New Air Pump Problem

[MartyG]

I have just bought a new Sera 275R pump from my local dealer to replace my old tetratec AP150.

I have setup my new pump on the existing pipework but although my new pump is about 3 times bigger than my old one it cannot power the bubble wall that runs the full length of my tank (28" approx).

My old tetratec could power this even at the end of its life.

I have tried connecting both outputs of my new pump but still no luck.

Any ideas??

 

[PaulasPets]

Could be that one of the membranes is eighter broken or not correctly in place.

Paula

 

[BigC]

I dont know how this can be as the whisper is only capable of producing 150ltrs per hour and the Sera a whopping 275ltrs per hour. I would check your pipework and all the valves for an oversight. (you havent got a non return valve fitted round the wrong way). Stupid I know... but I've done it.
Regards
BigC

 

[MartyG]

I dont know how this can be as the whisper is only capable of producing 150ltrs per hour and the Sera a whopping 275ltrs per hour. I would check your pipework and all the valves for an oversight. (you havent got a non return valve fitted round the wrong way). Stupid I know... but I've done it.
Regards
BigC

i have checked all of the connections and everything and taken out the non-return valve but still no luck,

i did try and manually blow through the bubble wall with no luck yet it is fairly easy to blow through another airstone that i have in the tank.

Could be that one of the membranes is eighter broken or not correctly in place.

Paula

is that something i can check myself?

 

[PaulasPets]

yes, most airpumps even come with a spare membrane so you can replace it. You will have to open the pump and you will see an electro-magnet (its a stack of thin metal plates with very thin wire wrapped around it a million times, you can unwind it and count the exact number but its probably very close to a million ) then there's a long metal plate or rod that is connected to a round piece of rubber: the membrane. You can take the membrane of and see if the valves are working correctly by blowing into the hole covered by the membrane, if working correctly: blowing should push air thru the pipe that you slip your airhose onto and sucking should get air from somewhere else. If you can't blow into the hole, you can also blow into the pipe that your airhose goes on: blowing should not be possible and sucking should get you air thru the pipe.
I hope this all makes some sense...

Paula

 

[MartyG]

yes, most airpumps even come with a spare membrane so you can replace it. You will have to open the pump and you will see an electro-magnet (its a stack of thin metal plates with very thin wire wrapped around it a million times, you can unwind it and count the exact number but its probably very close to a million ) then there's a long metal plate or rod that is connected to a round piece of rubber: the membrane. You can take the membrane of and see if the valves are working correctly by blowing into the hole covered by the membrane, if working correctly: blowing should push air thru the pipe that you slip your airhose onto and sucking should get air from somewhere else. If you can't blow into the hole, you can also blow into the pipe that your airhose goes on: blowing should not be possible and sucking should get you air thru the pipe.
I hope this all makes some sense...

Paula

okay had to read that twice to make sense, but i got it.

will try that. thanks.

 

[mr.dark-saint]

I would've just replaced the diaphram for the Tetra instead of buying a new pump. I wonder if the new pump can't handle the water pressure from it being deep?