# Penguin Bio-wheel pump noisy for 1 hours then is OK



## powercodebsi (Mar 26, 2010)

Greetings,
I have a Penguin Bio-wheel 2000 water pump that makes noise for about 1 hour or 2 when just plugged in. Once the pump has run after that time the noise disappears. The problem is that sometimes in the middle of the night, the electricity goes off, then I have to disconnect the pump. 

Anyone with any great solutions as to how to fix this. Or should the pump need replacing? 

Many thanks for your help,
regards,cg


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## WhiteDevil (May 7, 2009)

that is why I got rid of my penguins. They are very inconsistent in their operation. Id get an aqua clear and be done with it.

Yes those middle of the night filter screams are very unwelcome to me.


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## jschall (Apr 13, 2009)

powercodebsi said:


> Greetings,
> I have a Penguin Bio-wheel 2000 water pump that makes noise for about 1 hour or 2 when just plugged in. Once the pump has run after that time the noise disappears. The problem is that sometimes in the middle of the night, the electricity goes off, then I have to disconnect the pump.
> 
> Anyone with any great solutions as to how to fix this. Or should the pump need replacing?
> ...


Take the impeller out and inspect it carefully. It should spin freely on its shaft.


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## powercodebsi (Mar 26, 2010)

many thanks to all the replies. I'll take the pump apart if I can, otherwise I'll replace it.


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

Sorry about not responding sooner.

It is always good to have a spare. Anything (including live critters and tanks) will always fail...not if but when. See Murphys Law for specifics.

The filter may not have been required or you would have the question of why the critters were dying. Bacteria only develop up to requirements and not simply to a good habitat. A food source is needed and a place to be, among other stuff. Water is not a place where many bacteria stay: the tank, fish, plants and the substrate (any surface) are all places that bacteria can grow and it takes time (up to six weeks) for the two types (we think are needed) to grow. Because they metabolize very fast they also "die" back if there is not enough food. Turning the filter off in the middle of the night may very well put paid to the bacteria that are in the filter but some may survive (depending upon the time.) The bacteria seem to repopulate faster than they do initially (maybe they repopulate from the other bacteria that are around. Filters are sometimes used just to move water.

What sort of noise were you hearing? Many times air needs to bleed out of a filter or if it is old the filter may need cleaning or a new impeller. The solid motor drives are quiet and relatively maintenance free, but when they go it is all over and I will be darned if I know the reasons why or indeed what causes the failure. If you are not mechanical at all someone at the LFS may look at the pump and try to sell you something (an impeller or motor assembly) as well which may or may not be a good thing. A small brush, for cleaning things such as impelller holes and shafts, is a good tool to have.


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## nixer (Jan 13, 2010)

ive got rid of most of the ones i had. they are way too noisy!
and ive got aquaclears that loose prime just as much as the penguin


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

Why are you turning it off? It's designed to run 24/7.

When it is wet, the Bio-Wheel is totally wet and rotates like a 'balanced' wheel. When you turn it off, some of the water drain from the upper folds in the Bio-Wheel. Some water evaporates too. Then when you start it back up, it's an 'unbalanced' wheel. It does odd things until it is completely wet again.

Sometimes you can speed the process up some is the turn the filter on. Then, by hand, rotate the Bio-Wheel in the reverse direction. This lets is get wet quicker. After a little bit, turn it loose and it will straighten itself out.

Something else can hamper the Bio-Wheel's rotation. Keep the intake tubes, strainer and impeller clean. You can use a long flexible brush works well with the intake U-tube. It takes a surprisingly small about of goo built up in the intake tube to really hinder the flow.

When you get tired of it, get either an Eheim Liberty 200 or an AquaClear 70. I can tell you about a simple mod on the AC 70 to slow the flow, but you can still crank it up. The Liberty 200 has a red knob to adjust flow. It's a quiet HOB.


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