Aquarium Pump Errors

This video I'm going to show you what to do if you have any pump problems.

Now the first sign of a pump problem is that you don't have any water circulation. That's a big problem for these aquariums because basically water is not going to pass through the filter over the heater and the tank can get cold.

In a living ocean's aquariums we have a pump control in the cabinet and that's going to probably have an error-o-4 message on it if you haven't got any water circulation from the main circulation pump.

Now if that is the case what you first need to do is set up your workspace an Aero04 message on it if you haven't got any water circulation from the main circulation pump.

Now if that is the case, what you first need to do is set up your workspace because you're going to have a little bit of water actually lift the pump out of the aquarium.

We're going to take the pump out. It's got some sand granules in the impeller.

As per the instructions:

• you turn off the power
• take down the light
• you are going to have to remove the auto feeder because you want to get into the pump chamber
  

So we'll just place that onto the ground and remove the cover as well.

So pretty simple so far. Take the pump out by removing the return nozzle and then you can simply lift the pump out.

I'm going to get a towel ready because it's going to be dripping water as it comes out so you don't want any water on your floor. It's salt water remember so we'll place it on our workstation here.

Now what's happened is the impeller inside the pump casing here has got some sand in there. We know that because that's what the arrow for message is telling you.

So:

• you unscrew the screen
• take off the casing
• and now you've got your impeller
  

You've noticed there's no rubber grommet on the end of the impeller here, it's actually still in the casing. Sometimes that grommet does actually come out when you pull the impeller out.

Just make in the casing. Sometimes that grommet does actually come out when you pull the impeller out just make sure the white part of that grommet is facing up. That's ceramic so then the ceramics on ceramic it won't wear.

It should sit in there nicely so basically you'll find sand granules inside your pump casing. You need to clean the impeller just with a soft cloth and give it a rinse in the water as well and also the same with the casing. Give it a tap, get out any sand.

Okay so the grommet just came out that was good, put the grommet back onto the impeller and keep it horizontal so the grommet doesn't drop off.

Now on the impeller there's a guide nodule, there's just a cut out on the impeller casing there and we need to line that up with the nodule in the casing underneath the power cable. That's why I have the power cable facing up because I know there's a nodule underneath it and then we just insert it back in there, line up the cutout with the nodule and then see it right down low.

So when you're in properly it should be pretty much flush with the top of it and then when you put the case back on you'll see it fits nice and snug.

So the reason why that's got a sand grain you may have sand in the pump chamber. So if you are getting that as a repeated problem get the sand out of the pump chamber even getting touch with living oceans if you need some tips on that.

Put the return direction hose back on.

Okay, I'm just gonna apply power again before I put the light back on just to make sure it's all working. It's turning the mains power back on and the pumps are flowing again freely.

So that's how we repair the return pump impeller.

The other type of pumps we have in the system:

• we have a small ATO pump
• and we also have this maintenance pump here
  

Same thing if you're maintenance pump or you're at ATO return pump we also have this maintenance pump here. Same thing, if your maintenance pump or your ATO return pump has seized up. Basically just take out the impeller as we did before, clean it up and clean out the sand and then put it back together again.

That's your more likely cause of a pump not working in the whole ecosystem.

There's three different pumps:

• your maintenance pump
• your ATO pump
• and your return pump in the aquarium
  

Thanks for watching!