Filstar Xp3 Won't Prime Properly

[yvez9]

I followed the instructions that came with the filter to prime it, but only once out of maybe 10 times i tried to prime did it work... There's always some air trapped in the filter and it makes littles bubbles and clouds the water when this happens cause it's full of the little bubbles.

Last night I managed to prime it properly and I tried again this morning about 5 times, doing the same thing I did last night (pour water in the inlet tube until it is full and then connect the quick-disconnect valve.

The filter fills up quite fast and it says to let it fill up 2 minutes
After about 10 seconds it stops filling up, with about 1/4 inch left at the top that is full of air. I let it stand almost 10 minutes to see if it would make a difference but it doesn't

anyone have experience with this filter who could help me out?

 

[simonbrown403]

When i clean my filter i fill it with a syphon, and then conect it back up turn the valve and the filter on
I always end up with some tiny bubbles coming throw, which will disaper once the filters got rid of all the air.

The water dose go cloudy fo a little wile.

 

[yvez9]

so basically it's normal for canister filters to take a while to get rid of all the air inside?

 

[modernhamlet]

so basically it's normal for canister filters to take a while to get rid of all the air inside?

Try to tilt it from side to side while it's running. I find that sometimes clears the air out.

 

[sub.42]

Been there!

Connect the whole thing up, including all pipework. Fill the canister up to about 1.5" below the rim of the lower part.

Fit the lid, clip it together, open the valves. That means push the lever down.

Open the filling cap on top of the tank U bend. Fill it up until it pushes air from the outlet/spraybar. and you can see the level go up in the base of the filter unit. Use a torch if you have to. It should make it to within about 1/4" of the grey lid.

Put the cap back onto the U bend. Turn on, and it should work fine. Mine always does. It never fails to!

sub.

 

[yvez9]

thank sub I'll have to try that, so you basically fill it up with water manually, you don't use the auto-prime system?

The air seems to have cleared up after about 2 hours of operation so maybe I was just being impatient!
Thanks for all your repliers

 

[sub.42]

Lesson in new filter operation.

1. Fill up any/all compartments with all of your media.

2. Fill with treated water.

3. Leave to rest for at least half an hour!

Then try to turn it on.....

The bubbles cause major aggro with the unit. There are millions of them when you first fill it up. I get the same aggro when I change the filter floss in my polishing filter. It farts and rattles for ages until it clears. Best of luck with you Filstar, I find them great for fry/juvenile livebearer tanks. The little monsters always survive the journey up the suction line and into the filter when I forget to put the foam 'sock' on the end of the pickup. I even leave them in there for a few days sometimes, they just swim around in the bottom of the filter

sub.