internal filter problem

finfayce

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hi
while i was waiting for the media for my Fluval3 internal filter, i washed it and it dried out. then i couldn’t find the impeller- it’s somewhere in the laundry room. i looked, but there are gross bugs, mold from water leaks in when it rains. i am not looking through that, so i ordered a new impeller. i even paid for expedited shipping. expedited shipping means nothing to USPS 😳
put new impeller in and filter does not work.
finally the question- did the filter drying out cause damage to filter?
 
Drying the filter out should not make any difference to the motor and impellor assembly.

Drying the filter media will kill the beneficial filter bacteria that keeps the ammonia and nitrite levels on 0ppm. This means the tank might go through another filter cycle when the filter is put back in. The cycling process takes about 4-6 weeks and you should reduce feeding during that time. You should also monitor ammonia and nitrite levels and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.
make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

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Does the impellor assembly fit into the motor well or is it loose?

Have you turned the motor on while it's out of water and in water?

Make sure the impellor cover is on so the impellor sits correctly and isn't stuck to the inside of the motor housing.
 
Drying the filter out should not make any difference to the motor and impellor assembly.

Drying the filter media will kill the beneficial filter bacteria that keeps the ammonia and nitrite levels on 0ppm. This means the tank might go through another filter cycle when the filter is put back in. The cycling process takes about 4-6 weeks and you should reduce feeding during that time. You should also monitor ammonia and nitrite levels and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.
make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

------------------
Does the impellor assembly fit into the motor well or is it loose?

Have you turned the motor on while it's out of water and in water?

Make sure the impellor cover is on so the impellor sits correctly and isn't stuck to the inside of the motor housing.
thanks Colin
the impeller doesn’t have the metal shaft. either that is sold separately or i lost it when i opened the plastic pkg. the store is out of stock. i tried to make one with a nail with the ends cut off. desperation creates desperate measures or whatever that saying is. i am going to call petco and see if can give them all the fish. i have 4 aquariums. the guppy tank is overstocked despite giving about 20 to petco a couple weeks ago. the fish keep having babies. so i will never keep up.
thanks for your information. i have a sponge filter in there. it will suffice for awhile.
 
If you keep only male or only female guppies, the females will eventually stop having babies and you can have some adults without all the young.
If you want colour, keep a group of males and get rid of the females.

It's weird that the shop would sell the impellor separately from the impellor shaft. Normally it is sold as a single unit and contains the impellor, impellor shaft and the rubber grommets and plastic washers that go on the ends. You might want to check that the impellor shaft actually comes with the rubber grommets too. And if the filter has plastic washers that go between the grommets and the impellor, you will need them as well. But contact Fluval and ask them if the impellor is meant to be sold separately from the shaft and rubber grommets that go on the end. And ask if they have plastic washers under the grommets. If you make a bit of a sob story they might send you replacement parts for free.
 
There would have been an impeller shaft with the filter originally but replacement impellers don't usually come with shafts. They are usually sold separately.
The chances are you lost the shaft when you lost the impeller.


I don't know which country you are in, but in the UK, this is what's being sold for the Fluval U series as the impeller
and impeller shaft
 
thank Colin.
the website store i bought the impeller from is now out of that model.
i think i will see if Petco will take the all the fish. i have 3 other aquariums and a lot of pet birds, so that’s enough for my energy level. plus the household stuff falls on me.
but thanks again. :)
 

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