Help; My Filter is Dead!

[bobo]

Hopefully I'm being a bit melodramatic....

I decided to give my filter (SunSun 304) a clean today - the first time since buying it (5-6) months ago.

When I tried to restart, it wouldn't go.

1) I had the canister filled up most of the way.

2) Then I clipped the top on.

3) Switched the switch to enable flow from the pipes to return.

4) Primed it.

5) Turned the filter on.

6) Primed it some more...

7) Sat there frustrated and aghast.

It makes the right noises. When I prime it, water comes out the output bar. When I do nothing but watch, nothing comes through.

Any ideas? Could the propeller be stuffed? It was stuck. So I loosened it a little. Mistake? The propeller doesn't seem to move smoothly.

Any help would be appreciated

Cheers

[Scottie841]

Check the impeller shaft and make sure it is not broken

[bobo]

Thanks for the reply.

Do you mean remove the propeller and look behind it? What is a impellar shaft?

I just gave it a shake (while running) and now I have very low flow (as opposed to none).

Is it ok to shake it while it's running? My gut instinct is 'no'. I just don't want to turn it off now I have some flow.

Cheers Scot

[Scottie841]

I hit mine when it wont work and sometimes it makes it go so shaking it would be ok.

The shaft is the little (normally ceramic) tube that goes down the middle of the impeller. It looks like a lolly pop stick

[phoenix44]

you said you filled it up most of the way. try filling it up all the way.

[Jennifer]

Is there air an air bubble/air lock in the tubes or canister? This has happened to me on occasion (but I have never had that brand of filter) and I solved the problem by filling the canister and tubes with water and then hooking it up and trying again. Not sure why that happens and I have no idea if my fix has anything to do with the problem but it seems to work. Anyway, that may not be your problem... :roll:

[Zev]

I have been known to shake my Fluval when it does not go, and tip it on it's side on occasion... muttering and calling it names does not seem to help either

[bobo]

Thank you for all the suggestions guys.

I'd estimate that I have about a 50% flow - it can't make it all the way down my spray bar.

1) If it running half ass, like it is, would it still be worthwhile adding more water to the canister? I would have thought it is now full?

2) When I fiddled with the propeller - could I have potentially adjusted the flow rate? I don't even know if you can adjust flow rate?

Again, frustrated, but very appreciative

[Ira]

Make sure you have the hoses connected the right way...I spent half an hour today trying to get my canister running again. Siphoning through it into a bucket a couple times, trying to figure out why it kept losing its siphon, rechecking that I had the hoses all connected right, why it seemed to be running backwards when it almost ran right... *Facepalm*

[Scottie841]

1) If it running half ass, like it is, would it still be worthwhile adding more water to the canister? I would have thought it is now full?

It should have filled its self up by now. If there was air in it it would be making a horrible noise

2) When I fiddled with the propeller - could I have potentially adjusted the flow rate? I don't even know if you can adjust flow rate?

I think it might be worth wile pulling the impeller out and checking. If you have a lolly pop stick they can work as a substitute until you get a new shaft.

It may be a good idea to put another filter on the tank if you have a spare

[bobo]

Heh. It's a battle of attrition;

I have sworn at it, shaken it, kicked it, attempted to bribe it, and primed it a lot. The result being it's up to c.80%. So I might just continue beating on it for a while yet.

Thanks for the suggestions Scottie, but I'm too scared to stop it now - I have spent about 6 hours on the stupid thing - it has given me all sorts of grief today.

Thanks for all the ideas guys - I'm off to get dinner - then kick it some more. I'll let you all know if I managed to 'fix' it.

Just repeat after me: NEVER DO MAINTENANCE; in my heart I knew it was a bad idea.

Again, Cheers!

[smidey]

i had a similar thing with a cf1200, after much frustration of lack of flow after a clean out i started the cleaning process from scratch. i figure what had happened was some gunk had got sucked into the track where the impeller fed to the outlet pipe.

i suggest you pull it apart again & make sure every thing is flushed & clear.

[Jennifer]

When I fiddled with the propeller - could I have potentially adjusted the flow rate? I don't even know if you can adjust flow rate?

Some filters will allow you to adjust flow rate. Is there a lever somewhere between the hoses and the canister? if so, try shifting it to see if the flow rate changes.

[phoenix44]

See this is why you buy an eheim or a fluval post 05 series :lol:

[bobo]

See this is why you buy an eheim or a fluval post 05 series :lol:

As of this moment, I'm not inclined to disagree.

[bobo]

So, I think I'm going to have to be happy with 80% flow for now (since it's late and I'm going away for a few days tomorrow).

My concerns:

After my repairs the filter was running for about half an hour and then suddenly stopped, completely, for no discernible reason. I had to shake it a lot to restart it. If the filter stops while I'm away, will the fish be fine? I'm coming back on Thursday and did a 40% WC today.

I actually use the spray bar to break the water's surface and create oxygen bubbles. If the filter dies while I'm away, are my fish in danger of suffocating? Should I run an airstone?

Thanks for all your help

[phoenix44]

take the outlet pipe and put it below / at the filter level. lots of bubbles may come out. make sure you put the outlet in a bucket though.

[bobo]

take the outlet pipe and put it below / at the filter level. lots of bubbles may come out. make sure you put the outlet in a bucket though.

Do you mean to clear it in some way? Take the outlet from the tank, place it in a bucket, and place that bucket on the floor- while the whole thing is running. Then place the outlet back into the tank?

Did I understand correctly or am I being dense?

[phoenix44]

yes, that's exactly it.

[bobo]

I placed the outlet into a buacket, placed it on the floor; it then filled really fast (the flow seemed to grow stronger nearer the ground).

I then placed the outlet back up on the tank and the flow completely stopped

Does that give us any ideas?

[Discusguru]

I would pull the impellar out and and wash it clean. Clean the hole with a small brush or tooth brush too.

[bobo]

I would pull the impellar out and and wash it clean. Clean the hole with a small brush or tooth brush too.

*sigh*

Think I'm about to try that...

[bobo]

1am

AND

success I think! :bounce:

I took the canister's top off, then:

1) Took the impeller out, which was attached to the propeller, which also came out. They didn't seem to be obstructed in any way, so I reattached them.

2) I filled it to the brim with water, which seemed excessive since most of it was displaced when I retured the top.

One the above fixed it.

A question. There was a metal cylinder attached to the propeller (above it); I think it may have been magnetic- it seemed to attach to the inner parts of the canister. It was really hot. I could see almost imperceptible smoke, and it was hot to the touch. Normal? I figured it is; simply because of the friction that must build up?

Anyway, thank you to everybody who responded to this thread; much appreciated.

Hopefully the filter is still going in the morning...

ahahahaha... *cries*

[Ira]

A question. There was a metal cylinder attached to the propeller (above it); I think it may have been magnetic- it seemed to attach to the inner parts of the canister. It was really hot. I could see almost imperceptible smoke, and it was hot to the touch. Normal? I figured it is; simply because of the friction that must build up?

Anyway, thank you to everybody who responded to this thread; much appreciated.

Hopefully the filter is still going in the morning...

ahahahaha... *cries*

That magnetic metal cylinder is the rotor. The head uses alternating magnetic fields to spin it. Standard brushless electric motor style. It's water cooled and uses a fluid bearing. So if there's no water flow because the impeller is jammed or clogged or no water at all, it tends to get hot.

95% of problems with filters can be solved by making sure it isn't clogged and then running the outlet into a bucket to clear any air from the impeller.