Can't Restart Filter - Since Yesterday!

[maurizio]

Hello all,
I have an Eheim Pro 3 2073 since one year, this is the third time I clean it. It's always been a pain in the #16##### to unplug the adapter, and later to prime it for restarting, but this time I just couldn't make it all. I also removed the pump wheel and the other little red thing on the top, to clean them, but I believe I put everyything back in place.

No, no matter how much I push, not a single drop of water flows up from the tank: it seems like there's no connection whatsoever. I just followed the instructions, the spray bar is horizontally above the water, ... I've also tried to fill the filter with water, but only up to the prefilter (instructions say the prefilter should be empty of water), but still no priming at all.

Any help? It's not running since yesterday 18:30... And also the heater is off, since it's inline...

 

[DrRob]

Not familiar with the exact model, but have you tried manually priming it? I'm guessing it's got taps on it where you can disconnect it, if you open the intake one and get it syphoning manually, close the valve and then reconnect it should prime manually.

 

[maurizio]

Hi Rob,
thanks. You mean, just sucking air at the end of the pipe coming from the tank? I thought of that, but:

There's a tap on top (see pic), but as long as the pipe is connected to it, there's an internal seal, so I can't suck from there. I could disconnect the pipe from the tap, and suck directly from the pipe end, but I have the feeling that once the water will start flowing, I'll flood the cabinet before I can reattach properly the pipe to the tap...

 

[iantaylor]

is the impeller running ?
i had the same problem with my filter i just removed the impeller and washed it under the tap and irs working fine.
hope this helps

 

[DrRob]

OK, one of them.

Have a try of this. Open the filter, empty the water out, put the lid back on, try to prime it then. Water is very difficult to compress with the primer, air, much easier.

 

[maurizio]

Thnak you guys,

is the impeller running ?
i had the same problem with my filter i just removed the impeller and washed it under the tap and irs working fine.
hope this helps

Yep, I checked it yesterday, looked clean to me... I did clean it again right now.

OK, one of them.

Have a try of this. Open the filter, empty the water out, put the lid back on, try to prime it then. Water is very difficult to compress with the primer, air, much easier.

That was my first attempt, since the instructions don't mention to fill the filter with water first. I just tried it again right now. Nope.

The thing is, it's always been tough, but as long as the water column was deep enough, and one pushes hard enough, it'd eventually start. And one could always hear trhe water gurgling its way in, even unsuccessfully... This time no water at all comes up from the tank, it's like it's simply sucking air, instead of water. I'd say the pipes are inverted or so, if I dind't know they are fit correctly!

 

[raptorrex]

Thnak you guys,

is the impeller running ?
i had the same problem with my filter i just removed the impeller and washed it under the tap and irs working fine.
hope this helps

Yep, I checked it yesterday, looked clean to me... I did clean it again right now.

OK, one of them.

Have a try of this. Open the filter, empty the water out, put the lid back on, try to prime it then. Water is very difficult to compress with the primer, air, much easier.

That was my first attempt, since the instructions don't mention to fill the filter with water first. I just tried it again right now. Nope.

The thing is, it's always been tough, but as long as the water column was deep enough, and one pushes hard enough, it'd eventually start. And one could always hear trhe water gurgling its way in, even unsuccessfully... This time no water at all comes up from the tank, it's like it's simply sucking air, instead of water. I'd say the pipes are inverted or so, if I dind't know they are fit correctly!

I just suck through the outlet pipe, till i get water. the filter is filled by syphon/suction, not by the filter pump.
if that does not work and you still have no flow. you have, either an air leak, or the impeller is incorrectly assembled.

 

[MBOU]

I would do a few things:

- double (or triple!) check the impeller shaft and impeller, make sure it isn't missing the little black rubber ends that hold it steady (might be on the white impeller shaft or in the well cover that holds the impeller in place. And mostly, make sure the impeller shaft hasnt snapped inside the impeller...

- personally, I found some filters were easier to prime when completely full of water, certainly true of the ancient eheim that I had.

- is there electricity running through the filter? Tried plugging it in whilst not connected to pipes or filter so you can see if the impeller is spinning? Can you feel the whole unit 'buzzing' when you turn it on?

- airlocks in the pipework are quite common for stopping it priming properly, have you tried setting it up and turning it on and priming it and giving the whole canister a little shake or tipping it from side to side to shift any air left in it.

Just a few ideas..

 

[maurizio]

Thank you all guys.

Report:

I eventually primed by sucking directly at the pipe coming from the tank (is it the inlet?? ). After a quick shower, I got the pipe settled, and switched on. Quite noisy, diesel engine-like, incoming flow just above 0 (spraybar just dripping). Tried a few times ON-OFF to give it a kick, left it running noisily about 10 minutes, eventually flow came in! Now it's running (apparently) OK.

Now, I've seen ALL these symptoms, to a far lesser degree, almost everytime I stopped the filter (even without opening or cleaning it): this time I simply hit the bottom. And it doesn't look right to me (although I'm a total beginner: started exactly one year ago...). The only thing I didn't clean was the pipes (missing proper brush), but checked with a torch, they don't seem obstructed! So, for future use (provided I'll EVER feel the urge to open the #41#### thing again...), what do you think is going on in there???


Now, I wonder what's left of my aerobic bacteria....

 

[raptorrex]

I wouldn't worry about your colony. but short feeding may help if you are worried.

it strikes me all Eheims have their own personality, when it comes to priming. the PRO 3 (except the 2080) suffering more than most as they are not really Eheim, well not as we remember them.
as i recall it took several years for the bugs to work out on the 2080. though all, i agree, were to do with priming.

I too recognise most of the problems, you have, from my own experiences.
which is why i was confident it was "incorrect/incomplete" priming.

 

[maurizio]

- double (or triple!) check the impeller shaft and impeller, make sure it isn't missing the little black rubber ends that hold it steady (might be on the white impeller shaft or in the well cover that holds the impeller in place. And mostly, make sure the impeller shaft hasnt snapped inside the impeller...

Gotta look at the thing again next time: it also looked slightly different in Eheim's instructions... But... isn't a shaft by definition inside the impeller?? Sorry, I'm not english native...

I wouldn't worry about your colony. but short feeding may help if you are worried.

it strikes me all Eheims have their own personality, when it comes to priming. the PRO 3 (except the 2080) suffering more than most as they are not really Eheim, well not as we remember them.
as i recall it took several years for the bugs to work out on the 2080. though all, i agree, were to do with priming.

I too recognise most of the problems, you have, from my own experiences.
which is why i was confident it was "incorrect/incomplete" priming.

So, the rule "Filter OFF max 1 hour, otherwise you may well restart cycling" is not THAT strict?? I freaked out when I learned that: it usually takes me 2 hours only to open and restart the filter, cleaning excluded!! Will DEFINITELY short-feed!

I wonder if I should somehow complain with Eheim. Got two fingers scratched to bleed, from trying to release the pipe tap and then from trying to prime...

Many thanks!

 

[raptorrex]

So, the rule "Filter OFF max 1 hour, otherwise you may well restart cycling" is not THAT strict?? I freaked out when I learned that: it usually takes me 2 hours only to open and restart the filter, cleaning excluded!! Will DEFINITELY short-feed!

n'ah mate. personally, I'd ignore that wives tale.

it seems that 12-24 hours is safe enough.
mind you, you did leave the media dry, for some time. so short feeding and a few water test, might just be in order.

let us know how it goes.

 

[MBOU]

Sorry, not all filters have the same impellers/shafts, generally it is a ceramic stick shaft and the magnetic impeller slots over it and spins on it... but it can easily snap.

Its obviously not the case, it was more if the filter didnt work at all... Raptorrex is likely right. Worth checking it next time just so you know.

 

[raptorrex]

Sorry, not all filters have the same impellers/shafts, generally it is a ceramic stick shaft and the magnetic impeller slots over it and spins on it... but it can easily snap.

Its obviously not the case, it was more if the filter didnt work at all... Raptorrex is likely right. Worth checking it next time just so you know.

though they are extremely reliable. i hate Eheims ceramic shafts. i get nervous every-time i have to mess with one.
I'm a clumsy clot, which probably explains it.

as for complaining to Eheim.
there was a time every email was answered.
but not any more.
they a mainly silent on every question, now.

 

[Davo86]

For future ref, i always find that an old internal can come in handy if you are getting frustrated with an external that won't prime,

I used to have an old Fluval+ that i used to connect to the hose intake, which would push water down into the external and back up out of the spray bar.
once this has been running a few minutes, simply disconnect the internal and switch on the external, and you should find it starts with no problems.