Noisy Aquaclear

[AquaVelva]

I have 2 Aquaclear 300s running on a 75 gallon tank. They are both several years old, but have been very reliable filters.

However, one of them has started making a rattling noise. I have cleaned the filter out carefully, and even "tightened" the loose impeller a little bit by wrapping the shaft with a little teflon tape. I helped for a while, but now it rattles again.

I can't find the problem. Should I just replace the whole filter, or can I just replace the impeller assembly itself? Or is there some easy fix I can do to get a little more life from the filter? I realize a new AC300 only costs about 20 bucks, but I am a tightwad! :-)

...AV

[kveeti]

Maybe it's just the lid? I find that's the only thing that sometimes rattles on my 10+ year AC200.

Did it start the rattling before or after a cleaning? There was one time quite a few years ago... I'm willing to bet you're not as dumb as me but here is my story. I had just cleaned my filter, impeller/chamber and all, and put it back together. It worked but was noisy as he!!. I kept taking it apart and trying everything, no luck. I went to my LFS and he said my "pin" was missing. He gave me a new one (the thing the impeller sits on, it still worked because of the magnet but was shaking all around the inside of the chamber). I went home and looked all around the floor and sure enough a little ways away was my pin. I don't know how I missed it falling out, and I never paid close enough attention to know that it was supposed to be there.

[mogurnda]

If it's the impeller, it may be that the washers have worn out and the impeller moves around too much, causing rattling. In the old days, you could buy spare washers at the LFS, but I've had trouble finding them and have had to resort to going with new impellers.

If it's the box, have you tried rubberbanding the lid so it doesn;t rattle?

[Slappy*McFish]

I don't even use the lid on mine. Much quieter. But the impeller does rattle a bit...after time they just seem to loosen or something. I noticed if I push down on the impeller, it stays quiet. A simple design change would fix the problem rather easily.

[AquaVelva]

OK...I checked and even compared the noisy filter to an identical one on the same tank, which is silent. Looks like the pin is in tact on both filters....assuming that the "pin" I am looking for is the one that the impeller magnet slips down over. But I did notice it was bent over slightly to one side, so I gently bent it back toward the center and it seems to have helped a little.

Dave...what washers? I don't find washers on either filter! And I too have noticed that if you push down on the impeller slightly everything quiets down...but it pops back up as soon as you let go!

Overall, I think the AC's are great filters....maybe I just need to shuck out another 20 bucks and get a new one. Both of these AC 300's have been running for 5+ years!

BTW...the lid is not the problem...that was the first thing I checked! :)

Thanks, everyone for the information...

...AV

[mogurnda]

Heck, I don't even know if they still use washers. They used to have washers at either end of the impeller, between it and the little rubber plugs at the end. They used to wear down, so maybe they did away with them. Can you look at a new impeller at a LFS to see if there are any?

[AquaVelva]

Little rubber plugs??? Man...I ain't got no little rubber plugs either!!! :D Maybe that's my problem!!! LOL

[OrionGirl]

I don't think the AC's have any washer or plug on the impellers. If the pin is bent, that's likely the problem. Quickest way to check--swap impellers. If the rattle still comes from the same one, that's not the problem. I'm betting it is, though, and would jsut get a new impeller. I had to replace mine--some sand got in there and made a mess. So, quick and cheap, get a new impeller.

[mogurnda]

Sorry about the useless info. I looked at my newer aquaclear and realized that my advice was irrelevant. That's what I get for keeping 20 year old filters.