Hmm... Well I'm sure I had previously touched the carbon and the ceramic at some point (before I even posted my previous message). It didn't seem like the store was too careful not to touch them either. I did wipe them down with alcohol right before installing, but it's possible I touched them again when I was lubricating the rubber on the ceramic piece. What I was and wasn't supposed to lubricate was not abundantly clear in the literature that came in the box. So, I put them in the configuration you described, with the ceramic and carbon abutting each other. Is that right?
I now have the pump running. It is pretty neat, nice and quiet. I have to mess with the valves and eyes to get the circulation right and see what speed is going to work best for day-to-day use.
I ran out of daylight (and then some), but just before I came in I noticed I was losing water underneath the pump. I am assuming I messed up either the seal, the O ring, or the clamp; or some combination of those. I will investigate some more tomorrow but suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks as always.