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Anyone having problems with the Amp master 3000?

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Anonymous

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Back in May we ordered the ampmaster 3000 Dolphin pump to be our return pump. When it arrived, it wouldn't hold water, when it was primed all the water leaked right out, we didn't even get to turn it on.

Dolphin sent us another one, and when we turned it on, that one leaked as well, but only a light dribble, and it stopped quickly as the pump ran. We were so glad to finally have a return pump because it was backordered the first time, and then took a good while for the replacement to show up.

Well, last night there was a flood in the fish room. The pump was leaking water badly. Thank goodness we have a basement fish room. It probably only had a few hours but I shop vacced up about twelve gallons, and the floor was still soaked when I called it a night. We need to get a bigger shop vac.

I just wonder if anyone else is having problems with these pumps. This can't be normal. They are not cheap!! I am just sad because I thought we were getting a quality peice of equipment for our tanks and that does not appear to be the case. I don't know what to do now, I guess I need to investigate a different brand. I am so glad this didn't happen while we were away.

Any suggestions?
 
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Anonymous

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I have been running an A3K for 2 years with no problems. I also run a Sequence now. .

Thats a drag Laura. It would prolly make me ditch the pump.
 
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Anonymous

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Yeah, think we are going to go with the sequence.

I don't think I could run that brand again, I would just always worry. What if that happened while we were on vacation?

I guess they are having a bad run. I just had to post and find out if it was our bad luck, or are others going through this too?

I hope the main tank is OK, we have a hang on skimmer we will put on and can bring buckets from the sump upstairs to dump in and circulate the water, but I have some big fish in with sps corals, and they are cut off from the big skimmer and Ca reactor, not to mention the tank is getting hot not being able to go through the basement sump. There isn't anywhere here we could just pick up a sequence from, we will have to have it shipped.
 
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Premium Aquatics comes through for us again. We are sending the Ampmaster back to them, and they are crediting the price towards a Sequence 3200SEQ20, which should be on it's way ASAP.

I think this really goes above and beyond what PA needs to do, this second Ampmaster that failed came right from the manufacturer as a replacement for the first failed one we bought from PA, and we got it a few months ago, so they could probably tell us we need to take it up with Dolphin. I have been consistently pleased with how Premium takes care of our problems.

I was worried if we talked to Dolphin they would just want to send another Ampmaster, and, I really don't want to use that brand anymore after two out of two failed.
 
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Who hoo!

Came home from work and the pump was waiting!

I am so sick of lugging buckets up the basement stairs to get some water turnover. And of course we are in a heatwave that the AC can barely handle, so thet tank has been getting hot not being able to have the water go through the basement. We have been rotating frozen coke bottles in the tank to keep the temp reasonable.
 
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I am sad, but now glad, for you guys.

Good peeps, that Jason!
 
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Anonymous

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Oh yes, the folks at Premium Aquatics have always done right for us. Marine Depot as well, but PA is closer so stuff shipped ground gets here quicker.


Funny thing though, we had the ampmaster hard plumbed into this little out of the way nook in the fish room, and the spot is too small to fit the Sequence in! So Marcus has to re do the return plumbing to somewhere that is a good place to put the new pump. Hopefully that is what he is doing tonight while I am at work. (hint hint) :)
 
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Anonymous

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Oh yeah, I just love it.
Why everything in the world isn't scented like PVC cement I have no idea.
 
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I would make a comment, but since you two are married I would feel odd.
 
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This Sequence is a beast.
 

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Anonymous

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5800 or nuttin, right Rich :D

IMO and from what I've heard, AM3K has the worst track record on leaky seals, then any other external pump manufacturer out there.

Way to go PA, just another blinding example of what they're about ;)
 
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Anonymous

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Yes, when the first ampmaster leaked and we emailed them, someone from PA (I forget who) tried to gently prod us to consider another pump. Sigh, I will listen to their suggestions from now on.

I did a search on RC for "ampmaster" and "leak" and got quite a few threads with titles like "Help! Pump is leaking."


The new hard plumbing is done, and should be up and running tonight! :D
 
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