# Air bubbles in Eheim external



## Richard (5 Feb 2014)

Hi,
I am now the proud owner of a Eheim Professional 3 350 (2073) after removing my Juwel Rio internal.
Set it all up today and I must say that it really looks the businesss,my Harlequins are swimming up and down in the current from the spray bar and my little Blue Phantom plec has been busy cleaning his bit of bogwood and we have seen more today than we normally do all week,the circulation in my tank is now perfect with all the plants swaying gently in the current,really looks lovely.

One problem I have is air bubbles in the system,can't seem to shift them,tried pressing the primer to see if that will help,shaking the filter whilst it's running,tilting the filter,even turned it off to check the impellor was ok,everything was fine.

Anybody got any suggestions for other things to try,I should have mentioned that this filter is brand new and is working properly apart from the bubbles. Tomorrow I will strip it all down again but really I'm not feeling very confident that it will fix it.

Any suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks


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## DTL (5 Feb 2014)

Give the filter a couple of side to side tilts. This usually dislodges the worst of any trapped air. Otherwise, it should clear itself in a day or so.


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## John S (5 Feb 2014)

As above, it should sort itself out.


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## Richard (6 Feb 2014)

Thanks guys,well I've tried all the shaking and tilting from side to side so this morning I'm going to strip it down and re assemble it and see if it makes any difference.
The build quality of this filter is far superior to any external I've had in the past but so far it's been a pain in the backside!


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## Richard (6 Feb 2014)

DTL said:


> Give the filter a couple of side to side tilts. This usually dislodges the worst of any trapped air. Otherwise, it should clear itself in a day or so.


 
Another Pink Floyd fan I see.


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## ivydree (6 Feb 2014)

Richard said:


> Another Pink Floyd fan I see.


 
Well, who doesn't like pink floyd? It makes the aquatic plants healthier! 

As for your filter, I have the same problem with mine (JBL e901). But it usually sort itself out after a couple of hours of bubbling.

I'd just be patient.


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## Richard (6 Feb 2014)

Hi,
I have The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon,both on vinyl,just don't get classics like that any more,anyway back to the filter, getting a bit of rattling too so I'm a bit worried about damaging the impellor,all the 'rubbish' filters I've had in the past I've never had this problem that couldn't be sorted out with a few shakes.

Turning it off for a while while we go to Tesco as I'm a bit worried about leaving it unattended but will try again later.


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## ivydree (6 Feb 2014)

Me again, I've check a little bit on google, and apparently, this can be cause by a "leak" in the intake hose.
Maybe it's sucking air from there. Some guys advise to try and submerge as much hose as you can to see if it still happens.

All i can see is checking the tubes and see where the bubbles actually get created (if you can see that).

Another advise I've seen here and there is to make sure that the pump is filled properly before starting it.

My 2 cents


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## Richard (6 Feb 2014)

Hi again,
Yes I also heard about the intake hose,but quite honestly,if you knew what a tight fit the Eheim hoses are, the potential for a leak are pretty remote.
Another possibility is, as you mentioned,making sure that the pump is filled fully before starting,I have seen a video of a filter priming button being held in as the filter is filling up so I'm going to give that a go next.
Thanks for taking the trouble to do a research to try and help,it's much appreciated.


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## DTL (6 Feb 2014)

Are you keeping the outlet above the water when you are priming the pump?
This is recommended to avoid back pressure when filling which might be trapping more air than otherwise.
PS also had all the Floyd albums on Vinyl, now have all on CD and digital as well as all associated solo work by the guys. good stuff.
Going to see Aussie Pink Floyd later this month. - Brill - almost as good as the real thing


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## Richard (6 Feb 2014)

Hi,
Thanks for your reply,I'm pretty sure that the spray bar was out of the water when I primed the filter but I'm going to do it again to make sure.
You sure like your Pink Floyd,I was more of an ELO fan along with the beatles and the Stones.Now, as a much older guy, I like to listen to movie soundtracks,most of which are pretty powerful sounds by mainly classical composers,still like to get the 'rock and pop' out for a spin though.


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## Richard (6 Feb 2014)

Turned off filter,removed from tank,emptied fiter then replaced all the media and placed back under tank.This time I made sure that the outlet,(spraybar) was clear of the water and primed the filter,turned on and had exactly the same,loads of micro bubbles and a rattling from the pump head,almost as if the impellor was running dry,which it isn't as the water is coming out of the sraybar at a good rate.

I am now lost for ideas,I have tried everything and still no good,should I leave it to see if it sorts itself out or is there something wrong with the filter?Should't really be having this problem from a brand new filter with such a good name.


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## ivydree (6 Feb 2014)

WEll that sounds bad...

Are the bubbles regular or is it like one big "pshittt" and nothing for a minute?

If regular, all I can see is a leak somewhere..... maybe try with different hoses....

EDIT: TBH if it's new, just send it back or have it replaced.... I wouldn't even try to fix it...


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## Richard (6 Feb 2014)

It's regular,sounds a bit like the pump is running dry but it isn't because water is coming out of the spray bar,I contacted the shop where I bought it and the fellow there said I can take it in tomorrow morning and they will set it up and see what happens.
I know that there are no leaks anywhere as the Eheim fitments are very tight in the tubing,hopefully it's not something that I've done wrong,(although there's not much to go wrong really,so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they can get to the bottom of it.
Thanks for your your help.


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## ivydree (6 Feb 2014)

OK Fingers crossed for you....

(Still if it's regular, there must be air coming in regularly from somewhere...  )

Keep us posted!


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## Richard (6 Feb 2014)

Yes,I see your point,it's all very puzzling,I've checked and checked again all the connections and there's definitely no leaks or creases in the pipework,and no bends to impede flow.They are going to set it up at the lfs tomorrow so I shall know more then and I'll update the post.


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## DTL (6 Feb 2014)

Good luck with that then. Cheers


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## Richard (7 Feb 2014)

Right,I took the filter and all the pipework into my local lfs,(where I bought it from), this morning and they set it up on one of their holding tanks,off we went for a look round the pet centre to give them time to run it and observe how it performed.After about 1/2 an hour we went back and they told us that they could confirm that the filter wasn't running properly,still loads of micro bubbles and a rattling noise noise from the head.They actually held the filter up side down while it was running to make sure there was no airlocks,this,I was told,is not an official way of curing airlocks but it does work,anyway they,the experts,couldn't figure out what the problem is so they are going to keep it running till tomorrow and if it's still the same they are going to exchange it for me.

I was originally going to get a Tetratec Ex 1200 but decided on the Eheim instead,beginning to wonder if I've made a mistake.


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## ivydree (7 Feb 2014)

Well good news for you, at least they are honnest!

To be fair, I think you're just unlucky. I use JBL since about two months and no problem at all.

Pretty sure Eheim is just as reliable, maybe just the odd one you add then.

Reagrds


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## DTL (7 Feb 2014)

Think you've just got a rogue 350. I've got two of them and they run excellently.


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## Richard (7 Feb 2014)

ivydree said:


> Well good news for you, at least they are honnest!
> 
> To be fair, I think you're just unlucky. I use JBL since about two months and no problem at all.
> 
> ...


 
They're a good bunch of lads and they always match internet prices too,I think they were pretty surprised that it was a genuine fault on the filter that they couldn't fix.


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## Richard (7 Feb 2014)

DTL said:


> Think you've just got a rogue 350. I've got two of them and they run excellently.


 
Well that's good to hear,certainly a nice looking filter and of sturdy build,pretty damned hard to get the fittings onto the tubing but once it's there it 'aint going nowhere.


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## John S (7 Feb 2014)

You've just been unlucky. You will be well pleased once you have a working one


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## Richard (7 Feb 2014)

Thanks for that John,once I have a working one,,well it should be tomorrow.They'll either ring me up and tell me they've sorted it or they're going to replace it,one way or the other I will have a '350' filtering my tank.

All the reviews say that this is a first class filter so I'm looking forward to getting it up and running.


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## Richard (8 Feb 2014)

Well guys it's 'red face' day today.
I got a phone call this morning from my friend at the lfs telling me that as they couldn't sort it out they would issue me with a replacement filter.When we arrived a there to pick it up he informed me as they were draining it down he checked the media baskets,in one of them I had forgotten to remove the bag from the media and it was not allowing a proper flow hence the rattling.

No damage was done,(except to my pride),and the filter is running superbly,quietest  I have ever had.
Just goes to prove that we can all make silly mistakes,I have kept fish for over 50 years and I obviously still have a lot to learn.


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## John S (8 Feb 2014)

You're not the first one to do it. Glad its all sorted.


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## Aquaticz (8 Feb 2014)

I also run two of them and they are great filters you can not beat the flow.


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## Richard (8 Feb 2014)

John S said:


> You're not the first one to do it. Glad its all sorted.


 
Thanks John,nor the last I dare say.


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## Richard (8 Feb 2014)

Aquaticz said:


> I also run two of them and they are great filters you can not beat the flow.


 
I agree,turned mine down slightly as my Corys have become so active there're stirring up the sand a bit and it's keeping it suspended,great to see ALL the plants swaying in the current.


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