Noisy/possibly defective return pump- Is this normal?

[BContos]

I started my first aquarium over a month ago and have a Syncra Silent 4 Return pump in my sump. I hate this thing! I do not know if "to powerful" is a thing but I swear this pump is the bane of my existence. Sometimes it decides it wants to suck more water faster than other times. The humming noise is enough to drive me insane most days as well. The other day I came home from work on my lunch break and it was pushing so much water it had removed almost all of the water out of the sump- to the point there wasn't enough water to cover the pump and it was making an awful noise and the water level in the DT was over the lid. No one was home, I was the last to leave that morning and everything was fine, the dogs are not kept where the tank is, and nothing had been messed with days prior to this to cause an issue. At night I will be laying in bed and the pump will make funny noises causing me to wake up and make a mad dash to the tank to figure out what's going on (usually nothing I can see). I am stressed out and feel like this can't be normal.. I like to keep a quiet house and if the TV is loud enough it drowns out the sound of the pump but if it is not or at night when I lay down it drives me crazy.

I don't know if this is normal but after coming home from work the other day and finding my tank almost overflowing and the pump going haywire I am not sure if I can do this stress every day. I am scared to leave my house at this point because I don't know if something is going to go wrong and cause major issues.

If this sounds like a malfunctioning pump can anyone make any recommendations on a new return pump that is actually silent in the comparable price range to what I have now? Any other recommendations to help quiet a tank are appreciated. We currently have the clear silicone tubing for the return and the pump sits on the suction cups flush with the sump with no bio media touching it. There is about 80 gallons of water between the tank and sump.

Thanks guys!

 

[shakacuz]

do you have a ball valve on your return line? this can help with controlling the flow from the pump up to the DT.

is the pump still within warranty? maybe contacting sicce or whoever you bought the pump from to see what can be done?

i had the same humming issue with my pump, and placing a sponge under it helped(the sponge that you use for the baffles on certain sumps is what i used)

 

[BContos]

do you have a ball valve on your return line? this can help with controlling the flow from the pump up to the DT.

is the pump still within warranty? maybe contacting sicce or whoever you bought the pump from to see what can be done?

i had the same humming issue with my pump, and placing a sponge under it helped(the sponge that you use for the baffles on certain sumps is what i used)

We do have a valve to control flow and that is what I meant when I said nothing had been messed with. I am at a complete loss as to what could have caused that issue.

The pump has only been in use for about a month now. We started the tank on 01/01/2022. I purchased this pump new but from someone who had won it in a raffle so I am not sure if the warranty still applies?

Can you show me a picture of the sponge? Since I am still so new I am learning what everything is! Thank you!

 

[shakacuz]

We do have a valve to control flow and that is what I meant when I said nothing had been messed with. I am at a complete loss as to what could have caused that issue.

The pump has only been in use for about a month now. We started the tank on 01/01/2022. I purchased this pump new but from someone who had won it in a raffle so I am not sure if the warranty still applies?

Can you show me a picture of the sponge? Since I am still so new I am learning what everything is! Thank you!

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/imagitarium-2-pack-filter-sponges-2441408?cm_mmc=PSH%7cGGL%7cCAL%7cSBU05%7c0%7cOB-Imagitarium%7cwDzMmyNywWoLwN37mHWC9j%7c58700007475749837%7cPRODUCT_GROUP%7c0%7c0&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi-frhrXh9QIVldrICh19QQrfEAQYBCABEgIwqvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

this is just an example, but i managed to buy more of it from my LFS for the same price. i cut it to shape/length and placed it right under the suction cups of my pump. it didn't completely stop the humming, but significantly muffled it.


i would still contact sicce and see if you can work something out.

 

[Dburr1014]

Sicce has pretty good service. Sometimes they take a while to get back but they are like 8 hour time difference.
Changing speeds is really strange. It's your feed line soft house too? You need both soft hose to be quiet.

 

[BContos]

Sicce has pretty good service. Sometimes they take a while to get back but they are like 8 hour time difference.
Changing speeds is really strange. It's your feed line soft house too? You need both soft hose to be quiet.

The intake part was plumbed primarily with PVC (purchased this tank used with already being done) but the hose to connect the threading from the tank to the PVC is same material.

What is the best way to contact them?

 

[shakacuz]

What is the best way to contact them?

vinyl braided tubing. sturdy but flexible enough to maneuver for cleaning. also helps with vibration from the pump.

 

[Dburr1014]

The intake part was plumbed primarily with PVC (purchased this tank used with already being done) but the hose to connect the threading from the tank to the PVC is same material.

What is the best way to contact them?

Here you go!

 

[BContos]

Here you go!

Thank you so much!