Tetratec Ex1200 Leaking!

[LastBoy5cout]

Bought a tetratec ex1200 after reading alot of advice and online discussion regarding this external.

Set it all up about a month ago and started my cycle.

It was fairly silent to start with but more recently has been starting to gurgle so I took it apart and reseated everything and now it is leaking from one of the latches that you use to seal it. Not a huge amount but enough to cuase a long term problem.

Any ideas? Geez I could cuss alot.

 

[shelaghfishface]

Bought a tetratec ex1200 after reading alot of advice and online discussion regarding this external.

Set it all up about a month ago and started my cycle.

It was fairly silent to start with but more recently has been starting to gurgle so I took it apart and reseated everything and now it is leaking from one of the latches that you use to seal it. Not a huge amount but enough to cuase a long term problem.

Any ideas? Geez I could cuss alot.

are you sure its put together properly? i know bit of a thick Q but did this and caused a small leak, also make sure the media trays are pushed down onto the tube properly so that the seals are able to lock properly

and if all this is ok, then take it back, they are apprently really good with the warranty

 

[Davo86]

Hey, I'd firstly have a look over the following things:

check the seals are still in place,
make sure you haven't overloaded the media
check for blockages in the hose
last simply undo the latches and reclose it, (you wouldn't believe how many times thats worked for me in the past?)

if that all looks ok, then you may just have a bad filter, although I have to say they are one of the best around atm

 

[shelaghfishface]

although I have to say they are one of the best around atm

2nd that

 

[LastBoy5cout]

Right, have a very wet leg after the water spurted out the top! but checked everything, media has been as it always was, hoses are fine, no blockages and it still weeps out of one of the edges.

Bunch of bottom.

 

[rabbut]

Have you applied Vaseline to the seals? That is what keeps my Fluval from leaking

The Tetras are currently my favorite filter. Excess noise like gurgeling is air getting into the system. Sounds to me like the main seal may be shot. Take it back if the Vaseline doens't work, and this part should be easy to have replaced

All the best
Rabbut

 

[LastBoy5cout]

Would it be the seals even if its only a month old?

Touching wood, its does seem to have stopped weeping, but still the gurgling.

 

[MermaidMel]

Shake it baby. Sounds like an airlock, give it a good jig about.

 

[bare bottom]

Mine was leaking after a filter clean. I found the water was filling up the void between the plastic case of the head and the head itself and manifested as a leak from the latch.

If you look really closely you should be able to tell if it is the main pump head seal or not.

If the pump head seal is ok there are two other sets of seals, the ones on the adaptor unit that you can see and have spares for that were included in the box, and the ones INSIDE the adaptor unit.

The seals inside are not available as spares you have to replace the adapter unit itself. I took the unit apart (4 screws) and found two seals that had dried out. Relubed put back together and all ok.

I should point out that taking apart the filter could void the warranty but in my case i had no option as it was the weekend and Tetra have been excellent about it.

Than again you could just have an unlucky filter they are really good

 

[LastBoy5cout]

If I shake it alot if makes alot of noise and air comes out of the spray bar, now is this air locks or just me making the bubbles?

 

[rabbut]

Could well be an airlock, but they usualy clear themselves within half and hour. Leave it to run for a while, and if the gurgeling comes back, the issue is still there. Have you applied Vaseline yet?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[LastBoy5cout]

Not had chance yet, dont want to rush it so am planning to do it later.

From the top of the filter there is basically what only can be desrcibed as a water trickling sound which I guess is obvious now that Ive typed it, it is a filter after all.

Am I supposed to hear air and water? also when I shake it it does release air still!!

 

[rabbut]

Sounds like a mamoth air lock... Id take all baskets and media out, drain the filter, clean the motor head, and media if it needs it, then re-build. That should clear the air-lock. Apply Vasaline to all seals as you re-asemble. Dryed put seals will leak, and Vasaline is the only way I know of keeping them moist You manual does acrually recomend this method of lubricating seals too, though they only put it in the "trouble shooting" section for some reason, when I think it would be better placed in the maintanance section, so that the few that bother to read the manual accutally find it

All the best
Rabbut