Filter Problem

[Jwc85]

Good evening people,

I have recently taken over looking after a friends fish tank, I am completely new to this so everything seems a blur to me. I've just cleaned the eheim 2213 that it came with and I just ant get it to run properly. The filter was filled, intake pipe open turned on then outlet pipe opened, some air came out, but all that happens from the spray bar is a very small trickle.

Can someone help? Have I not primed it properly or at all? Someone told me to suck on the outlet pipe but is this right? I mean the pipes have been in the water, don't want to make myself Ill by potentially have tank water in my mouth.

Sorry if I sound very basic, my knowledge of this is. Got to start somewhere I suppose!

Cheers

 

[ShinySideUp]

Good evening people,

I have recently taken over looking after a friends fish tank, I am completely new to this so everything seems a blur to me. I've just cleaned the eheim 2213 that it came with and I just ant get it to run properly. The filter was filled, intake pipe open turned on then outlet pipe opened, some air came out, but all that happens from the spray bar is a very small trickle.

Can someone help? Have I not primed it properly or at all? Someone told me to suck on the outlet pipe but is this right? I mean the pipes have been in the water, don't want to make myself Ill by potentially have tank water in my mouth.

Sorry if I sound very basic, my knowledge of this is. Got to start somewhere I suppose!

Cheers

I don't know this filter but looking around quickly makes me think that there is no self-priming device on it so the only way to ensure it is starting ok is to siphon. A filter I had years ago required this method of priming and it is not so bad. Yes, you have to suck on the outlet pipe and preferably remove your mouth from the end before the water comes through (into a bowl). This isn't really a problem as you only have to get the water flowing through to the filter inlet over the top of the tank (if that is your arrangement). Once the water has started to flow in to the filter your siphoning job is nearly done. The filter will fill up and water will start to come out of the outlet pipe in to the bowl -- turn off the outlet valve. Now connect up the outlet pipe, open the valve and switch the pump on. There will be a lot of churning and bubbling and water will start to flow into the tank. Let it do that for a few seconds then tip the filter a bit -- there will be more churning and bubbling. Continue to tip and wait a few times and the churning and bubbling will cease and you should have maximum flow.

There are variations to this but experience will come through.

 

[Jwc85]

Good evening people,

I have recently taken over looking after a friends fish tank, I am completely new to this so everything seems a blur to me. I've just cleaned the eheim 2213 that it came with and I just ant get it to run properly. The filter was filled, intake pipe open turned on then outlet pipe opened, some air came out, but all that happens from the spray bar is a very small trickle.

Can someone help? Have I not primed it properly or at all? Someone told me to suck on the outlet pipe but is this right? I mean the pipes have been in the water, don't want to make myself Ill by potentially have tank water in my mouth.

Sorry if I sound very basic, my knowledge of this is. Got to start somewhere I suppose!

Cheers

I don't know this filter but looking around quickly makes me think that there is no self-priming device on it so the only way to ensure it is starting ok is to siphon. A filter I had years ago required this method of priming and it is not so bad. Yes, you have to suck on the outlet pipe and preferably remove your mouth from the end before the water comes through (into a bowl). This isn't really a problem as you only have to get the water flowing through to the filter inlet over the top of the tank (if that is your arrangement). Once the water has started to flow in to the filter your siphoning job is nearly done. The filter will fill up and water will start to come out of the outlet pipe in to the bowl -- turn off the outlet valve. Now connect up the outlet pipe, open the valve and switch the pump on. There will be a lot of churning and bubbling and water will start to flow into the tank. Let it do that for a few seconds then tip the filter a bit -- there will be more churning and bubbling. Continue to tip and wait a few times and the churning and bubbling will cease and you should have maximum flow.

There are variations to this but experience will come through.

Cheers for the reply, tried this. Water comes through but sooooo slowl, nothing like it did before! It's more of a dribble and it's that noisy I have the tv on loud! The thing will go through the window soon! Who makes these things? I was told they where good for beginners but this thing take the pi$$

 

[ShinySideUp]

Cheers for the reply, tried this. Water comes through but sooooo slowl, nothing like it did before! It's more of a dribble and it's that noisy I have the tv on loud! The thing will go through the window soon! Who makes these things? I was told they where good for beginners but this thing take the pi$$

If it is very noisy you almost certainly have little or no water reaching the impeller and it is just rattling around in air. You need to check the water flow through the filter, have you got something in the wrong way round, are you absolutely sure you have the pipes connected to the correct inlet/outlet ports? I'm not being condescending, I've made this mistake myself before now. It is certain you do not have a clear route for the water from inlet to outlet.

 

[Jwc85]

Cheers for the reply, tried this. Water comes through but sooooo slowl, nothing like it did before! It's more of a dribble and it's that noisy I have the tv on loud! The thing will go through the window soon! Who makes these things? I was told they where good for beginners but this thing take the pi$$

If it is very noisy you almost certainly have little or no water reaching the impeller and it is just rattling around in air. You need to check the water flow through the filter, have you got something in the wrong way round, are you absolutely sure you have the pipes connected to the correct inlet/outlet ports? I'm not being condescending, I've made this mistake myself before now. It is certain you do not have a clear route for the water from inlet to outlet.

Don't worry about that I really appreciate your help. Inlet pipe is connected to the bottom out from the top to the spray bar. I've just looked at a diagram of the eheim 2213 and it looks like there should be a bush near the end of the impeller shaft where you snap the cover off. Mine if I'm reading the diagrams right is missing one. Could this be the issue?

 

[ShinySideUp]

Don't worry about that I really appreciate your help. Inlet pipe is connected to the bottom out from the top to the spray bar. I've just looked at a diagram of the eheim 2213 and it looks like there should be a bush near the end of the impeller shaft where you snap the cover off. Mine if I'm reading the diagrams right is missing one. Could this be the issue?

Could be. have a look at it while it is switched on to see if the impeller is actually going round and not catching on the impeller chamber; beware as without water it really will make a noise but it will prove the point or not.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Worth checking the impeller and its cavity, you might find a load of "gunk" that is easily removed with a damp cotton bud or six... I have to do this every month or so on my filters, especially the Fluval U4s, makes the world of difference to the output flow.