Fluval 3+ Problems

[Barday]

hi all,

I'm having a bit of a problem with my fluval 3+ internal filter. I need to clean my filter every week because it clogs up and the flow rate obviously drops alot almost to the point of it not working. After the week the filter starts making a loud humm/buzzing sound.

I've tried changing the foam pads, but that only lasts for 2 weeks. Is there any reason why my filter is getting clogged so quickly?

p.s it is a planted tank but i try and remove any dead leaves as soon as they appear, and i don't overfeed!

Any help would be appreciated
thanks
barday

 

[houndour]

have you checked the propeller? Most (I assume all) filters have a propeller that needs checking and cleaning regularly.

 

[Bloo]

mmmm I would guess it's the impellor in the filterhead.
Do you check that on a regular basis ?
Give the whole filterhead a good wash under the showerhead especially the impellor shaft.
That might do the trick.

 

[houndour]

oops. sorry impellor not propellor! lol

 

[Barday]

I totally washed thwe impeller, got a cotton bud stuck it in and cleaned it out properly, sprayed it through with high pressure..........but nothing no difference at all

I even tried a different filterhead and it did the same thing!

 

[Bloo]

time to contact Hagen me thinks. Or if it's under a year old, take it back to where you bought it from and ask them.

Hagen Contact Form

By the way - if you ever buy a Hagen product, make sure you register it online for the warrantee.

 

[Barday]

e-bay!!

Maybe I need a new impeller?

How can you tell when they are bust??

How do they bust?? They're magnetic right? Do they lose magnetism over time??

 

[Bloo]

e-bay!! 

Maybe I need a new impeller?

How can you tell when they are bust??

How do they bust?? They're magnetic right? Do they lose magnetism over time?? 

[snapback]923153[/snapback]​

well how old is it ? they are quite tough and the Fluval ones shouldn't really go bust under normal usage.
If it looks ok, it should be fine. These aren't those fine ceramic ones that can easily break.

And do you really want to spend money on something if you're not sure what the problem is ?

 

[George Farmer]

Are your foam pads really dirty after the week? If they are it sounds like you're underfiltered.

What size and how stocked is your tank?

If your media isn't really dirty then it sounds like an impellor or related problem.

 

[Barday]

Yea they are pretty dirty at the bottom. The top seems ok.

My tank isn't that stocked:

3 gourami
2 mollies
4 corries
1 ram
1 dwarf frog
3 bn plecs
and ??? bn fry



it's a 3 x 1 x 1 ft tank so i think the filtration is ok

 

[StrontiumDog]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=100084&hl=

Barday I got the T-shirt. Thats what happened to me

ill edit this with a link why the filter cloggs up so quickly.

here http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=109708

 

[OohFeeshy]

I have the 2+, gets fairly dirty but I can cope I prefer to clean out the filter weekly anyway, the only problem I've found is it can be hard to get the 'basket' that holds the sponges out of the outer casing

 

[black angel]

I got the fluval 3+ with my tank and quickly realised the filtration though good was badly designed.
Got an eheim external to run along side it.

 

[Bloo]

I got the fluval 3+ with my tank and quickly realised the filtration though good was badly designed.
Got an eheim external to run along side it.

[snapback]923728[/snapback]​

I'm actually going the same way. I have a Fluval 2+ in my one tank - and am fed-up with the whole basket thing (when you lift it out of the water it creates such a mess ) - also going to replace with eheim external in the coming weeks

 

[Barday]

Eheim external it is then! I've been contemplating changing to external for a while now, looks like it's the perfect chance now!

Thanks guys!