Tetratec Filter Problems And Questions/suggestions For New Filter ?

[moochy13]

long time member, but havnt posted much in a while because everything has been going well and ive been busy fixing my old cars up. however in the last few months my tetratec ex1200 has been a royal ballache and im looking for some advice.
 
problems with filter
 
is almost always running air through the flow, like when you've just stripped and cleaned your filter. except the bubbles dont stop. ever. its like its constantly sucking air in from somewhere.
now its leaking like a good'un as seen below :
 

 

 

 
you can clearly see where its leaking from, the worst side is the side with the pipes on. the priming plunger doesnt work its very stiff and doesnt self return if you press it down. if i give the filter a shake it stops bubbling for a couple of hours, then starts again.
 
i haver fitted a new main o-ring about a month ago.
 
from bottom to top trays are arranged ceramics, bio balls, coarse sponge, coarse sponge with fine filter on top.
 
i guess the filter is a bit old, from when the EX filters where first hitting the scene.
 
so, if anybody has any advice on how to fix my problems, or advice on what a suitable replacement filter would be, im all ears. the price of these tetratec filters seems to have gone up since i brought mine, i could probably afford to downsize one step as the water flow creates serious coastal sand erosion at one end of my tank !
 

 

 
cheers

 

[Ch4rlie]

I have a Tetra Tec ex1200 as well.
 
First the primer button, take apart the top section of the filter, and there should be the primer button with a o ring and a spring underneath, it sticks usually because o ring has not enough lubrication / too dry, add some safe lube or oil on the priming button o ring and that should help a lot.
 
These filters do have a tendency to leak, i'd suggest getting replacing the o ring or lubing this o ring with lube or Vaseline and this sometimes helps to create a better seal to help prevent leaking.
 
To create less flow to help with your sand /substrate, add a spray bar or if you already have spray bar, enlarge the nozzle holes where water output is. Or you could turn down the flow valves to lessen the water flow, i've done this with no problems.

 

[moochy13]

Thanks for the reply. It has never leaked before and I have fitted a new main seal but it didn't help. I did have a spare head which was junk so I took it apart and couldn't find a way into the primer bit maybe I didn't look hard enough.

Would that have anything to do with the leaks though?

I think the problem is that it's constantly sucking air from somewhere I noticed if I turn the filter it leaks all over the floor at a much higher rate. I found this out the hardware over about 6 hours it almost emptied itself.

Are tetratec still decent for price? Would I be alright with an ex700 tank is about 140l.

 

[fluttermoth]

I know this is off topic, sorry, but I have to ask; what is that little flat catfish? It's gorgeous and I want one 

 

[moochy13]

Banjo catfish I've got 2 you have to have sand though most of the time bury themselves in it. That photo was taken seconds after turning the lights on rarely see them during the day.

They are mega.

 

[fluttermoth]

Ah, that's what they are, thanks

 

[Zikofski]

the Ex1200 that ch4 has its the one i sold him, and yes it leaked for me every time after opening it, and same with the primer button never managed to fix, i tried adding something inside it to help bounce it back up but i don't think that worked, but I'm glad ch4 managed to fix it with some lubricant maybe i should have tried that and i would recommend you try that too. honestly i had a horrible experience with this filter, but ch4 has managed to get it working so clearly they are not all that bad try it 
 
@ch4, what lubricant is best and safe for fish u mentioned Vaseline does that stuff work and is it good??
 
​can i just add, are you putting the baskets and the top back on properly if i remember rightly there are arrows to direct this? if not then this could be an issue, also inspect the main bucket and head to warping or damage, if it looks damaged then u maybe better of getting a new filter if you replaced the o ring recently just inspect that quickly as well give it all a good clean drying it helped me, taking the o ring out and making sure the whole thing was 100% dry around the top of the bucket, the inside of the lid and the o ring sometimes helped, with the sucking of air, I'm presuming its coming from where the leak is, but check your pipes, are there bubbles on the intake, slow down the flow to see better cleaning your pipes will also help  see this, if so then you know the bubbles are coming from some where else if not then it defiantly is the filter, 
 
let us know how you get on

 

[moochy13]

I have done more digging had the lid apart when I took the head off water came out from inside the cavity. The leak seems to be coming from the pipes and filling the inside of the head, which then seeps out. tomorrow I'm going to get some new o-rings to replace the ones on the tap unit.

I'm also going to take the plunger apart and check that out.

 

[ellena]

I recently had the same problem with the ex600. I bought it on here secondhand and it was stood dry for 4 years before I tried it :")
I found a post on another forum which had a quote from tetra website at the time they knew they had a problem. They were sending out new hose adaptor units which seemed to be solving the problem.
Their customer service is appalling, so I bought a new unit and it made no difference. I persevered with them and they eventually agreed to send a whole new filter
No idea what to do with the old one, it does just what yours does, the head fills up, where water has no business being! If you tilt it, water everywhere, right pita

 

[moochy13]

Thanks for that good to know it's maybe not just me being a nugget. I've turned the flow down for now which has stopped the leaking. But that's not fixing the problem.

I remember when tetratec sent out a load of new hose adaptor units, that was around the time I got my filter. But up until now it's been totally fine.