleaning because its getting a bit noisy, there is a harmonic buzz going on.

Anyway, what do you clean them with? Vinegar? I can never remember


such an airhead

 

[Anonymous]

Yup.

 

[bradl.]

I fill a bucket with 1/2 and 1/2 water to vinegar.Stickit outside and run all my pumps in it for about 8 to 10 hours.In your case,that being noise I would check the impellar and soak all the parts.

 

[Anonymous]

I fill a bucket with 1/2 and 1/2 water to vinegar.Stickit outside and run all my pumps in it for about 8 to 10 hours.In your case,that being noise I would check the impellar and soak all the parts.

Ditto. Also check to see if any part of the pump or piping is touching somthing. You may need to put a pad between the contact points.

 

[Anonymous]

Its not touching anything, that was the first check. Its my return pump so its going to have to be a short soak, I will probably take it apart and wash the pieces with vinegar and water.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Bry, I've gotten air bubbles caught in my pump. I turn it off for a minute, then turn it back on. Sometimes that clears the noise.

If you're going for a short soak, go with 100% vinegar. Forget the water.

B

 

[Anonymous]

I cleaned it, and its doing it still

Its a buzz that lessens and then increases in volume.

I think I am going to take it out again tomorrow and see if another cleaning will work. Other than a layer of slime there really wasn't much on it.

Maybe its time for another impeller. Oh, I guess I should run it for a minute without the impeller to make sure that's it....

 

[mark78]

My Mag 9.5 had a huge issue with cavitation when I was using it externally. I moved it into the sump and the problem went away.

If you valve back the pump a little does it make the noise stop?

 

[Anonymous]

Did the cavitation make a buzzing sound?

This one is hanging by the outlet hose in my sump, so its not actually sitting on anything.

I will try pinching the hose a bit to see if its cavitation.

 

[WRASSER]

OK guys if i shut down the main pump to the tank for 8 to 10 hours to clean the pump, will it effect the O2 level of the tank?

 

[Anonymous]

If that is the only circulation you have and you aren't one of those people who use an airstone, then yes, it will have an effect.

I cleaned mine in about 30 minutes, I dropped the impellor in some vinegar while I cleaned out the body of the pump with tankwater and some Q-tips.

Worked good



If you want to let it soak longer though, you could drop a powerhead in the main tank. That should help.




Remember where your other equipment is though, my heater is in the sump, so 8 hours without heat during the winter would be bad

 

[WRASSER]

So you took it apart, you didnt put it in the bucket and let it run for a while. Or did you do both :?:

 

[Anonymous]

I took it apart, I couldn't get the return hose off of it without cutting it so I just stuck it in a bucket of dirty tank water and cleaned it with Q-tips. That was just the one part though

The other part I took in the kitchen, cleaned the impellor assembly with water and then dropped in some vinegar

The main motor housing part(the only thing left after you take all the parts off) I washed with water and Q-tips. It only had a bit of algae slime on it.

The buzzing has stopped, I think Bingo hit it on the head, I had it hanging upside down and I think there was an air bubble trapped in there

 

[Anonymous]

Next time you have a trapped air bubble just put your finger over the return port until you stop flow. Remove your finger quickly and the pressure should dislodge the bubble.