Fluval 205 External Filter

[lfckopite]

HI guys dos anybody know wy the pump heads on this filter has become less powerfull over time i have today swilled all spongers but still the same

 

[three-fingers]

You mean the external filter? Other media can get clogged up too, rinse all the media in old tank water.

 

[aaronnorth]

clean the pipes, take them off then put one end at the tap and blast it through.

 

[lfckopite]

You mean the external filter? Other media can get clogged up too, rinse all the media in old tank water.

Cheers mate easy mistake. I thought you could only swill part of media at any one time

 

[rabbut]

As the Fluvals get old, they get noisy, then loose flow and then either leak or start shocking their owners, literaly How old is the filter? Fluval 04's can usualy be expected to go for arround 3-5years, so age is unlikely to be the issue yet with the 05 series...

Clean all the media in old tank water, clean the pump itself (take appart the impeller, impeller shaft, bearings, impeller cover) and clean all the parts thourughly with hot water, cotton wool stick thingys (Yer, I know their name ) and a brush if you have one for the pipes. Clean out the "quick disconnect", that is a favorite place to colgg, and finaly the hoses and inlet/outlet fittings

All the best
Rabbut

 

[lfckopite]

As the Fluvals get old, they get noisy, then loose flow and then either leak or start shocking their owners, literaly How old is the filter? Fluval 04's can usualy be expected to go for arround 3-5years, so age is unlikely to be the issue yet with the 05 series...

Clean all the media in old tank water, clean the pump itself (take appart the impeller, impeller shaft, bearings, impeller cover) and clean all the parts thourughly with hot water, cotton wool stick thingys (Yer, I know their name ) and a brush if you have one for the pipes. Clean out the "quick disconnect", that is a favorite place to colgg, and finaly the hoses and inlet/outlet fittings

All the best
Rabbut

Thanks rabbut the filter is only 9 months old so it should be fine. I think a full clean of the filter and all parts in the impeller shall sort it out but bit nervos about impeller coz they are meant to be very fragile right?

 

[aaronnorth]

mine aren't, they have pretty thick plastic used, i use a cloth or kitchen towel as it is hard to get into the little nooks & crannies.

 

[rabbut]

It's the ceramic shaft you need to be careful with Any sideways pressure and it will snap, but pushing or pulling won't be too bad

 

[fifefish]

i have got the exact same filter as you i clean it every month or so..
i clean the filter media.
clean the impeller
and i clean the chamber the impeller is in because grimey stuff builds up in there and makes the pump slower and not flow so well

 

[OldMan47]

The impeller is really only a problem being fragile if you drop it on a hard floor. Normal cleaning with a brush will not harm it. Be careful that you get all the parts back together the way they belong. The easiest thing to get wrong with most filters is to not reassemble the little rubbery bearing on each end of the impeller properly. Naturally the filter's impeller won't even turn if the bearing isn't put on right. I will usually put my impellers in, then touch them lightly and make sure they turn easily before I finish reassembly. That way I usually don't need to take everything apart to find out why my filter won't pump.

 

[waterdrop]

Also, a completely different thing but a good habit to have with each filter cleaning is to remove and lubricate each of the o-rings and rubber/silicone seals of the tubing and filter case. Usually a manufacturer will supply a packet of lubricant for this or lacking this you can use vasoline jelly. The main purpose of this is to protect the seal from oxidation and eventual deterioration. If you remove the main large box seal for this you need to replace it very carefully in the correct groove so it will seal all around.

Perhaps someone who knows this particular Fluval can tell you if there would be any tricks to this procedure for this model.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[fifefish]

what are you talking bout just about every piece of the filter is made from plastic..thats not going to corrode

 

[waterdrop]

what are you talking bout just about every piece of the filter is made from plastic..thats not going to corrode

No, its for real, its a very misunderstood thing that modern silicone rubber that is used for things like seals, o-rings and even swimmers caps will corrode if left wet over time. There is a reaction involving oxygen and water and so when these things are stored in commercial situations they are kept in talcum powder to keep them extremely dry. Since a filter seal is the barrier between air and water, the seal will be exposed to both and will deteriorate unless it has other protection. The vasoline (or the more pure stuff the manufacturers give you) is the way to make these seals last forever.

Corroded seals from not lubricating is the most common reason that cannister filters start to leak.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[SakuraK9]

When you assembled your filter it had two pieces in a seperate bag...the circular round thing and a rubbery round thing. The rubbery thing is the o ring and goes around the rim of the fileter box to create a seal. That has to be lubed up when you remove it to avoid breakage. I use vaseline and it works just fine.

Good luck!

 

[rabbut]

^^ Couldn't have said it better myself, assuming you bought it new There are also the seals on the quick-release that are equally in need of loobing