Is Vecta Supposed to be This Loud?

[LiquidSpace]

This is an L2. I have an email out to Ecotech but I’m wondering if this is normal. This pump is running at 20%. I have been running it this way because anything louder was unbearable.

Yesterday I put my UV on its own pump. I bought a cheap Jebao. That pump at 100% is DEAD SILENT! That made me question the efficiency of my Vectra. Surely a $600.00 pump shouldn’t sound like an airplane. Even with a box fan running in the same room you can hear it, lol.

Here is a video of it running at 20%. Nothing is touching it. I have cleaned it per Ecotech’s instructions. The black pipe is connected to my plank and sits above the intake. The pump isn’t touching the walls. The rubber feet are on it. It has been like this since day one.



Is this normal?!

 

[magikfly]

Sounds as if its vibrating against something. Either way, no, that's not normal.

 

[LiquidSpace]

Sounds as if its vibrating against something. Either way, no, that's not normal.

Okay, I’m glad to hear that. I checked and double checked and there’s nothing touching the pump itself.

 

[UncommonSense]

I’m not familiar with that specific impeller housing… but, have you checked inside the housing itself to see if a chunk of debris is stuck in there? (Think, packaging material, snail, etc)

Edit: a short length of flexible tubing (silicone works best) near the outlet of your pump on your return plumbing serves an an excellent vibration dampener too!

 

[LiquidSpace]

I’m not familiar with that specific impeller housing… but, have you checked inside the housing itself to see if a chunk of debris is stuck in there? (Think, packaging material, snail, etc)

Edit: a short length of flexible tubing (silicone works best) near the outlet of your pump on your return plumbing serves an an excellent vibration dampener too!

Yeah, I have cleaned it twice and there’s nothing there. Trying silicone will be an option if Ecotech doesn’t have an option for me.

One thing I did notice which may be normal, is if I open one of the manifolds it quiets the pump just a little.

 

[UncommonSense]

Yeah, I have cleaned it twice and there’s nothing there. Trying silicone will be an option if Ecotech doesn’t have an option for me.

One thing I did notice which may be normal, is if I open one of the manifolds it quiets the pump just a little.

Hmm… a restriction/clog further up in the return plumbing perhaps? How’s the flow from the return plumbing into the DT? Anemic? Or typical?

 

[LiquidSpace]

Hmm… a restriction/clog further up in the return plumbing perhaps? How’s the flow from the return plumbing into the DT? Anemic? Or typical?

It’s all normal. The pump’s outlet is 1.25” and I have it immediately plumbed to reduce to 1” and then it reduces to 3/4” right when it enters the aquarium. Could the quick reduction to 1” be an issue?

You can kinda see it here.

 

[_chiefxr33f]

My vectra has never had this issue, but i've had many other pumps that have. This is due to some sort of impeller imbalance. Disassemble and inspect both the top and the bottom rubber impeller supports, sometimes they are assembled incorrectly from the factory. Other times, moving the (usually) installed washer to a different spot when applicable can help the impeller balance. You don't want any play in it at all.

 

[UncommonSense]

It’s all normal. The pump’s outlet is 1.25” and I have it immediately plumbed to reduce to 1” and then it reduces to 3/4” right when it enters the aquarium. Could the quick reduction to 1” be an issue?

You can kinda see it here.

At 20% power, reducing to 3/4” shouldn’t be providing substantial enough back-pressure to cause your issue…. More likely is what @_chiefxr33f suggested!

 

[_chiefxr33f]

At 20% power, reducing to 3/4” shouldn’t be providing substantial enough back-pressure to cause your issue…. More likely is what @_chiefxr33f suggested!

Yeah, the post pressure wouldn't affect this pump even at 100 percent unless it was down to like 3/8 OD lol.