Fluval 406...advice please

[Ianb1871]

Greetings...Fluval 406: Canister full, filter media mostly replaced, hoses flushed through, no kinks or excessive tubing. On start up, some intermittent air bubbles and detritus are discharged from the 'out' tube but no apparent flow. and not even sure intake is happening. Motor noisy, but there is a satisfying 'whoosh' when tilted but this not sustained. What have I done wrong?

 

[X3NiTH]

You’ve probably got an airlock somewhere in the line. Priming an external filter is best done with it empty first then starting a siphon to get water from the tank to fill it up, make sure the return line is empty before doing this or you end up pressurising the air in the filter and no flow as a result. Once you hear the filter fill completely and start to fill the return line switch it on and usually the air is fully pushed out the return outlet as the line fills and water flow in the tank begins when the air is fully discharged.

This is how I start my Eheim after maintenance, having to hammer away at that priming button to start when you’ve got an airlock is wasted effort.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS. I'll start by asking a very silly question, but you have put the the inlet and outlet hoses the right way around? I spent a fruitless five minutes on Saturday with an Eheim 2224 before I realised I'd connected the inlet hose to the spray bar.

Priming an external filter is best done with it empty first then starting a siphon to get water from the tank to fill it up

I always do this. I actually go one stage further and blow down the outlet hose until air is forced through the pre-filter sponge, before I start the mouth syphon. That way you know that the filter is empty of water before it starts filling and it helps stop you getting air locks.

I usually try sucking the outlet first, if that doesn't work then I'll attach a powerhead to the inlet tubing and let it run for a min or two to clear out the trapped air.

Is <"good advice"> if you have external heaters etc in the hoses.

I honestly can't see the point in <"priming buttons">.

cheers Darrel

 

[X3NiTH]

I hate to be alarmist but I don’t ever recommend sucking on the hose just on the chance that sometimes there’s a need to inhale to create more vacuum pressure than suck can to start a siphon, in this scenario there’s always someone out there who eventually wins the Aspergillus lottery, you don’t necessarily need to be immunocompromised to succumb, knackered lungs will do just fine and if you are a COVID-19 respiratory symptom survivor you have a high chance of winning this game!

Heres a lifesaver - Amazon product ASIN B0044P6P92

Aspergilloma and Aspergillosis suck, literally.

Just saying!

 

[dougbraz]

Greetings...Fluval 406: Canister full, filter media mostly replaced, hoses flushed through, no kinks or excessive tubing. On start up, some intermittent air bubbles and detritus are discharged from the 'out' tube but no apparent flow. and not even sure intake is happening. Motor noisy, but there is a satisfying 'whoosh' when tilted but this not sustained. What have I done wrong?

The silly question must be asked: are you sure the intake is open (and unblocked)?


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[dougbraz]

Sorry, that sounded like a crass question..


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[Ianb1871]

Comrades...thank you all for your advice...everything now working tickety-boo!

 

[anewbie]

Comrades...thank you all for your advice...everything now working tickety-boo!

What was the problem ?