The ticking sound is likely the gear motor beginning to fail. I tried to R&R the gear motor in mine, but was unable to buy the motor ($4.00). The supplier of the motor would only sell in large quantities to wholesalers.
I had to send mine back to have it repaired ($45.00). It took about 5 days.
I have a hunch that they don't do well if they are stopped turning by an obstruction, even just once. I've had one running for over three years now without any trouble. (Knock on wood!) We never have messed with it at all and it is in a position where even a snail can't get in its way.
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Update: My Sea Swirl stopped turning yesterday. I took it apart today and it was due to my own idioticy (is that a word?). I took apart the Sea Swirls when I first got them to replace the top parts with threaded 90's so that I could use PVC and not vinyl tubing. Well, when I put the wiring back in, it obstructed the shaft that goes from the motor to the thing that turns. The clicking was from one of the screws pulling on the wire connector until it finally disconnected the wiring from the motor. I easily reconnected the wiring and she's spinning just like new.
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