Please help me

[GuiltyPleasures]

I posted this in the general fresh water forum but thought maybe it should be here too.

Last night (1:30 am) I got up to get something from the kitchen, when I walked in I stepped in a small amount of water, then after I walked across the room I stepped in a bigger amount of water and new something was wrong. Water all over the floor on the side of my tank in our kitchen. My tank is 135 gals so of course I'm scared. I had this same thing happend about a month ago so first thing I did was look behind the tank and sure enough one of my aquaclear 110 hob filters was leaking. (Same one as before) it's not cracked or broken, the water is coming out of the top of the filter and down the side of the tank onto the floor. The first time it happened I noticed the filters were not hanging level (the little level thing that comes with the filters broke off right after I had put them on the tank) So I got some pieced of wood and placed them between the tank and the filter to level them and since a month ago everything had been fine. I cleaned the tank and filters a couple of days ago and all looked great and had been fine, that is until last night. Filter looked level, stick was still in place so now I don't know why the thing is overflowing. I mopped up all the water and un-plugged the filter but now I'm not sure what to do. Any one have this problem before? My only thoughts are that the pump in the filter is doing it's job but the output back into the tank is not keeping up and it's filling to the brim and overflowing out the back side. Could I have too much media in the filter box? Any suggestions or thoughts would be great, I'm afriad to turn it on again and leave the room. I rent this house and can't affford to have to replace the kitchen floor and also the house is not on a concret slab so with enough water damage to the floor my tank could end up crashing though the floor. Also I can't afford to buy another filter at this moment, hoping to buy one next month but for now I've got to fix this problem and fast.

Thank you all so much for any help you can give me
Rene

 

[Fordtrannyman]

Sounds like restricted flow/media. I've never had a HOB overflow before.

 

[fishorama]

I had that happen when the filter wasn't level or better, slightly tilted toward the tank. Hated aquaclears for a while until I realized what was wrong. That little leveling piece is easy to lose but anything can work between the filter & glass.

Ford is right too with blocked media. I use 2 sponges & the biomax. I clean the bottom sponge & rotate them every week or 2. I also sometimes use floss but it clogs fast.

Save up your money for more filtration, an AC110 doesn't seem like nearly enough unless your tank is VERY lightly stocked. Do you have a powerhead or something for circulation? I use 2 filters on all 4ft tanks.

 

[The Zigman]

Personally I'd dump the HOB's and get a canister...
I have the FX5 on my 125, was under $200. no complaints.

no leaks!
no worries about overflowing HOBS.

 

[GuiltyPleasures]

I'm pretty sure that was the problem, too much filter media. The level issue I had solved with the sticks.
I have 2 110 aquaclears on this tank, still not enough filtration for the heavy bioload I"ve got due to a number of large fish which is why I'm planning on buying a canistor and maybe the rainbow lifeguard I've been reading about. I have a pond type air filter with several air outlets on it that I use with air hoses in the tank. I'm also going to get another powerhead because the ones I have keep stoping and I'm tired of fixing them every other day. They were used when I got them so I'm sure they have seen their days.

Rene