I think my filter is breaking.

[Tttay89]

I just noticed my filter hasnt been working , the last time I noticed it working was around 2 days ago.
I'm just checking ammonia and nitrite as we speak. (or would it need longer than a day or two to ruin a cycle)??
I tried to turn it off and on again with no luck, when I do water changes and refill it it seems to have trouble pumping water, I have to turn it off and on 2 or 3 times to get it going.
I just took what I could apart and cleaned in all the holes I could, reassembled and it's working.. Kind of. . It does however sound like it's struggling, like its humming a song and not a constant hum.
I have attached photos of the filter or what I can get to, I don't really want to open the black box not knowing what I'm doing.

Otherwise if I get a new filter would I just insert the old media or run it alongside my current one untill it's cycled?

 

[Retired Viking]

You will still have bacteria in the gravel and on things in the tank.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

When was the last time you cleaned it? Take it apart and clean it. Mine will stop working from time to time. I just clean it. It could be that the propeller is stuck inside, due to the gunk. Let me know how this goes and if you need more help.

Yes, if you have a good layer of substrate, your cycle will not be ruined. Just make sure to fix that filter soon.

 

[Tttay89]

Ammonia and nitrite fine.

Water change weekly
I clean the media in the filter every two weeks
Clean the tubes and bits I can get to once a month.
Cleaned inside the motor never, I'll give that a go, just didn't want to break it.

 

[Colin_T]

PhoenixKing has a good point. You should clean the inside of the motor unit (the impellor) every time you clean the filter. If there is gunk in and around the impellor, it won't work.

You remove the plastic cover that holds the impellor in place. Watch for small plastic or rubber washers at each end of the impellor shaft (steel rod in middle of impellor).
Take it all apart and rinse well under tap water.
Put it back together and put in a bucket of water.
Plug pump into power socket and turn on. See if pump works. If it does, turn pump off and connect to filter and get it going again.
If pump doesn't work after a clean, the actual motor is probably stuffed and will need replacing.

To test the impellor, hold the black or grey magnet with a couple of fingers. Use your other hand to gently turn the plastic impellor blades. The impellor blades should only turn about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way around (in either direction). If they turn around continuously while you are holding the magnet part, the impellor is broken and needs replacing.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

PhoenixKing has a good point. You should clean the inside of the motor unit (the impellor) every time you clean the filter. If there is gunk in and around the impellor, it won't work.

You remove the plastic cover that holds the impellor in place. Watch for small plastic or rubber washers at each end of the impellor shaft (steel rod in middle of impellor).
Take it all apart and rinse well under tap water.
Put it back together and put in a bucket of water.
Plug pump into power socket and turn on. See if pump works. If it does, turn pump off and connect to filter and get it going again.
If pump doesn't work after a clean, the actual motor is probably stuffed and will need replacing.

To test the impellor, hold the black or grey magnet with a couple of fingers. Use your other hand to gently turn the plastic impellor blades. The impellor blades should only turn about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way around (in either direction). If they turn around continuously while you are holding the magnet part, the impellor is broken and needs replacing.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.