# penguin 350 noise?



## aji1217 (Aug 22, 2009)

got home yesterday and my penguin was making a very loud huming noise. thought it was my air pump at first.

no change in water flow mind you, just noise level.

I unplugged it and plugged it back in and it was fine..then about 10 hours later, did it again.

made it overnight without anything happening...but is this a sign on a damaged impeller..or what?

I do have the water level about 5" below the advised level for my plants, but it has never been a problem with manual priming. Is my bad choice coming back to haunt me in the form of a broken impeller?

OH just realized too that last week my sponge filter went to mush on me...(stupid hippy town and their "organic" sponges...give me something that wont decay for 3000 years...ill be happy with it)

Going to clean it out tonight (requires removing an 8' long canopy, so..didn't do it yesterday), just figured I would ask if anyone had any insight on this.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

is it sitting straight on the rim? i find that my penguin's motor sounds bad if it's leaning


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## aji1217 (Aug 22, 2009)

I will check it out...very possible it is leaning as its surrounded by pvc and wedged in.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

the impeller will make more of a grinding noise, if soemthing is wrong, then a louder motor means a worn out motor


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## aji1217 (Aug 22, 2009)

sounds like it is either off balance or my motor is wearing out.

the emperor 400 was used for over a year before I bought it and still has no problems...penguin lasted 6 months.

hmm. dare I say the spray bar and size aren't the only difference?


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i'm sure there is a reason the penguins are a bit cheaper, same as the penguin powerheads, i think mine is starting to wear out after close to a year, going to go with an emperor next, and i should be able to just toss my bio wheel onto it


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## aji1217 (Aug 22, 2009)

its ok to hijack your own thread right? while were talking bio wheels...anyone know if they still sell the stand alone bio wheel returns? would be great getting like 6 of these for my future sump return, but haven't seen em anywhere. possibly make them out of air filters?

I got some reading/testing to do..


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

try finding out if you can buy them as a replacement part


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## 67chevelle (May 24, 2008)

350 bio wheels won't fit in a emperor.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i had a smaller one, the bio wheel is smaller than the emperor's in diameter but not length, so it still works great


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## TKC747 (Dec 5, 2008)

if they sell these:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...-C881-DE11-B712-001422107090&mr:referralID=NA

I'm sure you can get any of marineland biowheel filter replacements


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