# My Eheim Ecco is really loud, help..



## Kyle V (May 17, 2005)

Hello all,

My Eheim Ecco (about 8 months old) just started making a loud, vibrating, humming noise. It used to be completely quiet, but now all I hear is errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…sounds like it’s the impeller so I took it apart, cleaned everything, reassembled, and it’s still making the noise. Has anyone had a similar problem, or does anyone know what I can do to get rid of the noise/fix it?

Thanks in advance.

Kyle


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## Lorenceo (Jan 29, 2004)

Mine did this when I bought it (it was second hand) and I was advised to fill it completley to the top before closing the lid.
Tried this, it worked. But you need to do it in the sink or bathtub or you will get water on the floor when closing it.
TBH, I dont really like my ecco, I much prefer my pro's and classic.
Hope this will fix it.


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## hybrid8 (Dec 25, 2005)

With the Pro and Classic models you can shake them about or give them a good tap on a solid surface. This will help to dislodge the air which is usually the source of the noise (cavitation of the impeller).

Bruno


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## Lorenceo (Jan 29, 2004)

This doesnt work in an ecco, its badly designed and the air that causes the noise is trapped above the impeller and held in by the o ring on the side of the bucket.


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## scolley (Apr 4, 2004)

I've got the same exact problem as Kyle, and it's driving me NUTS. And as stated, it does indeed seem to be air, as a good shaking will help. But only for a few seconds, then the noise comes back!

I've done the whole "filling to the brim" thing, which helps for a few weeks. But eventually the noise comes back - long before filter cleaning time.

Does anyone know why the noise comes back - i.e. what I need to do differently so it doesn't come back?

Or is here any other solution short of buying a different canister?


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## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

Huh. 

My Ecco is silent. I have never had a problem with it like that.

Guess I just got lucky.

Mike


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## scolley (Apr 4, 2004)

Momotaro said:


> Huh.
> 
> My Ecco is silent. I have never had a problem with it like that.
> 
> ...


I dunno. My Ecco _used _to be silent. In it's first year of service anyway. This a reasonably new development, as it approaches it's 3rd year of service.

I don't think I'm doing anything different. But I find myself having to pop the top and over fill, and replace, just about every week to keep this noise abated.

And it's worth noting that when I do pop the top, the water level is not quite as high as it was a week ago. How does that happen? I recently cleaned this thing top to bottom, and re-Vaselined the o-ring. But still a week later the noise starts again.

As mentioned before... this is driving me nuts!


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## scolley (Apr 4, 2004)

bump.

I'm glad mike is so lucky... doesnt' help me though. Anyone have a clue what the problem is or how to correct it?


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## Derrick Lee (Mar 6, 2006)

Just avoid Ecco wherever you can cause they're the worst designed EHEIM filter...most people who complain about EHEIM owns the Ecco. You should throw it out and get yourself a Classic or Pro 2 ...but i personally prefer the Classic.


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## Lorenceo (Jan 29, 2004)

I'm at a loss Steve.. My ecco shuts up after I've filled it to the top.
Perhaps replacing the impeller and shaft assembly would fix it? Not sure on that though.


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## Philgo (Mar 20, 2006)

Air must be getting in somehow, is there an airstone near the inlet or a leaking pipe connection. 
Ecco's do tend to be harder to get that top bit of air out but once done they should stay that way.


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## scolley (Apr 4, 2004)

Thanks folks. No airstones in the tank. And yes, air is indeed getting in there some how. But I doubt my the hose into the canister is leaking. I can, and will replace that just in case.

But it is kind of weird because I can fill it (overflowing) and it's quiet just like it always was. But over a week or so the noise slowly starts coming back. I assume that is as the air gets in.

I'm wondering if maybe the impeller is cavatating... making it's own air bubbles our of the oxygenated water. And if that's the case, replacing the impeller could help.

So three courses of action here:
1) replace the hose into the canister
2) replace the impeller if problem remains
3) if problem still remains, get mad that I wasted money on the impeller, and get a classic.

Thanks for the help!


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## Philgo (Mar 20, 2006)

Have you tried moving the intake to a different part of the tank?

Have you cleaned the inside of the hoses?

I doubt that replacing the impeller will make any difference.


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## scolley (Apr 4, 2004)

Philgo said:


> Have you tried moving the intake to a different part of the tank? Have you cleaned the inside of the hoses?QUOTE]
> I haven't touched the hoses in forever. That's why this is so odd. It's a new problem in an environment where nothing has been changed.
> 
> But if it is air in the tank, I'm at a loss to understand what moving the intake will do. It's underwater and nowhere near the surface now, it will be underwater and nowhere near the sure when I move it. What does that have to do with air getting in the canister?
> ...


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## Philgo (Mar 20, 2006)

Suggested moving the intake in case it was near the surface or near a plant that was giving off bubbles.

Suggested cleaning the hoses as a last resort, who knows you may have a build up inside them that gives off bubbles and it wont cost you anything


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## scolley (Apr 4, 2004)

Philgo said:


> Suggested moving the intake in case it was near the surface or near a plant that was giving off bubbles


Good point! Thanks.


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## macbrush (Jun 2, 2004)

My friend had exactly the same problem. He decided there is a leak somewhere, so he replaced the big O-Ring with one which has the same diameter, but 0.5mm thicker. The problem's gone and has never return.


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## scolley (Apr 4, 2004)

Thanks. Good to know I'm not alone in this. I'll keep my eye our for such an o-ring, but until then, maybe I'll give that seal an extra, extra good cleaning.


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## shadowlab (Feb 1, 2009)

I was having this same problem and for the life of me could not figure out what was causing it. I have an Eheim ECCO that filled the tank with bubbles every 6 or 7 minutes and sounded like it was going to explode. If I tilted the canister it would sometimes fix the problem for a bit... but usually it just made it sound even worse! And if I used the primer handle to try to backflush the air out, I'd just wind up dumping a bunch of the filtered waste back into the tank.

I guess I'm stupid though (well it IS my first canister filter hehe), because after reading this thread I moved the intake out of the way of my bublebar and haven't had any more problems.


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## Riiz (Apr 30, 2008)

Thats weird about the air thing, I use an Ecco as a poo rman's CO2 reactor on one of my planted tanks, and its quiet as can be until it gets an excess of gas and burps. Its been running over 1 year now and no issues.


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