Noisy Maxi-Jet mods

[spleify]

Hello all, I just hooked up my new Sure Flow 1600 Maxi-Jet Upgrade Kit
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18525

One of them is reasonably quiet, but the other one is crazy loud. I started with the 1600GPH impellor, and one of them rattled like mad. I swapped them out for the 2100 GPH impellors, and it didn't rattle, but holy sand storm Batman. I had to go back to the 1600 GPH impellor.
Has any one else experienced a noisy rattling mod? Is there a fix?

Thanks for any and all advice.

Spleify

[riosrios]

plz check their official website for reference

http://www.algaefree.com/sureflowfaq.html

[spleify]

Great thanks riosrios. I guess I will wait it out for a week or so. Hopefully it will subside.

Spleify

[WLachnit]

i had the same issue. I futzed around with one of mine and got it to quiet it down.

[chevegan]

same issue. I'm assuming you are using mj12's because they always buzz with the smaller impeller. I ended up only using 1 and an koralia 4 on the other end to keep the sand storms at bay

[spleify]

Yes using a MJ1200, it is so obnoxious. I finally this morning had to disconnect it. I can't take it anymore.
I contacted the company, and at first he didn't want to do anything about it, he actually told me to take the 2100GPH propeller and trim it down. After I quoted where it says on there website that if the noise doesn't subside after a week, contact them and they will replace it for you, I got an E-Mail back this morning saying "we will send you a new one". That's all he had to say.

They work great but quite frankly they are junk.

JMO

Spleify

[Jefe12234]

On the MJ 1200's at least, they seem to have a poor track record. I have two of them and one would buzz with the small impeller and the other would randomly try to reverse with the large impeller. This was after several weeks of break-in time. I've heard similar stories from others like you and the 1200's seem to be the most problematic.

[spleify]

Ok, so I got the new propeller and it is still noisy as all get out.
Its so disappointing because I really like the random flow and the amount flow they give off.
So rather than ditching these pieces of junk, I decided to take them out and take a look at them. I noticed that on the shaft there is about a 1/4" of shaft at the end of the propeller. I thought maybe it was causing it to, in sence, "cavitate".
So I took some standard 1/4" airline tubing and cut a tiny piece to fill the gap at the end of the propeller. It took a few tries to get it perfect where it had no slop and yet wouldn't bind. Once I figured out the correct size, I put them back together. Plugged them in and viola. Quiet!!!! Finally. Man these things where driving me nuts before. Now they are silent, like they should be.
I hope this will help someone else that is having the same problem.

Spleify

[Bignasty1]

Same thing.... I quit using the 1600 prop on a MJ1200 because of the constant humm. So does it have the same problem on a 900?

[spleify]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12823070#post12823070 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bignasty1
Same thing.... I quit using the 1600 prop on a MJ1200 because of the constant humm. So does it have the same problem on a 900?

I don't know if it's any better on a 900, but I think I am going to go that route and test it out.

[woodstockaz]

Tagging along. Same thing so far. i have been through 3!.
I noticed one impellar is worse than the rest and ALL OF THEM seem to stop spinning every once in a while.
We need mods to make these work right. Anyone?

[REEF-n-Chicago]

I am thinking of ordering 4 of these. Hadn't heard anything bad about them... To bad; tagging along

[EnderG60]

yup same here, 1200 made WAY to much noise with either impeller.

but on the 600 or 900...nice and quiet.

[areze]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12822465#post12822465 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spleify
Ok, so I got the new propeller and it is still noisy as all get out.
Its so disappointing because I really like the random flow and the amount flow they give off.
So rather than ditching these pieces of junk, I decided to take them out and take a look at them. I noticed that on the shaft there is about a 1/4" of shaft at the end of the propeller. I thought maybe it was causing it to, in sence, "cavitate".
So I took some standard 1/4" airline tubing and cut a tiny piece to fill the gap at the end of the propeller. It took a few tries to get it perfect where it had no slop and yet wouldn't bind. Once I figured out the correct size, I put them back together. Plugged them in and viola. Quiet!!!! Finally. Man these things where driving me nuts before. Now they are silent, like they should be.
I hope this will help someone else that is having the same problem.

Spleify

I think that 1/4" is the space for the propellor to "pull foward" when it starts up in the wrong direction, and then make contact with the stop. then change direction and seat back towards the base of the power head...

all I can say is double check that after unplugging and such that it keeps starting in the right direction...

I made my own, but got tired of general unreliable service. the airlines kept breaking, they would get brittle after a few months. easy to fix I guess, but annoying. and yeah, 1 always rattled.

[The Grim Reefer]

I just hooked up a couple of 900's and they seem to be quite although one did have an issue with a little buzzing for a bit but it seemed to work itself out..

Reason I went for the 900 is they don't start in reverse nearly as often as the 1200, found that out doing the directional flow mod where you remove the snout and run them on a wave timer. The 1200 was reversing direction nearly every time it started. 900 hardly ever did.

[woodstockaz]

What is the directional flow mod...??

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12852259#post12852259 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by woodstockaz
What is the directional flow mod...??

You cut the output nozzle off back to the housing so it leaves an oval hole. The flow from the pump will change direction from left to right depending on the way the impellor rotates. On a 1200 it seems like the rotation reverses nearly every time the pump turns on.

[Paul R64]

I had the same problem with noise with both of my modded maxis. It was so bad I could hear it in the adjoining room. I had contacted the company and they were great and sent me three new shafts with props but after a short wile they still became noisey again. What I did this past weekend is placed a small piece of silicone tubing about 1/8 of an inch long on the end of the shaft that rests inside the mj1200. I fly R/C planes so I had this on hand but you can get it at any hobby shop or tower hobbies online. Just pick up some silicone fuel line. This was placed between the plastic and rubber endcap and the washer that is on the shaft. They have been silent since. It seems to have absorbed the vibration that was causing the noise.

[WLachnit]

Good to know. I've had the same problem. I wonder if just silcone sealant would work?

[musashi666]

I've been having problems with the sureflow mod as well. I bought a kit from Premium Aquatics and ran it with both the 1600 prop and the 2100 prop but it rattled and clanked anywhere from every few minutes to every few seconds. I could'nt take it!

I contacted Algae-Free and I was sent a new impeller and propeller. (It was sent out the next day)Unfortunately, this did not fix the situation.

I contacted them again and was told I could try to trim down the white propeller or rotate the housing a little and that might work.

Nope. :-(

I tried the kit on 3-4 different MJ 1200's but kept having the same problems. I tried the airline tubing on the shaft but it didn't work for me.

Algae-Free then went out of their way and sent me a new MJ pump and impeller/propeller that they had running on a tank of theirs and was known to work. I have to compliment them on their service for that one.

I got the new pump/kit put it in the tank and... silent. Everything was great!

That is for about 3 weeks. Then back to the chattering problem. I don't know what to do. I think I'm cursed. I must live in an anti-maxi-mod zone or aura. These things are GREAT when they are working, but noisy, loud, and highly irritating when they chatter. I had to take it out of the tank because it was too loud and frustrated me to no end.

I'm at a loss. There is no way I'm going to contact Algae-Free again! They went out of their way to help me but I just can't get the product to work properly.

You are not alone...

Let me know if you find a good fix.

[azcraig]

I have two maxi jet 1200 with the sure flow kits and have no problems at all.

[spleify]

Well, this is certainly interesting with these mods. As said earlier, these mods are awesome, when they are working.
I contacted the company and they sent me out the new impeller, after a few E-Mails and some convincing. After I got the new and it was doing the same thing, I contacted them again and he told me the same thing, to trim it down....yeah right. The chances of trimming that thing perfect is slim to none. My guess is that it would be worse after a trim.
What I ended up doing is getting 2 MJ900's and putting the small 1600 GPH impeller's in, and they are silent and run like a champ now.
Its been a couple of months, I guess since this thread was started, and they are running great still.

In conclusion, I would have to give kudos on the 1600GPH on the MJ900. Other than than I have had bad luck with them.

I hope others have better luck, or can come up with a way to fix the issue.

Spleify

[WLachnit]

I've had much better luck with the smaller impeller as well.I agree that trimming it just right will be pretty much impossible,

[woodstockaz]

No doubt they are a pain in the Ars.. I have had them even kill fish . I think they need a second housing to diffuse more water also........ a cage around the cage......

[mehaffydr]

I currently have 6 of the 2100's running I have had most of the issues descibed here. But I also have another issue I have not seen anyone mention. I have had 2 of these units blow the shaft out the back of the MJ1200 power head which renders the power head useless. I also must confess I have mine on a wavemaker which they do not reccomend.

But at the price so far I just order more from the Doctors.

[ReefJunkieOK]

I have 2. One running the large prop on a 1200, the other is the smaller prop running on a 600. Both work flawlessly. I am very happy with them.

[jennmac415]

having this same issue guess I could try the smaller prop on the MJ 900, but then it isn't the same amount of flow, correct??

[Paul R64]

The flow difference between the large and small props is significant so if you move to the smaller prop with a mj 900 you will notice. I ended up using the smaller prop on some mj 900's I had because I could not find a long term solution for the noise when using them on the mj 1200's. Since doing this I have had no noise what so ever. I can't use the larger props in my 75 gallon without them moving the substrate.

[amstar]

anyone have a picture of this mod they did with the tubing on the shaft on the 1200's

[The Grim Reefer]

I am running 900's with small props on 15 minute timmers for about 4 months now and other than the occasional rattle when they start dead silent.

[amstar]

what kind of timer are you using?

so the general idea is... wavemaker/timer dont attempt the 1200's but with the 900's or smaller ... it should be okay

[The Grim Reefer]

I am using a Reefkeeper. They supposedly have a soft start of some sort.

[amstar]

ahh soo a wavemaster pro would probably not be a good idea.

I have it just laying around and was thinking about hooking it up.. or selling it

[jennmac415]

I would like to see a pic of this tubing mod some have done also...

[jennmac415]

LOL... I just had a thought... they HAVE been running a little over a year, maybe for the price, I should just order some more!!! :)

[RBirns]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13422557#post13422557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by woodstockaz
No doubt they are a pain in the Ars.. I have had them even kill fish . I think they need a second housing to diffuse more water also........ a cage around the cage......

I have also had fish sucked into it. Found half a wrasse sticking out of the housing. Possible that he was already dead and got sucked in, but more likely he was alive until, well, you know.

Yesterday I found my perfectly healty clownfish stuck to the housing. Thought he was dead, but when I went to peel him off. he swam away. Today he's back to perfect. Guess I saved his life.

Are these maxijet mods more dangerous to fish compared to a Korelia or similar?

[RBirns]

That does it! Just came home and found my yellow tang stuck to the mod. Fortunately I freed him and he survived. This damned thing has now killed one fish nearly killed two more, including a pretty strong tang.

I'm going back to multiple powerheads, unless someone can convince me that one Korelia is a better (and safer) option.

[reefer31]

I run 2-900 mj's with the smaller prop. I could not for the life of me get the 2-1200 mj's to work silently. One would work fine but then the other would work fine for about a day then start to randomly rattle like crazy! Like others on here, I tried the small prop on the 1200 and there is a consistent hum about them and I did not like that either. Good thing I work at a fish store cuz I was swapping out props/mj's to figure out if that would work but to no avail. I think its a random thing to be able to get the perfect 1200 with the large prop. Good LUCK!!

[RBirns]

Mine has been silent...but deadly. What good is quiet if it sucks up the fish?

[stanlalee]

my experience has been:
maxi-jet 1200+2100gph prop= quiet
maxi-jet 1200+1600gph prop= noisy
maxi-jet 400-900+1600gph prop=quiet
maxi-jet 400-900+2100gph prop= I have no idea

[davidr]

I've have the 1200 with 2100gph prop and it's perfect...loud humm with the 1600gph prop though. The only problem i've had with the 12 21 setup is while I was finding the right spot so not to move all my sand around it started the chattering for no reason. I think it has something to do with how flow hit the back of the intake. I moved it and it's been great.

I agree with reefer31 it's a random thing. Just bring it back till you get a good one.