Marineland filter “leaking” onto lid

[Riptiide]

Hey guys, I have a Marineland 200 and 350 filter my 75g tank. The 350 works perfectly, but the 200 is leaking water onto the top of the lid. As a temporary solution I sloped the lid so the water flows back into the tank. Does anyone know how to fix this?
Or what would you do in this situation?

 

[fishorama]

I haven't used that filter but on other HOBs when there is flow around the intake tube it means the media is clogged & needs rinsing & squeezing, lots! Be aware too if you try to just clean the filter media the impeller is likely to need cleaning too. With 2 filters (good for you!!) you can clean the heck out of 1 without damaging much, if any, of your beneficial bacteria. I do it all the time. Smaller filters will clog faster than larger 1s.

 

[Riptiide]

I haven't used that filter but on other HOBs when there is flow around the intake tube it means the media is clogged & needs rinsing & squeezing, lots! Be aware too if you try to just clean the filter media the impeller is likely to need cleaning too. With 2 filters (good for you!!) you can clean the heck out of 1 without damaging much, if any, of your beneficial bacteria. I do it all the time. Smaller filters will clog faster than larger 1s.

Thanks for the reply! I thoroughly rinsed both items like you said and the filter works normally again. And yes you’re right this is the smallest filter although my other one uses two cartridges side by side. So I guess I’ll change one earlier to establish a cycle and keep the beneficial bacteria “intact”.

 

[fishorama]

I also use a sponge over the intakes to keep some stuff out of the filter. It clogs but is fast but is very quick to clean. Don't worry about the cycle, it'll be fine.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

In that style of filter with bio-wheels, most of the bacteria is on the wheel not the cartridges. Years back I used to email the designer of the those wheels. They do two things other filters don't. Because the bacteria need oxygen, that design insures the maximum availability. It is a form of wet/dry. The other thing is the pleated design encourages the bio-film to be more evenly distributed over the media. When a bio-film starts to get thick, it is subject to shearing off from the water flow. The thicker the film and the stronger the current, the more likely shearing becomes.

The downside to this design is a power or filter failure leaves those wheels high and dry. if this is long enough, the bacteria can start to die off. Almost 30 year ago when I set up my first tank, I had an Emperor 400 on it. When it finally failed a number of years later and I ordered a new one, I so disliked how it had been cheapened that I returned it. I was already moving to AquaClears. At my peak I had about 30 of these running. I have since discoverd the benefits of Poret foam. I am now down to about 17 ACs and have been reducing hang ons with time. I have every size they make.

 

[fishorama]

As usual TTA, you have good insights. I use mostly ACs for HOB filters with a couple ancient Whispers in reserve. I've never had a biowheel. In theory it seems good a good idea but I'd read of problems with them, mostly clogging slowing the wheel's flow & movement.

As an aside can the wheel be removed & it's more or less a Whisper-style filter? With it's lack of media area & clogging prone issues? Just a thought...

 

[angelcraze]

My biowheel got a tear and wouldn't spin so I've been using my penguin without a biowheel for a few years. I like that inexpensive filter so much I never replaced the AC70 again that the penguin temporarily replaced. I mean I still have the penguin in place and like it almost better than the AC because the flow is better distributed across the water surface instead of dumping in.

 

[FreshyFresh]

I never got to experience the Emperor 400's of years ago. When I got back into aquariums about 8yrs ago, I tried a Marineland bio-wheel on a 10gal and didn't care for it at all. I was always having to fiddle with it. The wheel would stop, water would bypass like the OPs situation, etc. I've tried many HOBs in this short 8yr span and the only one I like are Aquaclears. They can be noisy and you have to fiddle with them, but they still beat the rest in all accounts IMO.