Hydor Koralia Powerhead Noise

jayke · #1 11/19/2007, 04:04 PM

I recently cleaned my 2 Koralia Power heads and now they are noisy. One of them was quiet with the washer at the base of the impeller, the other was quiet without. I may have lost the other washer when I cleaned it. Anyone know where to get replacement washers or have any suggestions on quieting it? There is a loud rattleing noise.

hyperfocal · #2 11/19/2007, 06:04 PM

Email fmoore@hydor.com. He's the US rep; I'm sure he'll help you out one way or another.

barjam · #3 11/19/2007, 07:28 PM

Let me know what you find out. Mine is also loud after cleaning not a rattle but more of a hum. I had hoped that it would break back in.

jayke · #4 11/19/2007, 07:53 PM

Now that I'm home, mine is the sames as yours Barjam. More of a loud hum. I was hoping it would break back in as well, but its been over 2 days no difference. I'll try emailing the rep.

Thanks.

barjam · #5 11/19/2007, 07:57 PM

I may have lost the washer on one of mine when cleaning it (if the threes have them).

jayke · #6 11/19/2007, 08:01 PM

I've got to imagine that losing the washers has got to be a very common complaint received by hydor. They are extremely small and loose. I thought I was careful when I cleaned them, but I guess not.

jayke · #7 11/21/2007, 09:25 AM

Haven't heard back from the rep in a few days. Any suggestions for quieting this power head?

MSU Fan · #8 11/21/2007, 10:01 AM

Find a replacement washer at ace hardware? That's what I did. And I have 2-#3s.

wildnotmild · #9 11/21/2007, 10:10 AM

Anyone know if Koralia 1s have this washer? I cleaned mine and now it hums like crazy. I didn't even see a washer...

barjam · #10 11/21/2007, 10:14 AM

MSU Fan, thats my plan.

wildnotmild I don't remember, they are VERY easy to lose if they have them. Get one from ace and try it out.... I think they have little plastic washers. I don't see how it could hurt any.

wildnotmild · #11 11/21/2007, 10:18 AM

The problem is, since I didn't see any washer, I have no idea what size or where it goes. I assume it would be on the shaft under the impeller?

jayke · #12 11/21/2007, 11:07 AM

Yes the 1's do have a washer. Does anyone know the size at Ace? I looked yesterday at lowes, but they did not have anything near that size.

wildnotmild · #13 12/01/2007, 01:01 PM

Here is an update on my vibration/noise issue. The Hydor rep was pretty quick to respond and sent me a couple washers free of charge. Unfortunately, they turned out to be slightly to large in outside diameter to fit in my Koralia 1. So, I went to Home Depot and purchased a five pack of size #6 Nylon flat washers. These were slightly smaller OD than the pieces Hydor sent. The Hydor piece was kind of a cup shape, so was thicker than a standard washer. To match the thickness, I put in all five nylon washers. It works like a charm. I've had it running in a bucket of water for an hour with no nasty noises. it will go back in the tank at my next water change. Cost to fix: forty cents.

electraglide999 · #14 12/03/2007, 12:34 AM

Have any pics. I have cleaned mine several time and never noticed any. Have been making noise. I thought is was maybe bent rods.

Reef of Eden · #15 12/03/2007, 01:18 AM

mine make noise for about a week to two weeks every time i wash them out. I've found that they actually work better when they got a little bit of algae build up in them. I was just being too compulsive about cleaning them every time I saw algae build up. I went to a reputable LFS and they run them on pretty much all there tanks with ridiculous amounts of algae growth on them, when I asked them about it, they stated the same thing, that they seems to work better when they didn't clean them as often.

RumLad · #16 12/03/2007, 09:01 AM

I simply took mine back to the LFS and got a credit. Why be bothered by noisy equipment and have to rig up Rube Goldberg fixes?

barjam · #17 12/03/2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

I simply took mine back to the LFS and got a credit. Why be bothered by noisy equipment and have to rig up Rube Goldberg fixes?

Replacing a washer that is standard equipment is considered a Rube Goldberg fix?

Quote:

mine make noise for about a week to two weeks every time i wash them out.

Yep, that is what happened to me as well.

RumLad · #18 12/03/2007, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by barjam
Replacing a washer that is standard equipment is considered a Rube Goldberg fix?

Not if it's an OEM replacement, no. But replacing it with 5 stacked washers, not of the same size or shape as the original, is getting pretty close, no?

My Hydor would hum and rattle every other time it started up, so I sent it packing.

wildnotmild · #19 12/03/2007, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RumLad
Not if it's an OEM replacement, no. But replacing it with 5 stacked washers, not of the same size or shape as the original, is getting pretty close, no?

No, not at all. The function of the OEM washer apears to simply be a spacer. Replacing a lost part with something that approximates the dimensions of the original and duplicates the function is hardly a "Rube Goldberg" solution. Are you even familiar with what a Rube Goldberg machine is?

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, my Koralia 1 is running silently now. So, if you choose to use a Koralia, and are experiencing noise or vibration issues, I recommend you try a nylon washer or two to act as a spacer under the impeller.

RumLad · #20 12/03/2007, 12:25 PM

Glad your powerhead is functioning properly for you. Myself, I don't care to pay good money only to have to rig up fixes to make it work as designed.

barjam · #21 12/03/2007, 01:26 PM

RumLad, did you even read the thread?

So lets say you lost a screw to your lights and you replaced it with a screw from Home Depot that now makes it defective somehow?!?!

RumLad · #22 12/03/2007, 02:20 PM

Of course I read the thread. Did you read my response? Where did I say it was defective?

As I said, if we're talking about replacing the spacer / bushing / washer whatever with a like replacement (as I have done numerous times with my current impellers etc) then it is a no brainer. What I took issue with was having to cobble together 5 seperate items, that were not of the correct size or shape, in order to make a product work as intended. If the manufacturer won't make the replacement parts available, in a convenient fashion, then I have no need for that particular item. There are other alternatives for me to choose from.

capn_hylinur · #23 12/03/2007, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wildnotmild
No, not at all. The function of the OEM washer apears to simply be a spacer. Replacing a lost part with something that approximates the dimensions of the original and duplicates the function is hardly a "Rube Goldberg" solution. Are you even familiar with what a Rube Goldberg machine is?

.

I'm not--what or who is rube goldberg

barjam · #24 12/03/2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

If the manufacturer won't make the replacement parts available, in a convenient fashion, then I have no need for that particular item. There are other alternatives for me to choose from.

They sent him one... but it wasn't the right size apparently. Thats a pretty honest mistake in my book. So rather than wait for another washer he bought something at Home Depot that would work. If he would have emailed hydor they would have made it right.

I don't mind hating on companies but man, you are being a bit extreme here. Oh, btw, what are the reasonably priced alternatives in this category?

RumLad · #25 12/03/2007, 03:11 PM

This is getting a bit tedious Barjam. I'm not looking to argue infinitessimal details of this sort of issue. I didn't say the poster was wrong for doing what he did, just that it's not my thing.

Look around, there are plenty of powerheads available to choose from.