my filter rattled and died - help

T

tinymitymo

AC Members
Nov 27, 2006
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I have a little 2.5 gallon Eclipse Explorer aquarium which has the built in filter with bio-wheel for my betta. This morning it was rattling. I turned it off and turned it on again and what sounded like a pebble in there moved all around as the water came back up and then must have lodged somewhere to block things turning. Nothing happens now. This appears to be a sealed system so I can't see how to open it up to look inside.
Anyone familiar with this pump to give pointers? How long can my bio wheel sit not turning before the good bacteria die? I can probably go out and just buy another one in a few hours but I doubt the stores are open yet.
 
If your bio-wheel has stopped turning due to a malfunction you should put it in the tank and let it float there so it does not dry out. If it does you will lose the beneficial bacteria.

There may be something stuck in your impeller. You actually can take it apart to find whatever is in there. Above the intake tube that sticks down where it meets the filter assembly is the impeller housing. You should be able to pull right down and remove it. Then pull the impeller out and inspect.

HTH
 
aquariageek said:
If your bio-wheel has stopped turning due to a malfunction you should put it in the tank and let it float there so it does not dry out. If it does you will lose the beneficial bacteria.

There may be something stuck in your impeller. You actually can take it apart to find whatever is in there. Above the intake tube that sticks down where it meets the filter assembly is the impeller housing. You should be able to pull right down and remove it. Then pull the impeller out and inspect.

HTH
Click to expand...

thats pretty much exactly what you need to do..my vote is impeller obstruction as well.
 
I have an Eclipse 6 which I suspect has a similar but bigger filter/bio wheel set up. After a month of operation, I took the assembly out of the tank to clean it (which it didn't need, but I wanted to do the right thing). I put it back into the tank in the same position and everything, plugged it in... and it rattled and didn't work. I tried to take it apart, too (other than undoing the tubing), but fortunately I was unable to break into the box. I wound up rushing to WalMart for a replacement (an AquaTek 5-15) and taking the original back to the pet store for them to fix. I went back to the pet store a week later and the owner asked a few questions, then took me to a nearby tank to check on something. She showed me how to prime the assembly: basically dip the end opposite the bio filter into the aquarium water, then level the whole thing horizontally, and... well, it worked fine in the store. I brought it back home, removed the replacement filter, set the original back in place, first dipping the business end into the aquarium water, and then I plugged it in. It worked. This left me with a spare filter... for which I bought and stocked a 10-gallon tank ;) So, now I know about priming; they never taught us that in home economics in the 1960s!
 
I just love how sponges solve most issues and give you quick set up on another tank, like a QT.
 
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