Emma_M
Seedling
Hi everyone,
I would like to hear your advice and thoughts about my Fluval 306 canister filter which is being incredibly frustrating! I just bought an established tank that came with the filter. I am a returning fish-keeper - I used to have them as a teenager but that's been a while. So, the filter works fine when first set up. The flow is great and creates quite a current in my tank (29 g, sand substrate, planted) but after a few hours it starts to reduce to the point where there is really only a small trickle coming out of the outlet after overnight. It also makes a gravelly noise. I have cleaned everything really well and multiple times and cleaned and greased (vaseline) the O-rings on the top and on the Aquastop inputs and also the impeller and shaft. I have also primed and shaken the pump to try to get any trapped air out. Note that there are NO air or microbubbles in the outlet water.
If I unplug, remove the Aquatstop completely, turn back on, the flow returns to normal BUT then reduces as described. Noise is still there.
Some things I have noticed:
- When I remove the Aquastop or move the lever a lot I do get a water droplet at the side on the grey... circle thing. Sorry, don't know the name but it's like the 'wheel' of the lever. Have attached a photo. It's beading because of vaseline on there. A few drops come out only when I move the grey aquastop lever and it's not much.
- The impeller cover appears to be warped. I don't know how much of an issue this will be
- Priming does NOT return flow to normal
ALSO on a side note, on first cleaning a little rubber stopper thing fell out! No idea where it goes. Any ideas? Attached is a photo of it alone with the flow
Hope to get some help! I am getting super frustrated with this thing!
Some photos attached: the 'mystery part', flow after 6 hrs/overnight, flow AFTER removing Aquastop and refitting (it then gradually returns to slow after 6 hours or so), leaking Aquastop
I would like to hear your advice and thoughts about my Fluval 306 canister filter which is being incredibly frustrating! I just bought an established tank that came with the filter. I am a returning fish-keeper - I used to have them as a teenager but that's been a while. So, the filter works fine when first set up. The flow is great and creates quite a current in my tank (29 g, sand substrate, planted) but after a few hours it starts to reduce to the point where there is really only a small trickle coming out of the outlet after overnight. It also makes a gravelly noise. I have cleaned everything really well and multiple times and cleaned and greased (vaseline) the O-rings on the top and on the Aquastop inputs and also the impeller and shaft. I have also primed and shaken the pump to try to get any trapped air out. Note that there are NO air or microbubbles in the outlet water.
If I unplug, remove the Aquatstop completely, turn back on, the flow returns to normal BUT then reduces as described. Noise is still there.
Some things I have noticed:
- When I remove the Aquastop or move the lever a lot I do get a water droplet at the side on the grey... circle thing. Sorry, don't know the name but it's like the 'wheel' of the lever. Have attached a photo. It's beading because of vaseline on there. A few drops come out only when I move the grey aquastop lever and it's not much.
- The impeller cover appears to be warped. I don't know how much of an issue this will be
- Priming does NOT return flow to normal
ALSO on a side note, on first cleaning a little rubber stopper thing fell out! No idea where it goes. Any ideas? Attached is a photo of it alone with the flow
Hope to get some help! I am getting super frustrated with this thing!
Some photos attached: the 'mystery part', flow after 6 hrs/overnight, flow AFTER removing Aquastop and refitting (it then gradually returns to slow after 6 hours or so), leaking Aquastop
