How to clean a Tunze pump and what to do about a driver alarm.

rvitko · 03/14/2007, 11:59 AM

I hope this thread will answer the most FAQ. The electronic Streams have a safety feature that sound an audible alarm when the pump is jammed. The pumps vary in the frequency they need cleaning with the habitat they are used in. In my personal opinion I keep my tanks at about 380-400 ppm Calcium, I don't use magnesium or strontium supplements (any supplements except kalk and a calcium reactor for that matter). I keep the KH at 12- I use superbuffer dKH from Kent if necessary. For salt I use hW Marinemix (hW Meersalz in Europe). Why do I do it this way and not keep higher Calcium levels? First of, the reefs are about 380ppm Calcium with a KH of 8, they have the advantage of trillions of gallons of this solution passing over them. I have the advantage as a hobbyist of modern technology keeping the levels reasonably constant as well. I run a slightly higher KH because the KH is more critical to the stability of a closed environment and corallin algae responds favorably and many green algaes negatively to this higher KH. A high KH has also increased the availability of the Ca. By doing this my pumps only need cleaning every 6-9 months- 9 months is pushing it and I wouldn't recommend it. Do my corals grow as fast as 500 ppm- no. They do grow fast enough and the idea of the Optimum Aquarium from Dupla applies to all aquaria, you will always have a limiting factor, by raisng the calcium you only changed it to another element be it light, flow, KH etc. Just work on balance and stability, nature has more experience than all of us.

Why do pumps become jammed with Calcium? The answer is simple and it may surprise you to learn the same thing happens in your pumps as happens at the coral polyp when skeleton is laid down for growth. Inside a pump we have both heat and vacuum, by Boyles law we decrease the solubility of CO2 and the pH increase in a local zone this precipitates CaCO3. Pumps vary in this effect, most pump have an internal temp of 4C over ambient, a Stream is about 1C. Vacuum is hard to quantify. At the coral polyp the xoozanthellae remove CO2 from the water by photosynthetic activity, this does the same thing, the pH increase and CaCO3 precipitates and is added to the skeleton.

Now, lets get down to the pump and cleaning it-

rvitko · 03/14/2007, 12:15 PM

Some of you may recognize that this thread was posted earlier. Marc Levenson- Melev here on RC, sent me some much better photos and I am updating this thread using his photos.

We will start with the 6100.60 drive unit. This drive unit is used on all 6000/6100 and 6200 and wavebox pumps made prior to January, 2006. This drive unit is the same as the 6080.60 used on the current 6060 and 6080 pumps with the exception of the 7400.610 o ring.

Here we see the complete assembled unit removed, the bush bearing is not shown in the photo, the bush bearing is the collar that is around the impeller well.-

In this photo we see the upper bearing, this part is the most frequent cause of a problem, it can become cemented to the magnetic rotor with lime, the magnet should spin freely on the bearing. The bearing can be removed with a screw (see manual) a pair of very small needle nose, or a pick if it is at the bottom of the impeller well. If it is stuck to the rotor, gently pry it off with a slotted screwdriver.

In this photo we see the drive unit fully dissassembled. It should be cleaned with vinegar and a brush-

This photo gives a detail of the 7400.610 o ring, this is the only difference between a 6080.60 and a 6100.60, it restricts the movement of the brakes which are not required on the electronic pumps.

In this photo we see the hole in the center of the drive unit, it is critical that this be thoroughly cleaned to get the full service life, also be sure the well the drive unit is inside is also cleaned, just use vinegar and a brush for this-

rvitko · 03/14/2007, 12:20 PM

On newer 6000, 6100, 6200 and wavebox pumps this one piece drive unit is used. It can be retrofitted on older pumps though it can be slightly noisier. You can expect the noise to be + or - a few db over the 6100.60, it varies with the age and wear of your existing pump. It is stronger and easier to clean but the main reason for the change was to speed up production. These drive units CANNOT be use on a 6060 or 6080. Parts 6100.70 are for 6000 and 6100 and 6200.70 is for the 6200 and wavebox.

rvitko · 03/14/2007, 12:21 PM

The same basic cleaning applies with the newer units but it cannot be dissassembled further than illustrated above.

1SickReefer · 03/31/2007, 12:00 PM

This thread was exactly what I was looking for thanks Roger!

scunan · 04/15/2007, 04:26 PM

My 6100 has the alarm driver going off and the unit is not working. This is new and has only been in my tank for a week or two. The power was coming on and off during the last snow storm when this happened. Is there something I can to to reset this or do I need to send it to you?

rvitko · 04/16/2007, 10:27 AM

You might double check all the internal parts, something may have entered the pump or a part came loose but I suspect that the electronics fried due to the dips and surges brought on by the power interruptions and it will need to be sent in for repair.

scunan · 04/16/2007, 10:56 AM

Do I just send in to you with a return address or do I need a RA number?

rvitko · 04/16/2007, 11:14 AM

No RMA, just send it in.

hrandolph · 04/18/2007, 12:00 PM

I have a singlecontroller 7091 Tunze pump.

Is the pump the same as described above by Roger Vitko ?
Should it be cleaned in this mannor ?
Henry Randolph

rvitko · 04/18/2007, 12:10 PM

Yes.

docwells · 04/26/2007, 07:04 PM

I had my alarm go off today on my 6100's. I took them apart for cleaning and they were full of calcium. When I disassembled it I did not see the o-ring that is in your pictures. I have the newer one piece unit. Is this a problem and how do I go about replacing it? I don't want to harm my units and they are about 1 year old.
Thanks

scunan · 04/27/2007, 06:49 AM

Hey Roger did you receive the 6100 I sent you from Maine?

rvitko · 04/27/2007, 09:09 AM

Which oring? The one under the upper bearing must be there for proper operation. The one between the magnet and shaft is not used if you have the new one piece drive unit.

Scunan- I believe so, PM me your full name and I can check but by your user name I think that pump was repaired and returned yesterday.

docwells · 04/27/2007, 01:49 PM

Thanks Roger. I was referring to the o-ring under the upper bearing. It was there after all. It was so caked in calcium that it stayed in the unit when I removed the shaft. The whole unit is now clean and runs like a champ.

old salty · 04/27/2007, 07:35 PM

On the very last picture (the one with the coffee mug), there is a piece all the way on the right. I don't recall ever seeing this when I clean my pumps (they get cleaned every 2 months for maximum performance.) Where is that piece located when the stream is assembled?

rvitko · 04/30/2007, 09:40 AM

That is the upper bearing, It is probably at the bottom of the impeller well. It normally stays down there but it is good preventitive maintanence to remove it and clean it as it is critical to the cooling and lubrication, the water moves down through the hole in the magnet through the bearing and then comes up along the side of the magnet and out. If this piece gets clogged with calcium the pump builds up calcium faster due to insufficent cooling. A pick or screw or small needle nose can be used to remove it. I prefer a pick tool, you can buy a set at Lowes or Sears for about $7.

Tobman · 05/03/2007, 08:53 AM

I have a Nano 6025. It does not appear that you can easily open them for cleaning or inspecting.

How do you take the 6025 apart so you can access the shaft and connection; I'm not talking about the plastic strainer on the outside?

rvitko · 05/03/2007, 09:20 AM

You pull apart the front cage and the back half, it takes a firm pull to seperate them. The propeller assembly just pulls out. The shaft should be permanently fixed to the motor.

boxfishpooalot · 05/16/2007, 08:35 AM

Roger in the last pic with coffee mug, what is the piece that is on the far right? I dont think it has a use, i just got the new propeller. Its not the bearing shaft that goes on the bottom as old salty asked.

I plugged mine in without the part on the far right of picture and it works fine?

rvitko · 05/16/2007, 10:46 AM

That piece is the bush bearing, it is the collar that goes around the hole. It has to be there. I am sorry for the confusion in my last response.

scunan · 05/17/2007, 07:53 AM

Roger I received my 6100 and it works great. Thank you very much for repairing it for me. I will definately be buying more Tunze products with excellent customer service that can not be beat. Thanks again Roger!

boxfishpooalot · 05/17/2007, 05:44 PM

LOL the new propeller kicks but!

I can achieve a 6-7" wave on my 6 foot tank LOL. But thats without the overflow being used. And the stand rocks way too much. So far I got it on the lowest power level and the wavebox produces a 1" wave.......

Great product!

Roger, I fail to see where or how that piece fits into the powerhead. I tried getting it in and it simply would not fit. Im not talking about the circle thing with the orange gasket here. What are you referring to?

rvitko · 05/18/2007, 08:48 AM

The round collar piece, you pry it out from the top of the hole, there are two notches where you can remove it with a slotted screwdriver.

bigt0706 · 07/11/2007, 10:43 PM

roger i have a nano 6045 for about 4-5 months and i have cleaned it twice and the other day it started making noise and when i took it apart the shaft had rusted and broke at the end where do i need to send it to thanks

03/14/2007, 11:59 AM	#1
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	How to clean a Tunze pump and what to do about a driver alarm. I hope this thread will answer the most FAQ. The electronic Streams have a safety feature that sound an audible alarm when the pump is jammed. The pumps vary in the frequency they need cleaning with the habitat they are used in. In my personal opinion I keep my tanks at about 380-400 ppm Calcium, I don't use magnesium or strontium supplements (any supplements except kalk and a calcium reactor for that matter). I keep the KH at 12- I use superbuffer dKH from Kent if necessary. For salt I use hW Marinemix (hW Meersalz in Europe). Why do I do it this way and not keep higher Calcium levels? First of, the reefs are about 380ppm Calcium with a KH of 8, they have the advantage of trillions of gallons of this solution passing over them. I have the advantage as a hobbyist of modern technology keeping the levels reasonably constant as well. I run a slightly higher KH because the KH is more critical to the stability of a closed environment and corallin algae responds favorably and many green algaes negatively to this higher KH. A high KH has also increased the availability of the Ca. By doing this my pumps only need cleaning every 6-9 months- 9 months is pushing it and I wouldn't recommend it. Do my corals grow as fast as 500 ppm- no. They do grow fast enough and the idea of the Optimum Aquarium from Dupla applies to all aquaria, you will always have a limiting factor, by raisng the calcium you only changed it to another element be it light, flow, KH etc. Just work on balance and stability, nature has more experience than all of us. Why do pumps become jammed with Calcium? The answer is simple and it may surprise you to learn the same thing happens in your pumps as happens at the coral polyp when skeleton is laid down for growth. Inside a pump we have both heat and vacuum, by Boyles law we decrease the solubility of CO2 and the pH increase in a local zone this precipitates CaCO3. Pumps vary in this effect, most pump have an internal temp of 4C over ambient, a Stream is about 1C. Vacuum is hard to quantify. At the coral polyp the xoozanthellae remove CO2 from the water by photosynthetic activity, this does the same thing, the pH increase and CaCO3 precipitates and is added to the skeleton. Now, lets get down to the pump and cleaning it- __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

03/14/2007, 12:15 PM	#2
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Some of you may recognize that this thread was posted earlier. Marc Levenson- Melev here on RC, sent me some much better photos and I am updating this thread using his photos. We will start with the 6100.60 drive unit. This drive unit is used on all 6000/6100 and 6200 and wavebox pumps made prior to January, 2006. This drive unit is the same as the 6080.60 used on the current 6060 and 6080 pumps with the exception of the 7400.610 o ring. Here we see the complete assembled unit removed, the bush bearing is not shown in the photo, the bush bearing is the collar that is around the impeller well.- In this photo we see the upper bearing, this part is the most frequent cause of a problem, it can become cemented to the magnetic rotor with lime, the magnet should spin freely on the bearing. The bearing can be removed with a screw (see manual) a pair of very small needle nose, or a pick if it is at the bottom of the impeller well. If it is stuck to the rotor, gently pry it off with a slotted screwdriver. In this photo we see the drive unit fully dissassembled. It should be cleaned with vinegar and a brush- This photo gives a detail of the 7400.610 o ring, this is the only difference between a 6080.60 and a 6100.60, it restricts the movement of the brakes which are not required on the electronic pumps. In this photo we see the hole in the center of the drive unit, it is critical that this be thoroughly cleaned to get the full service life, also be sure the well the drive unit is inside is also cleaned, just use vinegar and a brush for this- __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

03/14/2007, 12:20 PM	#3
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	On newer 6000, 6100, 6200 and wavebox pumps this one piece drive unit is used. It can be retrofitted on older pumps though it can be slightly noisier. You can expect the noise to be + or - a few db over the 6100.60, it varies with the age and wear of your existing pump. It is stronger and easier to clean but the main reason for the change was to speed up production. These drive units CANNOT be use on a 6060 or 6080. Parts 6100.70 are for 6000 and 6100 and 6200.70 is for the 6200 and wavebox. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

03/14/2007, 12:21 PM	#4
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	The same basic cleaning applies with the newer units but it cannot be dissassembled further than illustrated above. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

04/16/2007, 10:27 AM	#7
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	You might double check all the internal parts, something may have entered the pump or a part came loose but I suspect that the electronics fried due to the dips and surges brought on by the power interruptions and it will need to be sent in for repair. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

03/31/2007, 12:00 PM	#5
1SickReefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Perryville, MD Posts: 1,048	This thread was exactly what I was looking for thanks Roger!

04/15/2007, 04:26 PM	#6
scunan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 298	My 6100 has the alarm driver going off and the unit is not working. This is new and has only been in my tank for a week or two. The power was coming on and off during the last snow storm when this happened. Is there something I can to to reset this or do I need to send it to you?

04/16/2007, 10:56 AM	#8
scunan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 298	Do I just send in to you with a return address or do I need a RA number?

04/16/2007, 11:14 AM	#9
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	No RMA, just send it in. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

04/18/2007, 12:00 PM	#10
hrandolph Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Richmond, Va 23226 Posts: 6	I have a singlecontroller 7091 Tunze pump. Is the pump the same as described above by Roger Vitko ? Should it be cleaned in this mannor ? Henry Randolph

04/18/2007, 12:10 PM	#11
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Yes. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

04/26/2007, 07:04 PM	#12
docwells Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 952	I had my alarm go off today on my 6100's. I took them apart for cleaning and they were full of calcium. When I disassembled it I did not see the o-ring that is in your pictures. I have the newer one piece unit. Is this a problem and how do I go about replacing it? I don't want to harm my units and they are about 1 year old. Thanks __________________ Wellington Current Tank Info: 69 gallon AGE rimless starphire tank in progress...

04/27/2007, 06:49 AM	#13
scunan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 298	Hey Roger did you receive the 6100 I sent you from Maine?

04/27/2007, 09:09 AM	#14
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Which oring? The one under the upper bearing must be there for proper operation. The one between the magnet and shaft is not used if you have the new one piece drive unit. Scunan- I believe so, PM me your full name and I can check but by your user name I think that pump was repaired and returned yesterday. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

04/27/2007, 01:49 PM	#15
docwells Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 952	Thanks Roger. I was referring to the o-ring under the upper bearing. It was there after all. It was so caked in calcium that it stayed in the unit when I removed the shaft. The whole unit is now clean and runs like a champ. __________________ Wellington Current Tank Info: 69 gallon AGE rimless starphire tank in progress...

04/27/2007, 07:35 PM	#16
old salty Genius Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Island of Misfit Toys Posts: 3,131	On the very last picture (the one with the coffee mug), there is a piece all the way on the right. I don't recall ever seeing this when I clean my pumps (they get cleaned every 2 months for maximum performance.) Where is that piece located when the stream is assembled? __________________ "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: Out of the marine aquarium hobby

04/30/2007, 09:40 AM	#17
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	That is the upper bearing, It is probably at the bottom of the impeller well. It normally stays down there but it is good preventitive maintanence to remove it and clean it as it is critical to the cooling and lubrication, the water moves down through the hole in the magnet through the bearing and then comes up along the side of the magnet and out. If this piece gets clogged with calcium the pump builds up calcium faster due to insufficent cooling. A pick or screw or small needle nose can be used to remove it. I prefer a pick tool, you can buy a set at Lowes or Sears for about $7. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

05/03/2007, 08:53 AM	#18
Tobman Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Steamboat Springs, Colorado Posts: 418	Nano I have a Nano 6025. It does not appear that you can easily open them for cleaning or inspecting. How do you take the 6025 apart so you can access the shaft and connection; I'm not talking about the plastic strainer on the outside? __________________ Go Broncos! Current Tank Info: 65g reef

05/03/2007, 09:20 AM	#19
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	You pull apart the front cage and the back half, it takes a firm pull to seperate them. The propeller assembly just pulls out. The shaft should be permanently fixed to the motor. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

05/16/2007, 08:35 AM	#20
boxfishpooalot Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: canada, Grande Praire, Ab Posts: 5,824	Roger in the last pic with coffee mug, what is the piece that is on the far right? I dont think it has a use, i just got the new propeller. Its not the bearing shaft that goes on the bottom as old salty asked. I plugged mine in without the part on the far right of picture and it works fine? __________________ Its a good idea to have a refrence sample for alk test kits. 1.1350 grams of baking soda in 1gallon of distilled water=10dkh. Check your alkalinity test kit! Algae is Mother Natures phosphate remover Current Tank Info: 220 galon mixed reef.

05/16/2007, 10:46 AM	#21
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	That piece is the bush bearing, it is the collar that goes around the hole. It has to be there. I am sorry for the confusion in my last response. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

05/17/2007, 07:53 AM	#22
scunan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 298	Roger I received my 6100 and it works great. Thank you very much for repairing it for me. I will definately be buying more Tunze products with excellent customer service that can not be beat. Thanks again Roger!

05/17/2007, 05:44 PM	#23
boxfishpooalot Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: canada, Grande Praire, Ab Posts: 5,824	LOL the new propeller kicks but! I can achieve a 6-7" wave on my 6 foot tank LOL. But thats without the overflow being used. And the stand rocks way too much. So far I got it on the lowest power level and the wavebox produces a 1" wave....... Great product! Roger, I fail to see where or how that piece fits into the powerhead. I tried getting it in and it simply would not fit. Im not talking about the circle thing with the orange gasket here. What are you referring to? __________________ Its a good idea to have a refrence sample for alk test kits. 1.1350 grams of baking soda in 1gallon of distilled water=10dkh. Check your alkalinity test kit! Algae is Mother Natures phosphate remover Current Tank Info: 220 galon mixed reef.

05/18/2007, 08:48 AM	#24
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	The round collar piece, you pry it out from the top of the hole, there are two notches where you can remove it with a slotted screwdriver. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

07/11/2007, 10:43 PM	#25
bigt0706 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Dover , Fl Posts: 1,645	roger i have a nano 6045 for about 4-5 months and i have cleaned it twice and the other day it started making noise and when i took it apart the shaft had rusted and broke at the end where do i need to send it to thanks __________________ if it dosent break the bank something else will Current Tank Info: 5'' 120 2x 250radiums vho atinics mp40 and tunse 6055 with multicontroller das dual resec skimmer , 70 tech oceanic with 6x36 teck t5 custom sump and miracle mud with bubble magnus cone skimmer