Aquaclear 50 power filter question

[gwand]

When I turn off the filter motor during water changes, the filter does not turn back on after the water change. I have cleaned the impeller and impeller casing but that doesn’t help. To get the motor going again after it is plugged back into current I have to manually give the impeller a tweak with my finger. It’s like starting the propeller on the old bi-winged planes. The same thing is happening to my Aquaclear 30. Any suggestions.

 

[GaryE]

It is the one major design flaw in Aquaclears. I spin 'em after every power cut. I always have, and have found no way around it. But you spin them for 15 years when a lot of the competing devices are done in 5.

 

[Magnum Man]

I no longer run that style of filter

 

[gwand]

I no longer run that style of filter

What filter do you prefer? BTW How is your wound doing?

 

[Mr Limpet]

After replacing the impeller shaft in my Aquaclear 50 after 15 years of use I found that I no longer have to tweak it manually to get it going. It also runs much quieter now.

 

[Magnum Man]

I'm using a lot of the Tidal style, and have both 50's, and 70's in that style...

wound is still not fully healed.. after waiting 6 weeks to get into wound care, I had one appointment there, I was supposed go again this last week, but the one doctor, called in sick, and they tried to bump me out 2 weeks... I told them just to forget it, as I didn't expect I would need care in 2 weeks... yesterday was the 1st day I didn't bandage it, since it happened... mostly my whole ankle looks like a raspberry birth mark

 

[fishorama]

I don't turn my filters off for water changes. As long as there some water covering the impeller they usually restart. The gunked up impellers need cleaning sometimes after a power outage. Usually only 1 of 6 ACs.

I believe 2tank uses a chopstick or scissors blade to get his impeller going again. Not something I've tried yet (knock wood).

 

[Fishmanic]

I used an icepick to restart the impeller on my aquaclear 50 when I had my 35 gallon hex tank running.

 

[Magnum Man]

I suppose one, could draw water out, a little at a time, then refill, and draw more out, and refill... I just find the design of the Tidal filters, completely eliminates that problem, and they are very serviceable... I had some Pothos vine's roots grow into the impeller on a Tidal, and it can all be disassembled and cleaned... they are not without issues, but the stuck impeller typically is not one, and the box fills by filling the tank, it doesn't rely on siphoning the water into it...

BTW... I often found that by pulling the draw tube out, and reinstalling it, that I could get the impeller running again on the Aqua Clears, with out having to "push start" it...

 

[seangee]

If you are going to change I'm anotherTidal fan.

 

[Innesfan]

I believe 2tank uses a chopstick or scissors blade to get his impeller going again. Not something I've tried yet (knock wood).

I too have a dedicated chopstick for the task.

 

[gwand]

I too have a dedicated chopstick for the task.

I’m trying to visualize what you do. I open the housing holding the impeller and motor and give the impeller a spin with a finger. Of course when I open the housing I loose all the water in the filter box. Can I get the motor going without opening the housing box?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I use one of my tank scissors to restart. However, I never turn off my ACs during tank maint. and water changes. All of my ACs have a pre-filter on the intake. This pre-filter must be rinsed weekly to prevent clogging.

So what I do is I remove the entire intake assembly while the filter is running. To prevent accumulated gunk in the pre-filter sponge from going back into the water, I use a brine shrimp net which I put over the pre-filter and remove the assembly that way. I rinse out the foam and put it back onto the intake tube, Then I return it to the filter but I do not push it down into the slot above the motor. I leave the filter in the slot but I keep it high enough not to be able to restart. I also rotate the U-tube to the right as well as keeping it raised which prevents it from sliding down and restarting the filtration before I am ready for this to begin.

I normally only put the cleaned intake back in place after I have pulled out the basket and rinsed the media and then changed the floss. I find it easier to change it than to clean it as I have a lot of tanks and filters.

Once I return the basket and cleaned media I put the intake assembly back on but leave it raised up until I have gotten the tanks mostly refilled. Then I rotate the U tube back over the motor and lower it back into place.

Almost all of my heaters are placed horizontally on the back glass near the bottom of the tank. One reason for this is I never have to turn off the heater to do maint. This also means I can never forget to turn it back on. There are two more benefits to this sort of heater placement. It creates a longer exposure to the water and so heats better and also moves more water up. Remember, warmer hot water rises towards the surface.

As always this is just how I do things and other may have good reasons for doing things differently. The options are always yours to choose from as long as they work well for you.

 

[MaloK]

Habitually there is a venting hole at the bottom of the intake compartment, a part of the impeller is visible from there, it's to release air from the pump an permit priming. Use a skewer trough to move the impeller. No need to dismantle anything.

This occurs when mulm accumulates in the interior of the Impeller magnet. A good cleaning of the shaft, the impeller well and the interior of the magnet. with 99 degree alcohol and vinegar, I use pressurized air and cure pipe to get them absolutely clean.

Then I put a thin layer of silicone lubricant or petroleum jelly on the shaft, (don't over do it) after that it last a couple years before it start locking up again...

I have a super old mini all original and the motor always restarts no problem, and the current one I use a 30 old gen with the same treatment has no problem restarting even after prolonged black out.

It's the part I hate with these filters, If you are away and lose power and don't restart, filtration wont work and motor will overheat.

They are like the AR's, runs very well, but need more attention than the AK's.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I also normally run at least one air powered filter in most tanks. This helps to protect against the hang-ons stopping from creating a disaster in a short amount of time.