Do You Use A Fluval 3+ Internal Filter?

[barbiedoll]

Hi all
I bought a Fluval 3+ (brand new off ebay for £15 incl postage) which is a great little bit of kit, I think. I'm running a number (6) of different filters: this is my first 3+ and has been running 2-3 weeks

Problem: am running in a 54 litre 24inch coldwater setup with 2 plant munching fantails and a bunch of WCMM. There's alot of muck and alot of chewed up bunched plants - elodea and cobomba. I have it set up with the 2 coarse sponges and between them, the fine polyester wool.
Seems to be running fine but the yellow clogged up indicator has popped up and won't go away despite rinsing all 3 sponges really well.

My question is: is this happening because i am using the fine filter med? If I don't, the water is not clear: if I do the filter runs with clogged indicator up.

Any thoughts/suggestions please?

Many thanks for reading this

 

[Bloo]

I'm not sure how well that indicator works to be honest. I had a fluval two plus and had endless problems with clogging - even though I had a lightly stocked tank. I had to take apart the mechanical bits each week (impeller etc.) and give it a good flush under a strong shower jet to remove the sludge.

I also hated the fact that it dumped a bunch of junk in the tank every time I removed it for cleaning
Things are tons better now that I run an external.

 

[Fella]

I run a 3+ and I always thought the clogging indicator went down when clogged, not up? Mine are always up...

 

[Bloo]

I run a 3+ and I always thought the clogging indicator went down when clogged, not up? Mine are always up...

Yes, you're right. Sorry forgot to add that. That's what confused me with the filter. It was always up but yet it was always clogged up. I think the sponge area is way too small.

 

[Fella]

I run a 3+ and I always thought the clogging indicator went down when clogged, not up? Mine are always up...

Yes, you're right. Sorry forgot to add that. That's what confused me with the filter. It was always up but yet it was always clogged up. I think the sponge area is way too small.

Yeah I agree. I only got a pair of these filters because I got bored of my Juwel filters breaking down. They're not great, but as I do weekly and bi-weekly maintenance anyway its not too much of a drag.

I am wishing I'd waited though, the new eheim aquaball internal filter thing looks incredible.

 

[Jules H-T]

I also hated the fact that it dumped a bunch of junk in the tank every time I removed it for cleaning

Tell me about it, I have to put it into a fish bag and take it out with a load of water to prevent this. Don't have a 3, but do run a 2 and a 4. And yes, yellow bit up means fine, yellow bit down means clogged. I find that the flow has to be seriously reduced for the warning to work particularly on the 4, and maintain them more frequently (almost every water change). Very reliable though, never had one break although I need to manually help the impeller on the 2 every time I unplug it.

 

[barbiedoll]

tum te tum

knew there was a reason I turn to you guys.

Thanks all...............

have now read the leaflet that came with the filter
including the French version - L'indicateur de saturation des masses filtrantes, de couleur jaune, est situe sur le dessus du filtre. Le dispositif sa retracte lorsque la masse filtrante est obstruee.

see? sa retract - it goes in when it's blocked - so popped up is clear

so mine is fine

so I have NO PROBLEM in actual fact

)

how thick am I?


)


if only I had read the French in the first place............

 

[Bloo]

But just remember - don't "rely" on that to check your filter mechanics and tell you when to maintain your filter. Prevention is better than cure

 

[anne24]

I have the 3+ and i'm glad I read this as I too thought up meant clogged......doh....... oh yes and I also have to manually help the impeller everytime I unplug it but then my jewel has just started to do this too and the flow has slowwed considerably, I'm just not sure about how good the jewel filter actually is.

 

[chrismr]

I have a fluval 3 in addition to the standard juwel filter that came with the 120.

Yeah, the fluval can be a bit fussy with dumping crap and used to have a prob with the impellor getting going.

Never had a problem with my juwel filter though. With the excpetion of being a bit weak.

Would love to get an external for my new tank, but they are damn expensive things.... even the second hand ones.

 

[big mick]

Ive always prefered my juwel filters to any Fluvals or interpet ones Ive had. The Juwel ones are big and take up space but there is loads of room for sponge unlike the rest.

 

[chrismr]

Ive always prefered my juwel filters to any Fluvals or interpet ones Ive had. The Juwel ones are big and take up space but there is loads of room for sponge unlike the rest.

Yeah, they do allow me to keep my bags of peat hidden

 

[andyj]

I've got a 3+ running alongside a 304 external, and I find that the 3+ doesn't tend to clog up too much, but then it is at the opposite end of the 4'6" tank to where I've got all my plants etc....

I've got it set-up as a 'river-tank', with a fast current at one end, and a slower, densly planted area at the other end.

I know what you guys are saying about there not being much room for Sponge in the 3+, but for the price etc you can't beat it.

Afterall, it did win PFK's 'Recommended Internal Filter' award last month

Andy