Filter Advice

[G7EG]

I wonder if anyone could shed some light on this for me. I have had my Rekord 120 for about a month now and the filter does not seem to be as powerful as it was. I have cleaned out the sponges and am looking to get a new white sponge to hopefully improve it.

The water just about ripples to surface of the water and before it used to be quite noticeable. Should I be looking at getting a stronger filter?

Also, the fish seem to be bolting to the surface more regually for air and then back down including the Pleco. Is this normal or could it be due to the filter?

Many thanks in advance

 

[zig]

This happened to me as well and it turned out the impellor and surrounding area had quite a heavy slime coating on it which had slowed the motor right down and thus the flow was reduced quite noticeably, as soon as i cleaned it things were back to normal, so it is probably worth having a look at, its easy enough to remove the impellor and clean it.

Edit: just noticed you have another thread going with a similar problem, its probably the same solution, have a look at the impellor.

 

[Bloo]

Yep I'm with Zig on that. Almost certainly the impellor. Take the whole filterhead apart and give it a very good wash under a showerhead and make sure everything is de-gunked.

 

[G7EG]

Cheers guys, what exactly is the impellor ?

I did get the filter out a week ago and ran it through some hot water, the water was flowing out ok but when back in water just not very strong.

Looking at a friends tank it isn't anywhere near as powerful as there filter (same tank)

 

[smooth_bourbon]

It is at the top of the intake. http/www.dollardays.com/images/a89/f1200-9.jpg

they need to be cleaned regularly, for they can get all kinds of gunk rapped around them.

 

[G7EG]

Update :

I have just got home from work and stopped at my LFS at asked for ehre advice, they said it could be the impellor aswell.... Anyway got home taken the impellor out and nothing dirty there whatsoever, spins fine !

I then looked at the sponges of which the white one is now brown so gave that a little clean but looks like i could do with a new one !

I then thought id try the pump with no sponges.. wow it was good just like it should be !

ANYWAY..... i then noticed that at the bottom of my filter section i have a random blue sponge just sitting there for no reason on its own with a gap... i took it out and now the filter is MUCH better... is this needed ?? i have the white one, black green and blue now justt in the tank all clumped together in a neat section.. the other extra was a random blue one but when thats in the filter it slows down badly !!!

Can i leave it like this as its perfect, witht he other one its not (dont want any problems) you see

Hopefully its ok

 

[Cavafish]

If you have only had the tank/setup for a month or so you should still have the instructions that are supplied by Juwel. If not they are available on the internet. Do whatever the instructions for your tank says regarding the number, colour and arrangement of the filters. I have only ever had Juwel tanks but mine are the smallest and the largest that they do so I dont know yours. A guess is that you will need at least two blue filters (one course, one fine), a black carbon filter and the white crud catcher on the top. FOLLOW THE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE SET OUT BY JUWEL.
As you seem to be new to the hobby (as I still regard myself), you will find it much easier to get it right this way.

As you have found the impeller and cleaned it you will now know how to keep this clean. I use a 'teapot spout brush'. Ask for one in a decent hardware store they are a real thing, honest I find mine VERY handy for cleaning all sortsd of bits on the tank.

You can wash out the white filter rather throw it away every week as Juwel say. Point to note - DO NOT, NOT, NOT wash out your filters under the tap. Use tank water. You will hear this a million times on this site and it is the correct advice.

One last thing, if the white filter is getting really manky and brown after just one week then you are overfeeding. Do not feed your fish big meals ever - they dont need it and it is best to miss feeding them a couple of days a week. Try to find a piccie of a fishes insides and you will see just how tiny thier tummys are.

Crikey, lunch break is over........