Filstar Xp's Defect and problem

Thank you all for reading my post and replied with all the suggestions. i know my original post is long... maybe even paranoid but i am hoping that will help others trying to setup these filstar XP filters.

I also observed another fact that: IF the spray bar is placed above water and placed too close to the inlet pipe in tank, little tiny bubbles will get suck into the canister. and it will also cause water inside the canister to drop.

The propeller being used in these filter is water lubricated. so I think you dont want too low the water level inside your canister.

I can say I follow everything by the book and my filter is still trapping air(ie canister level dropping slowly) so I have been performing the procedure to restore flow every 2 days. I wish I can do without it.
 
BUCKEYEMOLDED said:
Hi Mad
This is your first post and a great one @ that.
I also have had problems w/ xp3 and talking to tech support,
They asked me to adjust the little round black button
on the inside and have it only 1/8 inch pushed in from the surface
and this will some how fix it.
Click to expand...

Hey Buckeyemolded. Thanks and I will check that black button thing.
 
I have 8 Filstar canisters and don't have any problems with my filters anymore. I'm not sure if this spraybar problem still exists in new units because all my filters are over a year old. With all my filters I had to open up all the holes in the spray bar by using a drill with a 5/32" drill bit. This got rid of a whistling sound the spray bar made and improved water flow (this could be the restriction causing all the tiny air bubbles that the impellar can make). I also mount all of my spray bars vertically. IMO, mounting them vertically is the the best for water movement in the tank. It may also reduce or eliminate the tiny air bubbles.

here's a pic of verticle spray bar-
verticle_spray_bar.JPG

spray_bar2.JPG
 
Last edited:
madturtle said:
The propeller being used in these filter is water lubricated. so I think you dont want too low the water level inside your canister.
Click to expand...

I don't think it would hurt anything if that happened. The impellar doesn't need lubrication. I've run the unit dry. Straight out of the box and completely dry. I've taken the top off, took the cover off the impellar chamber, and turned the power on. I've even pulled the spinning impellar out with my bare fingers, with the power on. It's safe to do so because the impellar is magnetically driven.

It amazes me that this little impellar can move that much water.
 
The O-rings are flexible and allow for some movement. The weight of the water in the hoses should be supported by the hard plastic pcs hanging over the edge of the tank (for the most part), this is why the instructions tell you NOT to have excess hose, instead run the straightest path possible. The elbow shaped connects are to reduce the leverage force of the hoses since most set-ups place the filter under the stand, hoses run out of the back of the stand (NOT straight up), which means the hoses are coming to the filter at an angle, also why the elbows pivot. Tiny air bubbles are from air that has built up inside the filter. Very useful since the filter would otherwise "air lock" if it didn't. If air leaks into the filter and the water level drops, more air is expelled out and you'll notice more bubbles and "swooshing" noise (had it happen) which you should look into. If the water leaked into the head (I've had it happen) and leaked out of the powercord hole, given the size of the head unit, if it was days before you noticed it, there wouldn't be that much water leaking to begin with. Grab a new cat litter pan from the dollar store and place your filter in it, check it every few days, you'll be all set.
The aforementioned "problems" I've had were brought on by hoses being too short or other human error on my part putting tension on the hoses. Still, I bought a second. You might condider switching to decaf madturtle :laugh: j/k

Little black button!?! I thought that was just a bypass to allow for easier cleaning...what the h377 would moving THAT do?
 
I dont Know Bill but this is what the tech brought up for me to do first
maybe something to do with suction power?
 
I'll have to look at it again (don't have it with me right now) but I think it would allow some bypass (if it's the one I'm thinking of, which it should be, since it's the only one on there!). Just can't remember if it's on the inlet or outlet port?

Any baby shrimp yet?
 
LOL
I think we just hijacked this thread
There is one of my females that have eggs
two others ladies have yellow sadles
thanks again
 
Hijacked!?!...er...uh...no, if you have baby shrimp...uh...they could get caught in the black plug thingy...uh...and something terrible could happen... :joke: :OT: :D
 
I have the same problem with one of mine

Hello All

I am new to this site but not new to fishkeeping. I have five tanks containing mainly New World Cichlids. I use Renas on 2 of my tanks, an XP2 on my Central American comunity tank and an XP3 on my "pretty" tank in the lounge whch has Angels and Loaches in (for the wife!).
I have no problems with the XP2 but I occasionally get problems with the XP3 after cleaning. The water is definately coming from the O rings in the quick-release housing. This does not happen every time I clean it so I assume it is all down to positioning.The first time it did it to me was about a year after I got it, my wife was not best pleased! Now I keep it in a rectangular plastic box just in case. What is also worth doing is getting a "Flood Guard". They are a cheap (£5 off eBay) alarm, like a smoke detector but for water.
Thanks for the tip about the button, I will try that next time I have the lid off!
I was toying with the idea of permanantly sealing the quick release part to the main housing leaving the handle free so that I could still turn off the flow..... good idea, bad idea??

Thanks for reading
Regards
Sub
 
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