Sedra 5000 skimmer pump problem, please help.

marcelft

marcelft

New member
Just tried to get my Euro-reef skimmer up and running after it had be unused for two years. It was working fine when put away. It will not prime, it just makes that clackity clack sound and pushes a little water, but no bubbles. Now, if I shake the heck out of it, it eventually starts up. But, if I shut it down it will not start again. Before I even started it I took it apart and made sure it was clean. What could it be?
 
How did you clean it up??? Could be something on the impeller shaft or in the pump housing where the magnet slides into. Take everything apart, soak it in a water/vinegar solution and then scrub it down.
 
I didn't soak it in vinager, just took the impeller out and cleaned it with a toothbrush to it. Other than a little dried salt, It was not dirty or clogged up at all anyway.
I'm kinda nervous I may have lost a bushing or something. There are two white plastic bushings on the top/impeller side, none on the base of the shaft. I can push the impeller down about an 1/8 of an inch, it springs back up. I don't remember there being anything else, but it has been 2 years since I had opened it up last. It's been sitting in my closet the whole time.
When these pumps go bad, do the slowly lose performance, or.suddenly stop?
 
Soak it in vingear for 24 hours then run it the same stuff for a couple of hours You can contact Reef Dynamics for the parts same company different name.
 
Check to see if the impeller has swollen, this is common for Sedra's and the only fix is a new impeller. For whatever reason, the magnets can swell and the restriction will cause the issues you describe.
 
Also, check to see that the venturi is clear. Take a drill bit that will just fit in the hole and see if you can move it in and out.
 
+1 to what sirreal63 and reefernutz suggested. I've been through both issues. But if it starts and pushes water it may be both issues. A slightly swollen impeller will be hard to start and won't push enough water. The vinegar soak should make it easier to open up the venturi too.

Whatever the cause, I'd recommend replacing the impeller just as a precaution since it seems to have issues and has been out of service for some time.. We had a 3500 on a skimmer in the tank in our office lobby. The maintenance company is really bad about a few things and cleaning and inspecting the skimmer pump is one of them. The impeller on that one swelled to the point you couldn't pull it out of the housing. The thing was pretty darn hot when I realized it wasn't doing anything and decided to pull it out. Had to let it cool down before I could do anything with it. That thing was a fire waiting to happen.
 
Awesome, thank you all for your suggestions.
I am going too try the vinegar soak.
The venturi is definitely clear.
Here are some pics of the impeller and its parts. I do believe there may be a slight bulge, but it's hard to tell without another one to compare it too.
IMAG0154.jpg

Here you can see that there are scraches on the shaft, where it feels slightly bulging too.
IMAG0153.jpg

And here is me pushing it up against a straight edge, light behind it, you can see two contact spots.
IMAG0155.jpg

Are these supposed to be laser straight, or is a little wave OK? Not wanting to have to spend $50 on a new impeller...gggrrrr.
 
Better yet, buy a Sicce with the red dragon impeller and consider it an investment. The difference in foam production is astounding.

This isn't the cheapest hobby you'll come across and a good skimmer/pump combo is a foundation piece.

The euroreef wasn't a cheap skimmer to begin with. Pumps don't last forever and while Sedra's certainly aren't the worst out there, that impeller is its' achilles heal. I'm really not knocking Sedras here. But I would bet a new impeller does the same thing in time.
 
PS I guess what scared me away was the one that seized up here in the office lobby. I've never seen an impeller swell to such proportions and cause the pump to get so darn hot. After that incident, the impellers on the two sedras I had at home went the same route as yours. Replaced them with Sicce pumps and called it a wrap..........at least for a while, lol!
 
I checked out Sicce web site. I like that they claim the pumps are "silent" as this in my living room. Now, how do i know which pump will be a direct replacement for the sedra 5000 and will fit my skimmer? Do I have to retro fit it?
 
I got one from Marine Depot and one from Premiumaquatics, and they were fitted onto different skimmers. The folks at either vendor will be able to answer questions related to the skimmer body you have.
 
You need to be careful. Reef-Dynamics (formerly Euro-Reef) does a lot of research and carefully matches the pumps to the individual skimmer. Just because a pump produces foam doesn't mean it will work well with your skimmer body. Size of the reaction chamber, size of the neck, length of the neck.....it's all paired with a specific pump for a reason. I would call and talk to Jeff Macare at Reef Dynamics......he will be able to help you out. FWIW - I know people that have been running Sedra pumps for 5 years and haven't had an issue.
 
Sedra 5000 skimmer pump manufacturer

Sedra 5000 skimmer pump manufacturer

Does anyone know who the manufacturer is? Vender will not replace a defective impeller. It came with a warped magnet and I had to purchase a new impeller for the pump to work correctely. The vender said the magnets warp when they run dry but this is a quarantine system that is never turned off.

Malcolm
 
Habitat said:
Does anyone know who the manufacturer is? Vender will not replace a defective impeller. It came with a warped magnet and I had to purchase a new impeller for the pump to work correctely. The vender said the magnets warp when they run dry but this is a quarantine system that is never turned off.

Malcolm
Click to expand...

I would get a hold of ASM, they may be the manufacture of these but not sure.
 
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