Hydor External Heater

[Akasha72]

Hi everyone. I'm looking for some advice and I'm hoping someone else on the forum has one of these heaters.
 
Some background to begin with so forgive the long winded explaination. I have a Rio 240 and I run two JBL external crystalprofi filters on it because I've found one filter isn't enough to turn the surface and I get the nasty greasy film in the opposite corner to the outlet. Running the two filters has cured this issue.
So, the filter on the right side of the tank has the Hydor external heater attached to it but I'm constantly having to clean this filter. I've not cleaned the left sided filter in months and the flow isn't dropping. The one on the right side though is constantly losing flow. I cleaned it two weeks ago, got my flow back, but it's dropped again and it's looking like I'm going to have to clean it again already.
 
Does anyone know if the heater could be to blame for the flow drop off? I've read the instruction booklet but it says the heater doesn't need to be cleaned and now I admit I'm out of my depth. I was hoping to find someone else with knowledge of these heaters to help me
 
Thanks in advance
 
Akasha

 

[Zante]

Well, the heater would be creating a "hot spot" in the tank which might be promoting bacterial growth. Is the heater on the inlet to the filter or the outlet?
 
In any case I'd suggest moving it to the other filter to see if the problem moves over with the heater or if it remains with the right side filter.

 

[Akasha72]

Hi Zante, it's on the outlet as I thought that was where it was supposed to be, heating the clean water as it goes back in. If I've got that wrong then somebody let me know and I'll move it. I'll admit that I hadn't thought of switching it over to the other filter to see if the problem moves with it. That's certainly do-able.
 
The right side filter is older than the left sided. The left sided filter is a year old now but the right sided will be 3 years old and I did have real trouble getting it started after the last clean. I ended up having to fill it manually from a bucket to get it to start. It has made me wonder if this filter is starting to fail but I thought I'd ask about the heater first - rule out one thing first

 

[Zante]

Hi Zante, it's on the outlet as I thought that was where it was supposed to be, heating the clean water as it goes back in. If I've got that wrong then somebody let me know and I'll move it. 

 
No, no, that is correct. I was just checking, just in case.
 
 

I'll admit that I hadn't thought of switching it over to the other filter to see if the problem moves with it. That's certainly do-able.

 
Give it a try, always worth checking.
 
 

The right side filter is older than the left sided. The left sided filter is a year old now but the right sided will be 3 years old and I did have real trouble getting it started after the last clean. I ended up having to fill it manually from a bucket to get it to start. It has made me wonder if this filter is starting to fail but I thought I'd ask about the heater first - rule out one thing first 

 
Could be, could be. First thing is to check if it's the heater by moving it to the other filter. I doubt it may be, but it's the simplest thing to check so it should be done first.

 

[Akasha72]

thanks for that Zante, helpful as always. I've got a treatment in for cyanobacteria at the moment and so no water change for 14 days (according to the instructions) so my water change is penciled in for 4th or 5th January. I'll get the heater moved over then and clean the slow filter again. The left sided filter is due for a clean really but if I do them both at the same time I risk end up with a cycle problem. 
 
I thought I had the heater right as there's a big arrow on the heater body. I doubted that the arrow would be made to point downwards lol
 
I've mentioned this to my Dad (I got the fish keeping hobby bug from him) and he thinks I should remove the heater, run some water through it and give it a shake and see if it's full of gunk but he doesn't realise how expensive these heaters are! I can't risk breaking a piece of kit that'll cost 50 quid to replace!

 

[Zante]

Let us know how it goes, and we'll think of a solution, depending on where (and if) the filter slows down again.

 

[StevenF]

MY guess is that the heater may have nothing to do with the filter flow.  My guess is that whatever is causing the surface film  in your tank is clogging up one of the filters faster than the other one.  The only other possibility is the heater got to hot  and melted or narrowed the hose in some way restricting the flow. 

 

[Far_King]

The heater needs to be on the inlet to the tank, so you have that right.  If it was the other way round you'd be heating water to the filter and would lose a degree or two in temperature by the time it comes back around.  As I recall, there are arrows that point the direction of flow and I'm sure you have that the right way round.
The hole through the middle was a fairly decent size and smooth as I recall so I can't imagine much building up in there.  The only way is to take a hose off and have a look.
 
Are there any kinks in the hose anywhere that may cause the flow from that filter to drop?  Could it be that filter is just picking up more that the other?  Depending on decor in the tank it's possible the flow through the tank itself causes more waste to end up that end.  Perhaps swap the filters over and see what happens?

 

[Akasha72]

well I've got up this morning and the flow from that filter is so slow my fish in the upper levels are looking sluggish. The cories are their normal selves but the tetra's and harley's are hanging about and looking sleepy. I think there must be a lack of oxygen and so I'm going to be forced to act today.
 
The treatment for cyanobacteria needed 10 days to work and 14 days between water changes. I'm looking at the tank and the cyanobacteria is still there between the substrate and the glass and so it looks like the treatment hasn't worked so blow it, I'm going to do my water change today and open this right sided filter at the same time. If it's as gunked up as it was last time Far_King may have a point. It may be that this filter is picking up all the crap. A hint to that maybe that that corner is where my BN lives and where most of the my cories are hanging out. Perhaps they are both pushing more stuff into this filter.
 
I'll let you know what I find. It will be this afternoon as I need to go shopping first  

 

[Zante]

A hint to that maybe that that corner is where my BN lives and where most of the my cories are hanging out. Perhaps they are both pushing more stuff into this filter.

 
Ah, yes, that would indeed be a very good explanation. BNs are olympic level pooers.

 

[Akasha72]

home now and time to start water changing and open this filter again. If it's cacked up to the top again then I think I've got to look at it being a filter issue and not a heater

 

[Akasha72]

Well, I have news.
 
Far_King is correct. There's nothing wrong with the heater or the filter - it's just picking up the majority of the crap.
 
When I opened it and lifted out the top tray the water stayed in the tray. The sponges were so clogged they couldn't even drain the water. No wonder the flow had dropped.
I've cleaned it and put it back together - I was just adding some clean water to my tank when my Dad arrived. I explained all this to him and he's suggested lifting the inlet basket up a bit away from the substrate. I figured it was worth the try. We'll see how things are in two weeks