Caryl Posted February 14, 2003 Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 My Fluval 404 has snapped the impeller off the magnetic bit. Didn't notice it wasn't running. Talk about stink when we removed the lid! Luckily I am filter-sitting at the moment so have another member's filter hanging off my tank while he strips his tank. The tnak is also understocked so all are still well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 14, 2003 Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 Wierd...Did something get into the impeller? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 No, it appears the plastic has gone brittle with age. It was manufactured April 99. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 14, 2003 Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 Oh well. Time for a new impeller, I guess. Did you find out before your filter went all black and nasty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 14, 2003 Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 Didn't you know, they use very special plastic in Fluval filters. Its specially designed to go brittle and bust so you have to go buy some really expensive spare parts. The stupid thing is that they could have used a plastic that doesn't go brittle and lasts over 10 years, but no, its a special design feature. Should have got an Eheim, they don't use the special busty plastic in their filters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 14, 2003 Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 But, for the price difference you can replace the impeller about 10 times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 14, 2003 Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 True. Maybe a preventitive maintenance plan is in order. Replace Fluval impellers every 3 years just to be safe ??? Then you'll get 30 years use out of your Fluval before it costs as much as the Eheim... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 14, 2003 Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 Disclaimer: Don't take that last post as serious, in fact never take anything I post as serious, I'm probably wrong!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 As I also have an Eheim, it will be interesting to see how it lasts - I haven't had it long enough to judge yet. Unfortunately, not only was everything black and yukky but it stank too. Any idea of the safest way to get the lingering smell out of the plastic and Siporax media? It's not bad at the moment but I think it will get worse once the lid is back on. Usually I would used baking soda or vinegar to remove smells. Would either of these be ok if I rinsed everything thoroughly? Would the Siporax absorb either of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 14, 2003 Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 When I left one of my filters off without cleaning it out, I filled the sink up with water and bleach and left the filter filtering the sink water for about 15 minutes, then fresh water for a while and then took everything out and let it dry outside. Seemed to get rid of most of the smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brocky05 Posted February 15, 2003 Report Share Posted February 15, 2003 Hi Caryl I had a similar experiance with a 303 fluval it was in my garage on a turtle tank and my darling wife puled wrong plug :roll: . The filter was really smelly and nasty I used plain old rock salt in hot!! water for the canister and impellor as for the media I left it soaking in salt water for a couple of hours. Finally just replace carbon with new and boil foam filter and re-assemble . Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 15, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2003 Thanks for the suggestions people. Am soaking in baking soda and water at the moment (the filter bits I mean). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 As a further point of interest - I ended up soaking all the filter parts in a strong bleach solution to get rid of the stink. The tank was finally reassembled, rinsed extremely well of course, and put back on the tank. Today I actually did a water change and cleaned the filter. Took over half an hour to get the stupid thing pumping again! I don't think I will ever buy a Fluval again, they work very well but are a hassle to restart - even with the little primer pump. I notice it is a lot noisier than the Eheim. Just a quiet hum, but you can definitely hear it. The Eheim wet/dry makes no noise at all except for an occasional squeak it has developed recently. I think it is the piece of polystyrene stuff in the side canister that squeaks as it slides up, or down, the canister. I have to keep looking at it to make sure it is still going it is so quiet and it is sitting on the floor about 2 meters away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 22, 2003 Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 I have settled on FLUVAL, the EHIEM are just too expensive. Often 3x the price of the FLUVAL. As for the primer thing, you only need to pump it 10-15 times then plug it in, sweet. I have brought 5 EHIEM pumps for my reef. There seems to be no doubt from EVERYONE i talked to about pumps. Lots of storys of ehiem pumps running 7+ years 24/7 in saltwater and still going. So I just splashed out. My 2 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 22, 2003 Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 I had the thought that the next filter I buy I might actually just get a nice big pump and try and make my own filter instead. That way I could try and fix the biggest problems I've noticed with cannister filters and probably have more flow for less money. Maybe a big sponge intake like John's? hamburg Mattenfilter going to a bucket full of some type of media then the pump down low so it should never have a problem with air... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 Not a bad idea Ira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 22, 2003 Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 What about a classic wet/dry sump type of filter. Gravity fed from the main tank? Water falls into a 'section of another tank, filled with bio/balls, noodles, filter wool on top. Drops through whatever media you want. Then moves accross through a divider to remove bubbles, the pumped straight back up. This 'basic' design is what I am using when I upgrade my freshwater comunity to a 6ft.2ft.3ft later on in the year. I may also use 1 or 2 over my exisiting canister, but DIY trickle is the business IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 23, 2003 Report Share Posted March 23, 2003 The problem with sumps, imo, is that to do it right you need holes drilled in the tank for the intakes and you lose somewhere from 1/3-1/2 of the pump's flow by lifting the water the extra 4 feet or so from the sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 23, 2003 Report Share Posted March 23, 2003 Ira, Yeah head pressure is an issue to a degree but then there are bigger pumps available. I just brought an Iwaki for my marine that does 960 Gallon an hr at 100watts... I really like the idea of a filter that I don't have to go through the hastle of dissasembling to clean (i.e. I can just replace the top filter wool). Also getting the heaters, Co2 reactor/bell, themastat in the sump and NOT in the tank appeals. There are a few designs out there that don't requie holes drilled into the tank, using hangon overflows. But it is certainly better to have them in place before hand. Id insert a few pics of my new marine tank, and of my freshwater but I don't know how... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 My 304 had the same problem, i took it back to nimates who would not replace it but in the end southen pets the importer did if you see the thread on fluvels you will see what happened next.Yours may be this type of filter so please check. My argument is that the impeller must be fit for the purpoise it was made for and must last a resnamable time as in the consumer garantee act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.