Help!--AC 200 stuck on "high"?

[Cichlid Woman]

Hi, folks,

Weird problem: my AquaClear 200 seems to be stuck on "high" speed. You can adjust the intake volume on this thing by moving the top of the intake tube from left (slower) to right (fast) filtering speed. I've taken it apart twice and cleaned the impeller, etc., but it's still stuck on the "high" speed function.

I'm able to move the top of the intake tube from left to right, but it has no effect on the speed of the water moving through the filter, and it's dumping the filtered water back into my tank at full volume. (Creating quite a little current in there!)

How can I get it to work right again?! Anybody else had this problem? Thanks,

-- Pat

 

[kveeti]

When the tube is moved to the right (slow) the bottom should not be fully on the impeller opening, that is what slows it down.

The only thing I can possibly think is that the tube isn't down enough, thus letting water in from the surrounding area.

I had this happen only once and the tube was up just a fraction of where it should be thus allowing water in. In my case being too "up" was caused by my own silliness. I had the "C" joint (the plastic at the top that joins the 2 tubes) on backwards - the little sticky up thing should be away and not closest to the tank. I'm not sure I am even explaining myself well.

Maybe that is what you have done too? Or, just push it down harder.

 

[Cichlid Woman]

Thanks, Kveeti,

I rechecked both those things--the stickie-uppie thing is on the end of the "c" farthest from the tank, and I can't get the intake pushed down any further. The lid fits on the filter, which I don't think it will do unless the intake tube housing is pushed down all the way.

One thing I noticed when I reassembled it after the last water change--the impeller "C" housing kept wanting to float back up off the filter. It didn't "snap" into place like it has in the past. It's snapped firmly into the side of the filter box, but it doesn't act like it's snapped "down" on it, so to speak. It's staying down better now, but still feels a bit loose. And I've reassembled it twice since then. I don't think it's set in there right somehow. I think it's got something to do with it failing to lock into place. Can't see anything wrong with it, though.

Help?

-- Pat

 

[kveeti]

Hmmm. OK, I just went and re-looked at my AC200..... I wish I had names for all the parts instead of calling them thingys! But let me try.

Where the 3 piece intake tube assembly snaps in. The cross "C" piece should be right against a "cross bar" on the main filter, it can't go down any further than that, mine is tight against it. I took my assembly off and put it back on, if it snapped in the side and was at that crossbar, it should be in place. If it stays down, do you have the reduced flow? You said it was loose. Somehow you have to get it tighter in there. Can you wrap filter floss around the tube to make it thicker maybe?

I'm all out of ideas, sorry.

 

[Cichlid Woman]

Hi, Kveeti,

I just looked again, and yeah, it's sitting right on top of that crossbar on the filter. Question: when you put your lid on the filter, does it have any room between the top of the "C" intake structure and the lid? Mine's snugged right up against the lid when it's all in place. Does yours look like that?

Thanks,

-- Pat

 

[kveeti]

It's hard to tell, really, mine is dark coloured. It looked tight up against the lid.... but I put a tiny ball of playdoughy stuff on the tube and put the lid on tight. It only squished the ball down to 1/16" thickness, so there's an eensy bit of play there.