Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have a Jebao 3000 Tornado pump about 4 months old.

Recently I noticed the output was low but without measuring it I was unsure if it was my imagination or related to the variation in sump water levels. Anyway yesterday I was making some changes to the pluming and switched the pump of for a while. When I switched it back on the flow was defiantly changed and back to normal.

Over the next half hour or so the output again slowly declined, I switched the pump of for 30 seconds and when I switched it back on the flow rate was back to normal.

This process has been repeated many times yesterday and today. Always the same result, pump flow rate gradually declines over several hours eventually getting to about a third of normal and restores normal flow if I switch of and on the pump.

Any ideas what maybe causing this?

When it gets low pull it out and check the strainer[filter]

Pull the pump out, remove from cage, dissasemble the power head and clean the impellor, strainer and shaft.

Flush out in clean water, put back into system.

This should be done every 3 months for a continuously running pump. Pumps on timers tend to stay a lot cleaner due to the backflushing when it turns off.

I noticed a similar thing with my aquarium system. After a period of time the flow had reduced to little more than a trickle and was no longer fast enough to kick off the siphon properly. I found that when I turned off and back on, the flow rate returned to closer to normal. The build up of bio slime was probably slowing things down. The pump is dealing with little to no solids in that system as the pump is in a sump after the grow beds. I found that adding a timer onto that system took care of the problem for me and allows me to leave the pump shut off for longer stretches as that system does not currently require constant pumping.

I had a problem with the 19mm taps that go into the GB's. They had tiny screens built into them so I had to remove the screens.

+ several of the above.
The pump is back flushing when you switch off, by the sounds of it

If you notice your water is not as clear of particulates,
then I suggest one should as OB says clean the pump

I do this every week, a simple process...
collect a bucket, fill with water (FT) remove the pump and dunk it up and down in the bucket to start with, empty the water on to a fruit tree
and repeat .
If the pump is too blocked up, service more often, your fish will love you