External Canister Filter Fluval 05 Series?

[waterdrop]

Thanks so much Raptor, you answered all my questions and with helpful links!

This is now making me question the info I've been carrying around that silicone lubricant is a useful or necessary thing for prolonging the life of silicone rubber materials. My understanding was that indeed these substances would protect silicone from the oxidation that occurs when silicone rubber is exposed to both water and air.

I equated this with what we've observed in the swimming world, where it's well known that silicone caps and goggle parts will rapidly break down without care. For instance, the recommendation by Speedo, Tyr and other silicone cap makers is to always thoroughly dry caps after use and for the really ideal storage to use talcum powder to absorb any stray moisture. Now this is different from using a silicone lubricant but it just serves to point out that silicone does have the characteristic of going through some sort of process to break down that is accelerated by exposure to both water and air. Whether silicone lubricant is a recommended way to combat this breakdown in silicone parts that must be constantly exposed to water and periodically exposed also to air is the real question that has formed in my mind. (I'm in need of a chemical engineer who works in the silicone rubber area! How does one find people like that?)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[raptorrex]

Thanks so much Raptor, you answered all my questions and with helpful links!

This is now making me question the info I've been carrying around that silicone lubricant is a useful or necessary thing for prolonging the life of silicone rubber materials. My understanding was that indeed these substances would protect silicone from the oxidation that occurs when silicone rubber is exposed to both water and air.

I equated this with what we've observed in the swimming world, where it's well known that silicone caps and goggle parts will rapidly break down without care. For instance, the recommendation by Speedo, Tyr and other silicone cap makers is to always thoroughly dry caps after use and for the really ideal storage to use talcum powder to absorb any stray moisture. Now this is different from using a silicone lubricant but it just serves to point out that silicone does have the characteristic of going through some sort of process to break down that is accelerated by exposure to both water and air. Whether silicone lubricant is a recommended way to combat this breakdown in silicone parts that must be constantly exposed to water and periodically exposed also to air is the real question that has formed in my mind. (I'm in need of a chemical engineer who works in the silicone rubber area! How does one find people like that?)

~~waterdrop~~

ahh well, you got me there! as i see it, the lubricant is not a protection for the silicone, rather a "safe" lubricant for silicone. as in, other lubricants are not safe. i take that to mean, either for the silicone or liquids/solids that contact it.

the reason for talc on silicone swim gear, i have alway know it, is. thin (maybe all?) silicone when damp has the ability to "bind", where two surfaces meet. talc, and i guess silicone spray, will avoid this too.

to me the use of silicone lubricant for filter gaskets, is to protect the silicone, but only because other lubricants cause degradation (over time).
looking at the composition, Petroleum Jelly, will defiantly cause degradation, of silicone. indeed many warn you so.

just my view this. i'd love to be corrected by an Expert though. facts are so much more reliable than ones own experience.

 

[elisew]

Fantastic advice/info and opinions on this topic!!

However......I wonder if the OP has read any of it and made a decision yet?

Hi guys can anyone help i'm looking to upgrade to a external filter and wonder which is best and also can you over filter a tank??

 

[eel]

In my opinion I would avoid getting a filter from all pond solutions I have had a 1000EF External since September and I think the output flow is poor and getting the baskets out of the housing is a nightmare they are so tight I have broken 2 out of the 3 handles they supply with it. I also don't think much of their customer service.
I will be getting a new one soon and I think I'll go for a Fluval or Rena

 

[onebto]

Interesting eel that's the first bad report on the all pond solution pumps I have heard, I was keeping my eye on them for my next external please tell us more

Regards onebto

 

[eel]

Interesting eel that's the first bad report on the all pond solution pumps I have heard, I was keeping my eye on them for my next external please tell us more

Regards onebto

I just found when cleaning the filter it is really hard to pull out the filter baskets out of the filter housing as they are such a tight fit in the housing the handle they supply with the baskets don't clip onto the baskets very well, you have to try and push the handles in whilst pulling out the baskets to get the handles to grip and where the baskets are so tight I have had 2 of the handles breaking already.
When emailing All pond solutions asking if they could send me any to replace them as I had only had it since September and have they any tips on how to get the baskets out and if it was a common fault on these filter they just wrote back saying-

I would suggest using the hole in one corner to simply pull the basket out.
The handles can be quite fiddly sometimes and that they could not replace the handles for free and they would cost £5.99

You would have thought they might have been kind enough to send 2 snotty plastic handles to keep a customer happy consider I only had it a couple of months I only wanted them so when I sell it on it would be complete

And as for suggesting to use the hole in the corner to pull out the baskets just shows what they must think about their handles and baskets plus the only holes in the corner of the baskets are the small filter holes so what should I use to put through these holes to grip the baskets
Great help they were emailing them

 

[raptorrex]

Interesting eel that's the first bad report on the all pond solution pumps I have heard, I was keeping my eye on them for my next external please tell us more

Regards onebto

+1 here

 

[raptorrex]

that they could not replace the handles for free and they would cost £5.99

not only can they, they have to by law. all new products (sold in the uk) are covered by a twelve month guarantee. this includes defects and attachment failure. (even Mobile phone and laptop batteries). they don't have a leg to stand on. they will, of cource, lie through their teeth. as if that makes any difference.

contact them and say you are taking this to trading standards. even if they call your bluff, they will loose.

one final comment on All Pond. if this is how they treat their customers, even if they had the best filters in the world, i wouldn't give them the wiping's off my daughter nose, neither should anyone else. i understand business, but LIES? and as a result THEFT. or, i guess, obtaining money by deception.
well one good thing, i wont need to consider their products in the future.
this make an awesome comparison to the help given by Eheim and Aquaone
thanks for the heads up eel

 

[eel]

I purchased the filter on their ebay sight and when they first emailed me back they asked when and where I purchased the filter from, so I thought I might have been in with a chance of them sending me 2 replacement handles when I emailed them all this info to them plus the item number. But after sending them that they then they said they couldn't send any free

 

[raptorrex]

I purchased the filter on their ebay sight and when they first emailed me back they asked when and where I purchased the filter from, so I thought I might have been in with a chance of them sending me 2 replacement handles when I emailed them all this info to them plus the item number. But after sending them that they then they said they couldn't send any free

I feel for you. however the rule i mentioned, still, apply to this purchase. (providing it was vended , as new.) If you paid by credit card (possibly debit) you may get help from them. i'd also contact paypal, if used. if they want proof, send then the email.

as a thought, and to avoid diverting this thread. how about starting a thread in "general" there be members with better advice, than i can offer, there.

 

[waterdrop]

OK Rap, I'm checking back to this thread to make a mental note to myself that someday I'm going to dig up a chemical engineer of silicone rubber and see if we can find some sort of resolution on a serious level. I don't know if it will ever happen but if either of us or anyone else ends up with a way to talk to someone like this we'll have to then share the info.

WD

 

[raptorrex]

OK Rap, I'm checking back to this thread to make a mental note to myself that someday I'm going to dig up a chemical engineer of silicone rubber and see if we can find some sort of resolution on a serious level. I don't know if it will ever happen but if either of us or anyone else ends up with a way to talk to someone like this we'll have to then share the info.

WD

here is one to put a spanner (wrench) in the works. as far as i can find out, Eheim seals are not silicone rubber. (awaiting email for confirmation.)

only roughly on topic. I found a great name for the pro/pro2 hermetic seals, "Basket Gaskets". don't know why, it just made me chuckle, is all.

 

[waterdrop]

Basket Gaskets

 

[JoshuaA]

I have the APS 1400 + UV filter, will agree with Eel on the basket handles they are poorly designed and are only helpful the first time when you put the baskets in, after that they are useless.

However the top 2 baskets are easily removable for me and the final one is a bit of a struggle but normally as it is where I store all my ceramics I just tip the filter up and out anyway to give them a good cleaning (swish them around to remove any debris/mulm.

The APS filters are great but it's hard to gauge what the flow is compared to the Fluval 205 I had, I can confirm though it is much more and with the UV light my water has actually been crystal clear ever since I installed the filter. I also accidentally disturbed my Tropica substrate producing a cloud of clay like water, within an hour it was crystal clear again.

It can be frustrating with the baskets to clean but I think for the price it's a god send, I was considering getting a second and going crazy on filtering because of their price... shame it won't fit in my cupboard

 

[waterdrop]

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~~