How Can I Strengthen My Filter?

[FWFishLover]

I was watching some videos of my tank in the early days and realized that the filter was literally so strong it was moving gravel.
nowadays it just makes 2 or 3 bubbles a second
how can i re-strengthen it?
i have a 20g tank with a aqueon 20g "power" filter

 

[minxfishy]

Usually a good clean of the filter, emptying out any debris, cleaning the impellor, tubes etc, gets it working to full capacity again. How often do you clean it out?

 

[FWFishLover]

Usually a good clean of the filter, emptying out any debris, cleaning the impellor, tubes etc, gets it working to full capacity again. How often do you clean it out?

every two weeks. but i actually just cleaned it like a week ago and its still really weak

even looking at it right now its just like a really strong leak instead of the "triangle" shape it has when it filters out

 

[-Craig-]

It might breaking or something, i used to have the same filter and it got slow so i bought another.

 

[FWFishLover]

ok.
yeah i definitely plan on buying my tank a 55g filter

 

[OldMan47]

Have a close look at the supply and return tubes, if ir has any. Another often neglected place to clean properly is the magnet that drives the impeller and the well that it sits in. That part has very close tolerances and a little bit of dirt in there will slow the filter's flow quite a bit. I use a bottle brush to clean the well on my filters and gently remove everything that is on the surface of the magnet with a wash cloth. Be careful while cleaning not to knock the rubber bearings off the shaft. They are far too easy to lose down the drain on the sink.

 

[PJPJ]

oldman47's reply should sort it out for you.

I have used cotton buds before but be careful not to leave behind any of the cotton, it will rot.

You could also thread some cotton/ nylon thread through the centre of the impeller and clean in there using the thread.

It sounds like it is just gunk slowing it down.

The pump motors do fail after a time though.

Regards

PJPJ

 

[Curiosity101]

Gotta just agree with the above advice. If it isn't the pads then it could be gunk in the power head part so try to give that a good clean. (And any tubes).
If that doesn't sort it then it's new filter time.