wavemaster pro-blem?

[reavely]

I installed a wavemaster a week ago and when it turns on my 2 PHD's they make a racheting sound that is spooking my tang - has anyone every had this problem?
The PHD's are about a year old, they are Hagen 802s - never had any functional problems with them before, but when I cleaned them out before the wavemaster installation, the intakes were cloggged with those tiny snails (name?).:notsure:

 

[reavely]

oh yeah, copapods

 

[slowest is fastest]

reavely,
The racheting sound you are hearing is probably the impeller starting up everytime the wavemaker turns the powerhead on. My old penguin powerheards did the same thing. I switched to maxi jets and except for the occasional click when one starts up they have been noise free. Some powerheads that preform well under constant use do not hold up to constant cycling on and off.
My suggestion would be to keep the hagens for circulation and use maxi jets for the wavemaker.
SiF

 

[reavely]

SiF
i like the hagens because of the 'quick-filter' that i use as an intake guard so critters don't get sucked up into the pwrhd. I don't see maxi-jets as having anything comparable - is there a recommendable 'rig' to simulate this for the maxi's?

 

[slowest is fastest]

If you are just looking for a critter guard maxi's come with an intake screen that will keep the fish out and a prefilter sponge can be added to further guard against smaller stuff passing through the impeller. I hide mine deep inside the rock work so the sponge will not work for me(needs cleaned and takes up to much room) but if you already have a setup that uses a quick filter then I suspect that the extra space required for a sponge on the maxi would not be an issue for you.
SiF