Classic Ex1200!

[FarmboyUK]

Hello,

I'm a relatively newbie but have been stalking this forum for a while.

I just bought a second hand EX1200 and when I started it up it started leaking under the handles and at the top of the hose connection. I tried the PTFE tape in the hose adapter to no avail. It is also leaking at the primer button.

My problem is that i'm 2 weeks into a fish-in cycle in a planted tank and I want to keep my media alive for at least the weekend.

I have put some of the sponge in an old internal filter and got that running and I have taken one of the EX1200 foam trays and put an airstone in it and left that in the tank.

I am away from about 10 minutes from now until Sunday night. Am I going to come home to a tank of dead fish? Will enough media stay alive?

NB: I have 5 small rosy barbs in the tank, it's 100 litre and medium planted.

 

[moochy13]

i have literally just come off the phone from tetra in germany, quite possibly the most helpful people on the surface of the earth.

i sent an email saying i had a leak and it was noisier than it should be, here was the reply from tetra UK :

Thank you for your enquiry, I’m sorry you are having leaking problems with your filter.

Have you tried cleaning the main O-ring on the motor-head and its sealing surface and applying a light smear of Vaseline? If a small piece of sand or grit gets trapped between these, then leaks can occur. Alternatively look to the o-rings around the hose adaptor unit, (to which both pipes are fitted) and look for grit around here and also apply Vaseline.

Also check all pipe connections and the hose adaptor unit.

If this fails to correct the problem, the I suggest calling the Tetra hotline, free, on 00800 766 88 766. The line is open between 7am and 5pm on weekdays. Here you will be able to speak to a dedicated member of our equipment support team who will be able to help.

If you look in the manual for your filter, you’ll see that all parts are labelled 1 – 21, this should help with identifying the exact part you require. If you do not have a copy of the manual I can email you a .pdf

The most likely cause of the noisy function is either an airlock; this can easily be purged by rocking the filter and pressing the priming button. A broken impellor will cause persistent noisy function that does not cease when airlocks are purged. Impellors are a serviceable part and need to be replaced every 2- 3 years – they are not covered by the guarantee.

I hope this has been of help,

Yours Sincerely

i tried everything, didnt work. i just phoned them, and after a quick conversation, 15 minutes later ive got a new filterhead on the way. my understanding is that there are 2 types of ex1200. a mk1 and mk2 if you like. mk1 had a leak and noise problem, which the mk2 fixed. i also got mine secondhand and it was a mk1, they should be sending a mk2 filterhead, which should fit. make sure the main o-ring is clean but wet when you refit the head. or vaseline'd like the email says. make sure the primer button is fully 'out'.

you will hopefully be alright, you will have plenty of bacteria onthe sponge when you get home at least, i wouldnt worry about that. its the water that could become a problem, not much you can do i guess, unless you can get somebody to change some of the water ?

 

[FarmboyUK]

It's that old problem of would I rather leave the water and risk it. Or risk one of my mates half arsing it and killing the fish/flooding my room anyway.

Small fish in a planted aquarium. I'm hoping they should be fine. Will definitely call Tetra later though. I don't have a landline and i'm worried the call will be expensive off my mobile though!

 

[FarmboyUK]

Well my fish survived. It's mass water change time now.

Does anyone know whether I will be charged calling Tetratec from my mobile???

Andy

EDIT: Tetratec are quick. Just checked my email and there is 1 Tetratec EX 1200 Filterkop on my way. Does anyone know if this is the head or the tap connector. I think it means filterhead but surely that's not the part I need?

 

[minnnt]

Yes you will be charged unless your operator doesn't charge for 00800. It is an 00800 number so ring from a land line if you can.

The new filter head will not fix your problem Farmboy, you will need a new hose adapter. The new ones have a double seal to stop the problem of the leaking.

00800 76688766

This is what you need...

Notice the grooves on the lever inbetween the taps.

 

[FarmboyUK]

Cheers minnnt. I thought that was the case. I'll give them a ring tomorrow afternoon. May as well let them send me a new head first. If both are replaced this filter in theory has nothing to go wrong

Edit: All was not ok over the weekend. Just found the body (no head or tail) of a rosy barb caught up in the media I had put in the tank to keep it mature whilst I was away