Noisy Fluval 405

[Ross101]

I bought a second hand fluval 405 recently and just got around to installing it today.

I'm abit annoyed as its really quite noisy. it has a slight rattling and a sort of whooshing water noise.

I've reassembled it, cleaned the impeller and shaft etc loads of times but it won't stop.

I've also jigged it about to get all the air out but it still remains.

Its annoying, especially as the tank is in my bedroom.

Any ideas?

 

[Aqua Tom]

I have just today put a new fluval exteranl on my tank. It was very noisy when first installed but when I came back from the pub after watching one of the best games of football i have ever seen, it is virtualy silent.

Give it time i am sure it will settle down.

 

[OldMan47]

I do not own any Fluval externals but your problem sounds like a bad seal of some sort on the inlet side of your filter. You are drawing in small amounts, maybe only single bubbles, of air through some hose joint or even a cover gasket that makes a terrible sound when the bubble reaches the impeller in the filter. A close inspection of the inlet tubing should reveal the culprit but if it does not, you could try adding almost anything, even duct tape, to preclude air coming in around the top gasket of the filter body. If you can stop the noise by sealing the area with something as simple as duct tape, it will give you a clue of where you should be looking for that air leak.

 

[Ross101]

I do not own any Fluval externals but your problem sounds like a bad seal of some sort on the inlet side of your filter. You are drawing in small amounts, maybe only single bubbles, of air through some hose joint or even a cover gasket that makes a terrible sound when the bubble reaches the impeller in the filter. A close inspection of the inlet tubing should reveal the culprit but if it does not, you could try adding almost anything, even duct tape, to preclude air coming in around the top gasket of the filter body. If you can stop the noise by sealing the area with something as simple as duct tape, it will give you a clue of where you should be looking for that air leak.

I was maybe thinking this to, however there are no bubbles being realeased by the outlet and i can't shift anything by tilting it about. However what makes me think you are right is that the primer does nothing, literally is dead as though there is pressure loss somewhere thats stopping it pulling the water up, which could possible mean an air leak in the inlet?

I've got no water leaking what so ever though, when its on or off. The main gasket seal has a load of vaseline so i'm pretty sure thats air tight?

At the momment its wrapped in a duvet to stop the horrendous noise.

Anyway i can find a possible air leak?

Edit: Could it be the impeller? I don't know how powerful the 405 is meant to be, but the flow is far less than my Jumbo juwel filter..

 

[OldMan47]

If you have air entering the filter it will cause some damage to the impeller over time. Air will also significantly reduce the ability of the impeller to pump water. I have seen comments over quite some time that the Fluval canisters were noisy but I have also seen them defended by lots of regular users so I see no reason to allow the noisy filter to be considered normal in any way.

 

[Ross101]

If you have air entering the filter it will cause some damage to the impeller over time. Air will also significantly reduce the ability of the impeller to pump water. I have seen comments over quite some time that the Fluval canisters were noisy but I have also seen them defended by lots of regular users so I see no reason to allow the noisy filter to be considered normal in any way.

I've been looking at it today but I can't find a location that the air is entering, if it is. Again still no air coming from the outlet. I give up

 

[Aqua Tom]

Edit: Could it be the impeller? I don't know how powerful the 405 is meant to be, but the flow is far less than my Jumbo juwel filter..

Checking the impeler is a 5 min job, may as well do it to narrow the fault down.

 

[Skins]

Is your flow valve fully open(black lever on the aqua stop).

 

[Ross101]

Yeah the valve is fully open. ive tried it open, half closed, etc etc. I've lubricated the main seal, the valve seals. It's got to be the impeller not running true surely? It looks ok physically apart from the blades being very lose in respect to the axis (I know they spin around but it tilts as well).

Should i get a new impeller? impeller shaft?

 

[Aqua Tom]

It sounds like the impeller is going south, do you mean the blades are wobbley on the impeller? If so it needs replacing as it needs to be quite finely ballanced. Impeller shafts rarely go wrong. If you replace these two parts & it still makes noise then I am afraid its time to bite the bullet & get another filter as it will start costing too much to repair this one.

Ebay is your friend