Filter Problems

[MissGuppy]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum but I'm just looking for some advice. I have just bought a fish r fun 5.5L tank with a couple of guppies. The tank came with its own filter system but the filter is not producing any bubbles or even moving the water. The model is an Frf-if1. Should it be moving the water?

 

[fluttermoth]

It doesn't matter if it's not producing bubbles, but it should be moving the water surface.

If you hold your hand in front of the filter, can you feel any water coming out?

It might just need cleaning; switch everything off at the plug, fill a jug or bucket with some tank water, pop the filter in that and see if you can get it open. Then give the filter media (that's whatever is inside the filter; probably sponges or what look like rocks or bits of macaroni) a shake or squeeze in that old tank water.

Put it back together and see if that makes it any better. Do not wash any filter media under the tap, or you'll kill off the good bacteria that live in there.

 

[Essjay]

In addition to what Fluttermoth said, I would also add that a 5.5 litre (1.5 gallon) tank is not big enough for any fish. I don't know why such small tanks are made. Here is a link to the tank.

I would take the fish back to the shop then work out what is wrong with the filter. If it turns out to be a faulty filter I would take the whole tank back as well and ask for your money back.
Then buy a bigger tank - something at least 40 litres, preferably bigger - and cycle it (link here) before getting any more fish. You will have a few weeks during cycling to decide on which fish to get that are suitable for the tank and your tap water.


I googled the filter youmentioned. The info in the link says it should contain sponge, carbon and zeolite which look as though they are all contained inside a box. It could be tricky washing the media inside a box. And a 200 litre per hour filter in a 5.5 litre tank should be creating a whirlpool which makes me think the filter isn't working. The usual recommendation is for 5 times the tank volume per hour which means your tank should have a 30 litre per hour filter at most. 200 litres per hour is the size for a 40 litre tank


If you bought this tank on a recommendation from the shop, ignore anything they say from now on. A shop that will sell a tank this small with 2 fish is only interested in your money.

 

[MissGuppy]

Thanks for your advice... I took the filter out, looked it over and the valve/ thing to produce current at the top had three settings (v.soft, medium or high current) it was just very stiff. The box that has the filter media in it opens up easily so you can get to it easy enough.