aquaclear 70 spitting out bubbles...

moonstream

moonstream

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Nov 5, 2007
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Jayne
its almost like it cant gather enough water through the lift tube; air gathers right underneath the little handle thing you use to adjust the flow (move the tube side to side). I can clear it, and then awhile later it makes this gurgling noise as air gets sucked through the impeller. it wouldnt bother me except that the tank is in my room and the noise it makes is really loud.

the only thing different with it tank a normal filter is their is no media basket (I cut it up to mod it for a 'fuge for one of my reefs, but it was too noisy so I gave up on it) and also I had to cut the lift tube a bit (the tank I was trying to tun it on was a 5.5g pico reef, originally, and the tube was too long). any ideas on how to quiet it a little? or stop this annoying problem altogether?
 
try shutting it off and clearing it out completely of water, then set it back up and use a cup to fill the filter basket area and around the impeller with water, then plug it back in and keep pouring water into it until it starts up. AC's say they are "self priming" but my AC 50 NEVER primes itself and I always have to dump water in it or it will sit there and struggle probably indefinitely, or until it burned out the motor. If that doesn't help, then i don't know.
 
What Taari said I always have to top mine off manually before turning it on or it may never catch on its own.
 
Make sure there aren't any cracks in the filter tube allowing air to enter. If there is, then replace the filter tube. Also, make sure the tube is seated properly and all the way down.
Regarding the self priming, all AC filters need to be filled with water before being turned on. It is impossible to create a flow of water through the tube without water around the impeller. I always prime mine on the lowest flow setting then adjust the flow back and forth to purge the air. I usually run all my ACs on the lowest flow setting when in operation and only crank them them up when I need the extra flow.
 
the problem is exists on and off after it has been primed; I fill it as far as I can with water every time before I fill it, but it doesnt help.

I'll fiddle with it a little bit to see if I can get it to work better; hopefully I wont have to replace parts or the whole filter..
 
Is your water level low? When water spills out from the out spout, dies it make any bubbles? Can you extent the intake tube so it's lower and less likely to suck up air?

Also seems like their may be a gap or crack somewhere. Mine never have air in them after purging , even if they suck p bubbles, they just run through and never collect.
 
The intake tube has a crack at or above the water line. Super glue should fix it. After you thoroughly dry the intake, run a liquid (wet) bead of normal (not gel) super glue along the seams. The glue will wick into the crack.
 
I'd be pretty darn surprised to find out that the impeller was worn/damaged; I've never run this filter for any real length of time on a tank, and got it brand new.

I think there must be a crack somewhere. for now, I can deal with the noise, I'll get super glue soon, I guess, but I'm not sure where I could find it. could I use a hot glue gun instead? or is there a place to get a replacement lift tube?

the water level is now low and the bond between the U-tube and intake tube is under water, so I doubt air is getting sucked in from there.

anyways; I'm leaving thursday night for a 4 day vacation, so this whole fix will have to wait until after that. I'm planning to toss a silverside or two or a frozen table shrimp from my freezer in there in a panty hose to start a cycle. when I get back I'll remove it and start dosing ammonia, but I'd like to at least get the cycle rolling while I'm away. I also plan to plant the tank then (along with my 3 betta tanks) and hopefully soon after I'll be ready for my first livestock.
 
Hot glue does not stay stuck when wet, whereas water actually instant-cures super glue.
 
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