One reason VT's separate

[Kengar]

I think I discovered one reason they may separate: snails. I had mine off overnight and, as soon as I turned them back on this morning, one of them separated. I found a large snail in the wet side of the one that separated; obviously, it got in there while the VTs were off, then blocked the prop from spinning when they came back on. As soon as the dry side rotated enough to repel instead of attract, pop! off came the wet side. My suspscion is that this may happen in some/most of the cases of separation, and the snail leaves when the wet side is sitting on the bottom, thus leaving no evidence of what caused the separation.

 

[mrcrab]

And when they run constantly?

 

[Kengar]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11993959#post11993959 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mrcrab
And when they run constantly?

That's a different story. I don't have a thought there. Note that I didn't refer to this as being a cause in ALL cases.

 

[EcoTech Marine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11996966#post11996966 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kengar
That's a different story. I don't have a thought there. Note that I didn't refer to this as being a cause in ALL cases.

Snails can still get into moving pumps in some cases and cause separations. There are undoubtedly other reasons for this occurring as well but snail invasion is definitely one of them.

-Tim

 

[Brent Hutchings]

My pump seperated yesterday while I was watching it. It just wobbled and dropped, no snail,s no fish and I wasnt doing anything to the tank. I have it at full power on reefcrest mode. I did heard the pump change speeds just as it happen. I dont know if the change in motor speed was the cause of the wet side seperating or as a result.
I left it at the bottom of the tank to let the hermit crabs and snails clean it. Today I popped it right back on with no problems.