Need Help With 305

[Murphee]

Hi, i have just bought a fluval 305 which was cycled when i got it of the previous owner. However i have ran into some problems, not the first time ive had problems with fluval cannisters. The filter is completely emptied of water, so just to be sure, i follwed the step by step guide on the internet on how to install it and setup etc.. Please see this link. CLICK ME!!!

The problem is that where it says begin to prime the system using the pump thing, nothing happens, and no water is being drawn into the filter, as it says thats what should happen. Ive pumped the little prime pump thing for at least 5-10mins NON-STOP, and still nothin other than a tiny bit of water movement coming out of the outake. It is really frsutrating me, i have been at it all day, and ive searched all over the net top try and find some causes and ways to fix etc..

After all this i know for a fact that it wil just be something basic which i am completely overlooking hopefully not though. Has anybody had the same experience, any ideas?

Help very much appreciated

 

[tom_os]

just fill up the filter with water, then switch it on

 

[three-fingers]

The priming pump is just a small cheap thing, if not lubricated regularly it could easily be worn out on a second hand canister.

Just buy a new priming pump for a few £ (less than £5).

In the meantime, fill it up with water and prime it like you would with an Eheim classic.

Same for any second hand canister filter.

 

[minxfishy]

Yep its the pump, they are uselesss, as said already fill to the top with water and then turn it on. Tip, make sure the filter is sitting in a bucket when you do this as when full up with water, when you try to squeeze the lid shut it makes a heck of a mess

 

[rgzcampbell]

The easiest way to prime these filters is to let the tank fill the filter from empty - that forces all the air out and gives you a better initial flow.

You can fill it up with water yourself but it is messy whe you close the lid and leaves air gaps in the filter.

 

[star4]

I have fluval 405's and have the same problem. I cheat by taking the intake pipe off the tube and fill the tube with water from the tank with a jug. When the water is at the top of the pipe I attach it back to the tube and switch it on. I do get a little air trapped but after a few minutes it clears. I have stopped using the prime thingamy (technical term lol) its too much hassle.

 

[rabbut]

Basically, Fluvals priming pump is rubbish. IME, filling them with water, putting the lid on and then trying to start them makes them form a air-lock, forcing you to open up again after to try again... Not the best way IMO.

Fluval priming procedure from when you priming pump breaks (actually easier than using the pump too IMO)

1) Ensure all hoses and the filter itself is empty
2) Make sure everything is plumbed up correctly. (hoses as short as possible, no air leaks in the pipes due to them not being seated properly e.t.c)
3) Take the outlet pipe off the back of the tank, and place it over a bucket.
4) Check the "Aquastop valve" is open
5) Suck on the outlet to start a syphon. Wait for the canister to fill up and water to start syphoning through into the bucket (may take a few minuites...)
6) When the bucket is full, close the "Aquastop valve" to stop the water flow.
7) Place the outlet back into the tank
8) Open the "Aquastop valve"
9) Plug it in and wait for the impeller to jam...
10) Kick it on the MSF badge, progressively harder, until the impeller jam frees itself
11) Probably the most important step of all this. go make yourself a nice cup of tea, and try not to think about the fact that it will only be a few more days before it blocks up and needs maintenance again

HTH
Rabbut

 

[Marclau]

Must admit, even though I've only had mine about 5 months, I've never had any problems......(fingers crossed)........cleaned it 3 or 4 times in that time and the little primer worked correctly.

However, the very first time, i did have the attachments wrong.........by wrong i had th intake connected to the wrong outlet........once i noticed that, it has worked ever since........lucky i guess.......certainly much better than my AquaOne 1000.

 

[rabbut]

With the write-up's the AquaOne filters get, I'd have no quams in trying one With my personal experience with Fluvals, at work and home, as well as the experience of several mates, I will not be buying another one unless Fluval seriously improve them from a reliability and clogging standpoint. Out of about 5-10 people I know with Fluvals, all bar about one has had issues with them, half of the issues were with leaks... Not great. Also, most filters on my tanks will last 6 months without cleans. With the same media and equivalent spec Fluval running the same tank, the Fluval will go for about a week before needing cleaning...

I'm not a Fluval fan myself I must say. Then again, the Fluval fans on here tell me that the problem is just that Fluval send the Quality Control fails to Leeds and nowhere else, hence why we Leeds folk have trouble with them and they do not...

 

[saz326]

I cant understand how a primer pump can be worn out. Its just a plunger after all.

I've only ever used mine once in 8 months of having the thing. When I clean the filter media (filter maintainance etc) I simply close the valve at the end of the line which leaves both lines full of water. When I reconnect the lines to the filter and open the valve I have a ready made syphon going on, water from the input line wants to fall by gravity into the filter - so I let it fill up and then switch it on.

 

[rabbut]

Yes, if the syphon is already established, that is the easiest way of doing it. However, I found the hoses to collect rubbish, so always loot them off to clean them and had to re-start it from scratch each time...

 

[forby3]

i have the 305 405 and a few others the 305 is broke via the prime i just suck on the end of the outlet and hey presto out comes alot of then the water

 

[Murphee]

Basically, Fluvals priming pump is rubbish. IME, filling them with water, putting the lid on and then trying to start them makes them form a air-lock, forcing you to open up again after to try again... Not the best way IMO.

Fluval priming procedure from when you priming pump breaks (actually easier than using the pump too IMO)

1) Ensure all hoses and the filter itself is empty
2) Make sure everything is plumbed up correctly. (hoses as short as possible, no air leaks in the pipes due to them not being seated properly e.t.c)
3) Take the outlet pipe off the back of the tank, and place it over a bucket.
4) Check the "Aquastop valve" is open
5) Suck on the outlet to start a syphon. Wait for the canister to fill up and water to start syphoning through into the bucket (may take a few minuites...)
6) When the bucket is full, close the "Aquastop valve" to stop the water flow.
7) Place the outlet back into the tank
8) Open the "Aquastop valve"
9) Plug it in and wait for the impeller to jam...
10) Kick it on the MSF badge, progressively harder, until the impeller jam frees itself
11) Probably the most important step of all this. go make yourself a nice cup of tea, and try not to think about the fact that it will only be a few more days before it blocks up and needs maintenance again

HTH
Rabbut

I tried this method, hoewever the impellor did not free from the jam. Also, i knew the impellor jammed becuase of the noise it made like a clicking rackety sound. Then i thought the impellor unjammed as the noise changed gradually to a flushing sound, with a hint of the rattling and cliclking etc.. but still no water coming out of the outlet, and there is large air bubbles coming out of the intake. Any ideas why this is happening? i really wanna get my tank setup so ui can buy some fishies on the weekend

Thanks for all the responses folks, appreciated. I will definitely NOT be buying another fluval, thats for sure.

 

[rabbut]

That would be an air-lock. They occur in Fluvals IME as often as impeller jams... Not a lot you can do other than shake the filter like crazy, try syphoning another bucket or tipping the filter to try and clear it. It will usually clear itself with time, patiance and constant attention for the first few minuites, but sometimes you have to take it appart and start again Fluvals do have a reputation for being ahrd to start. It their credit, it's unusual that you have to take one apart again and set-set it if you know a few "trade secrets", but they are often harder than they should be to start up.

You could also have an iir-leak or impeller fault to cause this. If you do have to take apart the filter and start over, check all the seals and the impeller for un-usual marks or damage

How are you cycling the tank? If you have had mature media sat in this filter since you got it, the bacteria will have died through Oxygen starvation by now. A fish-less cycle will take more than a couple of days, a week is typical for the first shot of ammonia to drop to zero, then you have to clear your nitrite spike and then wait for both ammonia and nitrite to drop to zero again in 12 hours after you add an ammonia shot, and fish-in cycling is hard work and in many people's opinion, cruel to the fish

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Murphee]

That would be an air-lock. They occur in Fluvals IME as often as impeller jams... Not a lot you can do other than shake the filter like crazy, try syphoning another bucket or tipping the filter to try and clear it. It will usually clear itself with time, patiance and constant attention for the first few minuites, but sometimes you have to take it appart and start again Fluvals do have a reputation for being ahrd to start. It their credit, it's unusual that you have to take one apart again and set-set it if you know a few "trade secrets", but they are often harder than they should be to start up.

You could also have an iir-leak or impeller fault to cause this. If you do have to take apart the filter and start over, check all the seals and the impeller for un-usual marks or damage

How are you cycling the tank? If you have had mature media sat in this filter since you got it, the bacteria will have died through Oxygen starvation by now. A fish-less cycle will take more than a couple of days, a week is typical for the first shot of ammonia to drop to zero, then you have to clear your nitrite spike and then wait for both ammonia and nitrite to drop to zero again in 12 hours after you add an ammonia shot, and fish-in cycling is hard work and in many people's opinion, cruel to the fish

All the best
Rabbut

I bought the filter yesterday evening from a neighbour, it was taken out straight from his tank and the media is still saturated even now. As yesterday i tried to set it up as i mentioned, with the cannister empty, then i tried filing it up myself and tried it. And i used the water out of my already established larger tank. So would the bacteria be dead already/ if so i shall use fishless cycling. Also which is the best way to cycle without fish, using purew ammonia or some frozen fish?

Cheers