Biorb Bubbles stopped and leaking started!

[lisa salkeld]

Set up my 90L biorb about 3 weeks ago and started cycling, no fish in yet, just aswell since today the bubbles have stopped and simultaneously water has started leaking from the base. The leaking stops when I switch off the pump. Have tried detaching the tube from the pump and blowing through the tube but still no bubbles, guessing this means there is a blockage of sorts somewhere in the filtration system? The casing which houses the filter and bubble tube is full of tiny pieces of ceramic media but I'm not sure whether this would impact the air flow through the actual filter. Anyone have any ideas? It was an inherited biorb and I bought a new pump to go with it, it was all working until just today!

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Can you post a picture of the filter and tank?

If you have an airpump blowing air into the tank, sometimes water can syphon back into the pump and slowly leak out the pump. If this is happening it can be extremely dangerous because there is electricity and water and they just don't mix. So turn the air pump off first and unplug it, then open the pump and look inside for water.

If water is syphoning back into the pump you can get a 1 way valve (aka check valve) and it fits in the airline and allows air to go one way but not back into the pump. You can also reduce the water level in the tank a couple of inches and that will usually stop water back syphoning.

If it's a different type of filter I will need pictures and brand names to ID it and then work on the issue

 

[lisa salkeld]

Hi, thanks tor the prompt reply, I’ve tried to post pictures of the type of filter I’m using but it’s the standard Biorb filter that comes with the set up pack . I’ve unplugged the pump now, opened it up, perfectly dry inside. The tank is no longer leaking now that I’ve detached it from the pump. Also, a couple of the stones and parts of the ornaments in the tank are quite green which wasn’t the case a week ago (we’ve been away on holiday and I left it all running while we were away). Sorry if this doesn’t make sense, I’m very much a newbie here, really appreciate your help.

 

[Essjay]

The photos of the box and the sponge - are they as they came or as they have been while in the tank? I notice that they are both still inside their plastic wrappings in the photos and it not unknown for people to forget to remove this wrapping before putting the filter media in the tank.

And I apologise in advance if you have indeed removed the wrapping

 

[lisa salkeld]

The photos of the box and the sponge - are they as they came or as they have been while in the tank? I notice that they are both still inside their plastic wrappings in the photos and it not unknown for people to forget to remove this wrapping before putting the filter media in the tank.

And I apologise in advance if you have indeed removed the wrapping

 

[lisa salkeld]

Hi, yes, I removed the wrapping before fitting the filter, ha ha . The picture is of a new one [I got a box of 3]. The one that is currently in the tank is the same except that the white sponge is a little grayish in colour now [it's been running around 3 weeks]. Not sure if you can see the filter insitu in the photo of the tank, it's surrounded by the bubble tube. Not the best picture I realise, I can get a photo of the actual filter in use if you think it would help?