Filter Rattling...?

[RoLo]

So about 3 nights ago, my filter just randomly out of nowhere began to make this unbarable rattling sound. What could be causing this? It also seems to be creating bubbles at the top of my tank, at least I think it is in relation with the rattling...?

 

[minnnt]

Sounds like it is sucking air in or their is air trapped inside the filter... Possibly around the impellor which would cause the rattling noise.

Give it a rigorous shake and see it that helps. If it is still happening then regrease the seals and check any connections and pipes for splits or wear and tear.

 

[RoLo]

Sounds like it is sucking air in or their is air trapped inside the filter... Possibly around the impellor which would cause the rattling noise.

Give it a rigorous shake and see it that helps. If it is still happening then regrease the seals and check any connections and pipes for splits or wear and tear.

I am planning on a water change tomorrow, so I'll definitley have a look when I do that, but I can't see it being wear and tear, seeing as Tuesday makes 2 weeks of my tank running.

 

[minnnt]

Probably just some trapped air inside the filter then. Give it a shake and see if it helps.

 

[RoLo]

Ok so I think my problem just got worse. So I change my water, unplug my filter, have a look at it, give it a shake, everything seems fine so I put it back on my tank. I plug it in, and I hear it working...but no water coming out. Keep in mind that it didn't run dry, I made sure it was filled as much as possible(and not with tap water!) So I unplug it for a second, not knowing what to do, I double check it, it looks good, so I plug it back in again. It takes a while(10-15 seconds) but it starts working. But that first burst of water that it squirted out looked like it was full of dust, and now it looks like theres a bunch of dust and bubbles in my tank, and I don't know but it looks like it could be particles from my filter cartridge. It seems to be slowly cleaning up, although I still have that #41#### rattling noise!!! What the heck is wrong with my filter? What could it be? My biggest concern is that it isn't filtering the water properly. Can I please get some help, this is urgent!!! Thank you.

 

[phocoena]

What make model are you running?

Hopefully then someone with that same filter may be able to better advise you.

 

[RoLo]

What make model are you running?

Hopefully then someone with that same filter may be able to better advise you.

I am running a Marineland Bio-Wheel Power Filter Penguin 100

 

[Mowbz]

From looking at your filter on google, i would say there is probably something going round in the wheel, or up against the impellor. Is it the hang on back type?

The stuff it blew out when you started it back up was probably indeed crud from inside the filter housing, no big issue, my shrimp love it, but it will clear over time, normally a few hours max, perhaps a day, fdepending on the lph of your filter.

I would recommend taking out media and putting it in a bag of tank water while you strip the filter box down and find out whats in it.

Hope this helps.

 

[RoLo]

From looking at your filter on google, i would say there is probably something going round in the wheel, or up against the impellor. Is it the hang on back type?

The stuff it blew out when you started it back up was probably indeed crud from inside the filter housing, no big issue, my shrimp love it, but it will clear over time, normally a few hours max, perhaps a day, fdepending on the lph of your filter.

I would recommend taking out media and putting it in a bag of tank water while you strip the filter box down and find out whats in it.

Hope this helps.

Yes it is the hang on back type. And the crud is still floating around, almost 24 hours later. And I have stripped down the filter box(right after my water change), I took it as a part as it could get, and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[RoLo]

Anything anyone?

 

[Mowbz]

I would take it back, but then i probably would have had it stripped to down component parts beforehand!

Do you have another filter you could run while you run it back? Or if you could do it inside and hour or so, you could take it all out, float the media in a bag, and run the filter housing back. Im sure if you explain the issue they could give you a new filter housing, and then potentially return yours and the new media from your new one to their supplier.

 

[RoLo]

How long can my fish be in the tank without the filter? I am planning on heading to my aquarium store tomorrow after school and was thinking of brining the filter with me and passing by on the way home, as it is right along the way. So if I did that the fish would be without the filter for about 10 hours. Is that bad? Should I not do that? Please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Mowbz]

Yea, 10 hours is far to long for both fish and bacteria. Without water being constantly being pushed over the filter media it will die off at a rate of about 12% every hour. Likewise, the fish will probably have built up a lethal amount of ammonia in the water in that time. I wouldnt want to be more than 2 hours without a filter running, personally.


Having looked at the tank in your sig, you'll have about that to get it done really. If you had a huge tank it would be less of a problem as there is a bigger water column in which to store the ammonia. In 10G, it will build up quite fast.

 

[RoLo]

Yea, 10 hours is far to long for both fish and bacteria. Without water being constantly being pushed over the filter media it will die off at a rate of about 12% every hour. Likewise, the fish will probably have built up a lethal amount of ammonia in the water in that time. I wouldnt want to be more than 2 hours without a filter running, personally.


Having looked at the tank in your sig, you'll have about that to get it done really. If you had a huge tank it would be less of a problem as there is a bigger water column in which to store the ammonia. In 10G, it will build up quite fast.

Okay, thanks a lot for the advice, much appreciated.

 

[RoLo]

Just thought I'd close this topic off. I took the filter to the aquarium shop and it was in fact the impellor, which they replaced at no extra charge. Although it still is giving off a little bit of a rattling noise, that it didn't initially, it is much better then it was. The only thing it is still doing that it wasn't before all this happened is that I am getting a lot of bubbles on the top surface of my tank. What could be causing this?