Any fish keepers in here?

Admiral Huddy · 26 Aug 2009 at 11:14

My Fluval 2 isn't sounding too good and the flow has nearly all but stopped. I took it out yesterday to see what the problem is but can't find out what's going on. The impeller looks ok. It's been making a grinding noise too. Not sure if it's worth sticking to this or getting a Fluval 3 unless anyone recommend a good pump/filter replacement. It's for a 90l tank.

Thanks

vintage-x · 26 Aug 2009 at 11:23

have you taken it fully apart?? as in taken out all the pads ect and then just tested it in the water??

john_s · 26 Aug 2009 at 11:29

We had similar sort of thing with our external Fluval. It was making a right old racket and hardly moving any water.

Fixed it with a new impeller, though at first glance the old impeller didn't look to have anything wrong with it.

Admiral Huddy · 26 Aug 2009 at 12:04

vintage-x said:
have you taken it fully apart?? as in taken out all the pads ect and then just tested it in the water??

Yes the media compartment just pops off leaving just the pump.. Not much comes through.

john_s said:
We had similar sort of thing with our external Fluval. It was making a right old racket and hardly moving any water.

Fixed it with a new impeller, though at first glance the old impeller didn't look to have anything wrong with it.

I might see then if I can get a new impeller then..

wordy · 26 Aug 2009 at 13:20

Get an external filter asap, Eheim are the best ones really.

Also you're going to have to step up your water changes, as I recall you've got a test kit so I'd test every day and water change as neccessary

Manlove is my forte · 26 Aug 2009 at 13:21

Clean all the components and put it back together again. if it continues to make a noise then replace it.

I read somewhere (but that doesn't make it true) that you want your pump to pump the lowest liters/hour possible to ensure the best growth of denitrifying bacteria (basically they don't thrive in fast moving water). Also many fish don't like swimming in an environment that simulates going down the lav.

Ideally for filters you want maximum surface area with minimum turbulence.

vintage-x · 26 Aug 2009 at 13:26

Manlove is my forte said:
Clean all the components and put it back together again. if it continues to make a noise then replace it.

I read somewhere (but that doesn't make it true) that you want your pump to pump the lowest liters/hour possible to ensure the best growth of denitrifying bacteria (basically they don't thrive in fast moving water). Also many fish don't like swimming in an environment that simulates going down the lav.

Ideally for filters you want maximum surface area with minimum turbulence.

it all depends on the type if fish he has.
If he has things like tiger barbs, neons ect then they prefer fast moving water

Manlove is my forte · 26 Aug 2009 at 14:16

vintage-x said:
it all depends on the type if fish he has.
If he has things like tiger barbs, neons ect then they prefer fast moving water

True enough. which is why I never used any absolute statements in my post. Fish keeping has way too many variables.

I think the only statement you can make in regards to fish keeping that remains true at all times is "Fish swim in water" (and even that is subject to debate as if the water is too hot, cold or toxic they will likely float, then sink)

Admiral Huddy · 26 Aug 2009 at 17:03

wordy said:
Get an external filter asap, Eheim are the best ones really.

Also you're going to have to step up your water changes, as I recall you've got a test kit so I'd test every day and water change as neccessary

Water quality is fine at the moment which is why I want a quick replacement. I can always squeeze the outgoing media onto the new media to speed up the biological process.

Lumeycom · 26 Aug 2009 at 17:52

Admiral Huddy said:
Water quality is fine at the moment which is why I want a quick replacement. I can always squeeze the outgoing media onto the new media to speed up the biological process.

Nooo! doesnt work like that

You'd need to put the old media into the new filter somehow - you'd be squeezing tank water onto the new stuff gaining no benifit!

Also (although not familiar with internal filters) it sounds like its either the magnet being covered in gunk on the impeller or the shaft itself is worn - both should be replaceable.

As mentioned above though, external filters are the way forward and Eheim are the daddies. I have a Eheim2080 on the oscar tank thats a good 6+ years old and its just fine. Replaced a few seals and 2 impeller shafts in that time and its still going strong. Also have a fluval 305 on a smaller community tank thats been replaced once under warrenty and is pretty much dying again.

Aero · 26 Aug 2009 at 17:54

huddy, have you taken the impeller out and cleaned inside its housing? it should just pull out (its magnetic) also check that the bladed part of the impeller turns freely one way but lock on the other way. Make sure you clean out the housing though.

Aero

PJHUK · 26 Aug 2009 at 19:52

I had this exact same thing with my fluval 2, it just kinda stopped working after a weekly partial water change. I panicked and drove to my LFS to buy a new filter without first taking the impeller out and cleaning all the gunk that had built up. Got home and put my old media into the new filter, then began to look at the fluval 2.

Needless to say, 5 mins later after removing the gunk from the impeller, the old filter was working better than ever, so I took the new filter back out and stuck the old one in.
£30 wasted....

wordy · 26 Aug 2009 at 22:46

Admiral Huddy said:
Water quality is fine at the moment which is why I want a quick replacement. I can always squeeze the outgoing media onto the new media to speed up the biological process.

My internal interpet filter packed up a litle after 3 months of use so I got an Eheim external cannister which was recommended by pretty much everyone I spoke to. Put the old filter media into the new one and kept testing the water and water changing as necessary. However it packed up on a Wednesday evening so until the new one arrived the follwonig Monday evening I was doing large (80%) water changes every day, to make sure the amonia levels didn't start to build up.

Le_Petit_Lapin · 26 Aug 2009 at 22:49

I keep fish. Got some in my freezer right now actually.

arc@css · 26 Aug 2009 at 23:00

I had a fluval 2 and 4 and my 2's impellar, after filter maintenance, would sometimes stop turning. My advice (always worked for me every time) is to just take all the parts out, clean it up a bit and reassemble. (Air pocket possibly the cause) Should work fine after that. At this stage I wouldn't have thought you'd need to buy a new one.