External Canister Filter Fluval 05 Series?

[raptorrex]

Baskets are definately not a worry in my Eheim. Each basket is heavy solid smooth black plastic and fits perfectly in it's place. They are snug but lift in and out with no resistance whatsoever. Each has a flat handle that lowers down and sits flush with the top of the basket edge when the baskets are inside the filter but moves upward to become a nice hand-sized handle for that basket when you lift it.

If I try to think up any worries I have with the Eheim I suppose it would be that the little circular gaskets that seal the inlet pipe -between- baskets somehow seem a tiny bit to small in diameter. They work ok as far as I can tell but don't have that perfect fit feel like everything else in the filter (I've never replaced them, which I suppose I should do just to see if I somehow have the wrong size or something.)

Actually my newest worry (if one can call it that) is that after exactly 3 years of operation, I can now put my ear against the powerhead at the top of the filter and hear the impeller. In the past I have bragged repeatedly that this awesome machine made no detectable vibration when touching it, much less any noise one could hear with one's ear touching it - it simply moved a ton of water as if by magic. But now I finally hear something rotating in there. It's not a sound that can make it out of the cabinet but it's a sound and it raises my curiosity...

So my next question to Raptor is what should I suspect? I have a new white ceramic axle with endcaps, should I replace that? Or is it possible the rotor magnet portion or the plastic wall of the stator portion of the motor end of the impeller have added some tolerance? In other words, what's the first piece of an impeller (that's still working just fine) that shows any wear? (my suspicion, without taking it out to feel, would be slight indentations of wear in the white axle near top and bottom where one would suspect the forces occur as the axle keeps the rotor vertical)

Ah, this is becoming the EC filter detail thread, lol.

~~waterdrop~~

my guess would be either a shot ceramic shaft, or the impeller is on its way out. they tend to fail where the plastic is bonded to the magnet. as do many impellers. there could be another, couple of prob's, your filter may need a clean, if any gunk gets in the housing, it can make a strange noises. or sligjht ware on the head gasket could allow some air in the system.

one question though. are Eheim parts expensive over there? reason i ask is, i am just about to order two sets on "basket gaskets". they come in three's and i only have two basket per filter. you are more than welcome to the two "spare" gaskets. if prices are very high there, I'll send other stuff if you like, too. ( not too big though. lol. so no 2080's.) either way, the gaskets are yours for the asking.

 

[waterdrop]

That would be great on the gaskets Rap, be patient with me though as it may take ages for me to find time to check the prices over here so we can compare and then to clear out some PM space (I'm always stuck on the 400 limit) so we can talk.

About the eheim prices, in general I think of them as pretty high because the brand is more rare over here but it depends. If its a more common part and is carried by BigAls or some other sight then it might be quite cheap but if you have to go to the eheim parts depot then it varies between ok and very expensive.

Interesting to hear your thoughts on my 3-year-old. I hadn't thought about the impeller itself. You're saying to inspect the actual white impeller part at the top with the blades, where it is glued to the magnet and rotor part, right? As I said, I have a spare shaft but not an impeller. It doesn't particularly sound like air noise (I've experienced that after cleanings) but I know all these sounds can fool you. It's not a particularly worrying sound, just gone from totally silent to being able to hear a slight hum.

WD

 

[raptorrex]

That would be great on the gaskets Rap, be patient with me though as it may take ages for me to find time to check the prices over here so we can compare and then to clear out some PM space (I'm always stuck on the 400 limit) so we can talk.

About the eheim prices, in general I think of them as pretty high because the brand is more rare over here but it depends. If its a more common part and is carried by BigAls or some other sight then it might be quite cheap but if you have to go to the eheim parts depot then it varies between ok and very expensive.

Interesting to hear your thoughts on my 3-year-old. I hadn't thought about the impeller itself. You're saying to inspect the actual white impeller part at the top with the blades, where it is glued to the magnet and rotor part, right? As I said, I have a spare shaft but not an impeller. It doesn't particularly sound like air noise (I've experienced that after cleanings) but I know all these sounds can fool you. It's not a particularly worrying sound, just gone from totally silent to being able to hear a slight hum.

WD

I've had a hydor prime and an eheim 2213, both impellers went, and both at the plastic magnet joint. from the sound you post though i would suspect the impeller shaft . the impeller tends to sound like a big rumble. air or restricted flow gives a distinct ticking sound. thing is, i don't get to hear them go wrong, very often. however i find most noises are, roughly, common to all externals.