Octopus NW150 Pump ?

[Chichas01]

I'm setting up my new tank and have it all filled with water. Dropped in the skimmer and the pump wouldn't pump. It was on but no water passing through. It seemed like the impeller was just vibrating in the housing and not actually spinning up. I pulled the pump up out of the water and it started going. Great!
In doing some work on the new setup, I unplugged everything and plugged the skimmer back in. Same problem. It has the stock Octopus 2000 pump that came with it.
So what's the deal?
Anyone replace the stock pump with something better? Maybe a Sicce?

 

[Skimmy]

i got a spare for cheap if u want it...$20

but the nw 150 is too small for a sicce psk2500 pump.

 

[Chichas01]

i got a spare for cheap if u want it...$20

but the nw 150 is too small for a sicce psk2500 pump.

Thanks for the reply. I may take you up on the offer. I should contact the seller as this was a Christmas gift bought brand new in December. Just didn't hook it up until now. I think they should replace the pump free of charge.
It doesn't make any sense that pump would need to be out of water to start up.

Isn't the NW160 extreme the same size body size as the 150 and comes with the Sicce? I know the height is different because of the way the pump sits under the body on the extreme model.

 

[luke33]

The neck is to restricting on the 150nw, your comparing round 2.5-3" to 4" on the extreme 160. I would contact the seller, as you shold have a 6mth to 1yr warranty, hopefully a 1yr. Thats a pretty common prob with those janky otp pump's.

 

[Chichas01]

Thanks for the info.
Is there any other pump that would be better than stock for it?

 

[luke33]

Nothing super cheap. A sedra 5000, aquabee 2001. The cheapest pump that pulls around 450-500lph is the atman from nuocean for around 40bux but i bet they are out of stock.

 

[Chichas01]

So I called up Aqua Cave and told what was going on. They were real great about it and sent me new pin wheel impeller to replace the bad needle wheel that was the cause of the problem. And holy smokes does that pin wheel put out!! It blows the nw away!