skimmer problems

[Calgarynewtankguy]

I took the pump off and submerged to see what it was doing and it was really not doing anything at all, so i pulled it right out and removed the impeller shaft. I am new to these, so correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the impeller supposed to turn with the shaft?? the shaft in the centre spins but the impeller does not.

[Delphinus]

No the shaft should not spin. The impeller should spin freely over the shaft however. When I clean my pumps or powerheads I always do a spin test with the impeller. I hold the shaft at the ends and then spin the magnet. If it spins freely and lasts a while, then all is good. If it stops after a turn or two then there is gunk or calcium in between the shaft and the groove and I either use the shaft itself to scratch it out from the inside of the magnet or sit in in a tub of vinegar for a bit to soften up the gunk buildup.

[Delphinus]

Wait, what? The shaft spins but the magnet does not ?? That's really weird.

It kind of sounds like you might have a broken impeller shaft. Or the impeller magnet has detached from the impeller blades. Either case can explain the noise and lack of function. Can you post some pictures?

If the shaft is broken you can usually get replacements. If not for the pump brand itself you can get other brands that might fit. Or in a real pinch, go to a bike store and ask to buy a few titanium spokes. You can take those and with a Dremel or other tool cut to the length you need and make do with that as a replacement shaft.

If the magnet is broken, depending on the level of damage you can use superglue to fix it, or you may need a whole new impeller assembly (usually around $20 but I'm not familiar with that skimmer or what brand of pump it is using).