Waveline DC10000ii noise...

Br0_Hammer · Mar 23, 2017

Hello everyone,
I purchased a (used- but came 100% complete and looked new) waveline DC10000ii to replace the Mag9.5 in my tank. I live in a small studio apartment, so my primary motivation was to reduce noise. Mags are loud, DC pumps are silent, right? I have an r8i skimmer, so I know the waveline pumps produce a slight noise, but I was immediately surprised by how loud the DC10000ii was even on the lowest setting (I run it on 3?). It was hardly quieter than the mag9.5, but higher pitch. I've used it for a bit over a week now and the sound has slowly changed- it has gotten deeper, more gravelly, and much louder. The sound basically matches that of my old refrigerator when it kicks on, just not so loud. At this point, the mag9.5 is substantially quieter, which is nearly mind-blowing to me. Is this a common problem people have had? Solutions to it? My pump is away from the sump sides, sits on its rubber feet, has a section of soft line between the hard lines, no plumbing touches anything...it really couldn't be set up in a more ideal situation for not doing what its doing.

dbl · Mar 23, 2017

Not sure it will be much help, but I use a Waveline DC12000 and it's near silent...until it starts to get dirty! I actually use the noise as a trigger to tell me it's time to clean it...lol. But once I take it apart, clean it well, it goes back to being nearly silent. I know you said it looked new, but it may have build up inside. Might be worth looking in to.

luke33 · Mar 23, 2017

Yep, like mentioned above, pull it, clean it, could be sand, a rock, snail shell...etc rubbing the magnet, but it should not be loud. If you don't find anything soak it in vinegar for 24hrs, then give it a go. If still noisy, then i would think it was defective.

Br0_Hammer · Mar 23, 2017

Thanks. This tank hasn't even cycled yet and has no algae or life... cleaning hadn't occurred to me. I'll clean it and report back.

jason2459 · Mar 23, 2017

I'd let it run. It'll build up a bio film on it which will quite it down a bit. You'll get used to it. And at that point you'll say they are silent too.

Br0_Hammer · Mar 23, 2017

Pulled and cleaned it as much as I could, but there wasn't much to do. Very clean inside. It sounds a little better- not sure if that is from cleaning or just taking apart and putting back together. Still a very noticeable hum.

B-SMOOTH · Jun 27, 2017

Br0_Hammer said:
Pulled and cleaned it as much as I could, but there wasn't much to do. Very clean inside. It sounds a little better- not sure if that is from cleaning or just taking apart and putting back together. Still a very noticeable hum.

Were you able to ever get this resolved?

Br0_Hammer · Jun 27, 2017

I contacted Daniel from Waveline.... It has been an interesting and not really helpful experience. He tried to help me figure out the hum and determined that the impeller must not be balanced. It isn't under warranty, but he said he would send me a new one for $30 and needed the SN off the pump for the impeller. He said they had made many different versions of the impeller- some he had on hand, some he would need to have made. I sent him the $30 and a couple weeks later I got a small box- with the wrong impeller. Called him back- asked for the SN again and seemed surprised it was the newer model (has Apex support and stuff), and that there were only 2 impeller versions, long and short (last time it sounded more complicated...). He would send me the correct, long shaft impeller and I could just keep the other (which doesn't really help me...anyone need one?). I waited...and waited. Contacted him again- he apologized and said it would go out soon, it was mistakenly left behind. I think it's been about 5 weeks.... Contacted again, he said maybe it was stuck in customs (he is in Canada, I'm in the USA)... He's been very friendly, but it has been almost 3 months and he has still not gotten me the impeller I paid him for. This tank is in my bedroom and I stressed that I really needed to get this done quickly. My pump goes back and forth on sound and I'm still worried it is going to go out. I don't have the fish funds to buy a nicer $400 pump... Just waiting and hoping the impeller actually shows up.