FLuval 404 - mystery part!

[haddock]

Hi,
I have just got a second hand fluval 404 which arrived in bits - last night I cleaned it and put it all together. My tank is not set up yet so I haven't tested it but I found a plastic bit that can fit in the end of a hose (it also seems to fit inside the hose fixings on the main unit). The mystery part is about 2 inches long and has gaps around the side and a white plastic "ball bearing" inside. I put it under the tap and found that water can flow through it in one direction but not the other.

Any ideas? I thought it might go on the end of the intake tube to stop fish going up it? Alternativley it may have just been in the bag and have nothing to do with the filter!

I'm confused, please help!

 

[SirMinion]

We have several Fluvel externals.
That's exactly where it goes. On the end of the intake pipe.

 

[Lateral Line]

You should have some kind of strainer to prevent fish being sucked in, if you have nothing else that looks like it has that function, then that must be it.

I use Eheims and they have a simple strainer, no ball valve. Just another thing to get blocked and cause problems.

 

[sub.42]

Yep, it's called a check-valve, and is used to stop the flow of water back down the uplift tube, once you have primed all the pipework.

Very handy when you turn off the filter for the occasional clean-up....

sub.

 

[bigfish]

Yep it fixes to the end of the Intake tube....I just refurbishing one myself finding some of the parts aint easy!!!

 

[haddock]

Brilliant! Thanks for all your replies.
My tank just arrived an hour ago, I'm so excited!!

Fingers crossed that everything works!