Why does my Fluval 50 just not filter water?

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Stefan3289

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I noticed today that my fluval 50 just wont push out water. I see the water in the tube, I hear the motor going, but no water. I tried filling up the back, but it drains out (no leak but goes back out I assume through the tube into the tank). I turned it off for now but I don’t know what to do. I got it about two weeks ago...
 
Do u have a sand substrate? I am wondering if sand got sucked up into the impeller area causing it to jam? Take it apart and check the impeller to see if it is jammed? If so, clean the impeller and the area around it.
 
Also check that intake tube is properly seated.
 
If all else fails, call Hagen who manufactures it and ask for a replacement. Or if you bought it on amazon, they will pick it up and send you a new one.
 
I do have sand it is my first tank so that is probably it considering I have a bunch of cories that love messing it up!
 
Well then clean the impeller area. If the intake tube is very close to the substrate, perhaps you could shorten the tube an inch or two if the filter starts working again to prevent it from happening again.

To access the impeller, drain out the housing and then remove motor by giving it a quarter turn.
Normal maintenance requires that the housing and impeller area should be cleaned monthly.
 
You should do a full clean of the filter housing monthly. Service media at least every two weeks.
 
Wash the media in the tank water you take out at a water change. Wash the filter casing - under the tap is OK for this. Remove the impeller and clean inside the impeller well.

Filter media gets covered in goo (uneaten food, fish poop etc) and this stops the water flowing through the media properly. It should be cleaned off every couple of weeks. The goo also breaks down to ammonia which the filter bacteria turn into nitrate - not cleaning the filter is one cause of high nitrate in a tank.
 
As @Fishmanic mentioned, something could be stuck in the impeller. I have found everything from snails to sand. Take it apart and clean it really well.
 

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