Pump Grinding Away - But Not Working

[tamsin]

Well the pump switches on automatically, and makes the usual grinding noises, but no water coming out of the outlets, and the waterfall doesn't work either (of course ...)

Tried backwashing it - went through all the usual procedures - opening valve on pipe, turning handle to backwash (all whilst pump turned off, by the way), but when turned on again to watch for cleansing of water in the little plastic gizmo on the side - gizmo only fills up about half way and doesn't swish about like before. I've tried priming the pump - nothing. What's wrong with it now?

(Hmmm. Where did I see that thread about crawfish farming ...)

[jstumbo]

Well the pump switches on automatically, and makes the usual grinding noises, but no water coming out of the outlets, and the waterfall doesn't work either (of course ...)

Tried backwashing it - went through all the usual procedures - opening valve on pipe, turning handle to backwash (all whilst pump turned off, by the way), but when turned on again to watch for cleansing of water in the little plastic gizmo on the side - gizmo only fills up about half way and doesn't swish about like before. I've tried priming the pump - nothing. What's wrong with it now?

(Hmmm. Where did I see that thread about crawfish farming ...)

Check and make sure that the gizmo on the side has a good seal. I had one in the US and when it would lose the vacume because of a bad seal, it would suck in air instead of the water.

[tamsin]

Thanks for replying. Checked the gizmo and stuck fast, so wasn't that, so another call to my friendly watercart man, with whom I am now on first name terms, and the outlets started spitting out water, so that was it then.

The water doesn't have to drop very far for the thing to seize up, so if all else fails, try that.

(still interested in the crawfish though ...)