Performance
Q - I have a XP3 filter thats about 2 years old now. I read that if I am having water leaking from the cord or air leaking in that I should replace the O rings around the quick disconnect. I did that and it stopped the water leakage but I'm still having a problem with air being discharged into the tank every 5-10 minutes or so. What am I needing to replace next? All of the hose clamps are as tight as I can squeeze, the cap on the inlet pipe is tight and free of debris. Just looking from some reccomendations.
A - If you have had your filter for two years I would also recommend replacing the impeller cover Oring (actually a strip of sealing material) that resides in the groove on the bottom of your motor. This is the primary cause of the bubbles and surges you are experiencing. Please read our FAQ and answer at PlanetRena.com for a more thorough understanding.
Q - I have a brand new rena xp3 running for 2 weeks now and I am finding it really noisy. Lots of gurgling sounds that seem to be coming from the impeller part. I rearranged the filter compartments to see if that would make a difference. Nope. Any help would be appreciated. I would take it back but I live 2 1/2 hours away from where I purchased it.
A - Your problem is caused by air mixing with water in the impeller area of system. This is called "cavitation" in pump lingo. Air can leak into the system through the intake side. Make sure all joints that are above the water line are tight and that the intake priming cap is tight. Check your hose connections at both ends (intake tube and Quick Disconnect Valve) are tight. Make sure the Quick Disconnect Valve is seated properly in the top of the motor. Check the Orings on the QDV to make sure they are not damaged. If you have any leaking around the canister, air may be coming into the canister from there. Try removing and shifting the canister Oring and re-sealing the top to the canister.
The final thing you should review is your setup instructions to make sure you are placing the filter in relation to the tank within the minimum and maximum distances. It is especially important with regards to the problem you describe. In a proper setup, all air is expelled from the system in the first 30-60 minutes. If you still have air after 60 minutes then something is wrong. I would recommend contacting the warranty department at 800-847-0659 or
DocWellFish@aquariumpharm.com as they may have additional knowledge of this problem and other solutions.
Q - I have a 3 year old XP-3 Filstar on a 150 gal tank that just doesn't have the output it used to. I have changed the media, the impeller ( all hardware ) and cleaned the hoses and tubing. Can you provide me with additional steps or a rebuild kit?
A - You don't say how you know the output is less but I assume you measured the flow when you first got the unit and have measured again since replacing all your parts. If this is the case and you now measure a decrease in flow you are only left with replacing the motor. This can sometimes help but generally loss of flow is fixed by making the changes you describe. If you can get your hands on someone's newer filter you could attach their motor to your system and see if this improves the flow.
Also, since your filter is 3 years old you might consider getting the new and improved inlet/outlet pack now being included in all filters. This unit has a different type of spray-bar than the old unit which most people say gives more flow.
Repair
Q - I have a filstar xp3. I just cleaned the filter and turned it on and it ran for a few seconds before it started to make a lot of noise and stopped pumping water. The motor still runs. What is the problem and the recommended fix. Thank you
A - First remove the impeller cover and inspect the rotor/impeller assembly and rotor well for damage. You may need to replace the rotor/impeller assembly. Inspect the impeller cover seal. If is more than a year old this also may need replacing. After assembling and following the setup instructions to prime the unit turn it on and if you have no leaks in the system and no damage in the rotor/impeller area it should pump as before.
Replacement Parts
Q - How do I clean the long flexible tubes for my rena XP Filter.
A - Most people don't clean them but just replace the tubes when they get dirt. You can purchase these tubes for about $5.00 apiece online in our Parts Department. If you want to clean them anyway you would need to rig up a small please of cleaning cloth to some strong string or flexible wire. If using string attach some weight to the end opposite the cloth and thread through the tube. Pull the cloth through the tube for cleaning. Wire is stiffer so you might not need a weight to thread through the tubes.
Filter Setup
Q - Hi...I have the XP3 for several years now on a fresh water 100gal. tank and am more than pleased with its performance. My problem is that I'm never sure that I am using the right mediums for the three compartments inside the filter. My question is what goes in each compartment starting from the bottom up. I would like to have the proper names of the materials I would have to buy and how many of each. I also want to use the filter pads that polishes the water. I looked for diagrams on the net but they are to vague on what goes where. Any help will be appreciated.
A - First let me point you to a good diagram of the initial filter setup as it comes from the factory. This does show the use of biological media which is not part of the original factory setup. You can see that here: Filstar Filters - How They Work. The Filstar XP3 like all Filstar XP's have an up-flow design. The foams should be in the bottom basket, larger hole foam first (20ppi) and then the smaller hole foam (30ppi). You don't say if you have two of each foam or just one but If you feel the filter is not cleaning the water(cloudy water?); then I recommend putting two of each kind in the bottom basket. This is the original factory setup (except for XP1 which has only one of each).
What you include in the filter mix is really dependent on the water quality problems you are experiencing. Most setups would benefit by biological filtration either the BioChem Stars or Ceramic Rings. BioChem Zorb is an excellent addition above the biological filter. It is a good all around chemical filtration media and removes odors, colors and ammonia. The last item is the white pad you mention which is called a MicroFilter and will remove the smallest particles from the water. These tiny particles will cloud the water since they are so light they don't settle to the bottom of the aquarium. This is sometimes called a water "polishing" filter. All of these items and additional filter media can be found in our store here.
Q - What is the best media for an aquatic turtle tank? What is the best setup for a turtle tank using the Rena Filstar XP2? What is the difference between the Spraybar and Power Jet Nozzle.
A - With turtles, my goal would be to remove as much solid organics as possible with mechanical filtration, use the biological filtration to keep ammonia levels down and the BioChem Zorb to remove odors and colors which are real problems with turtles. I would also recommend dosing the tank with API Stress Zyme. This is live bacteria that will help break down the solid waste by boosting the action of biological filtration.
You would definitely benefit by having BioChem Zorb in the canister. However, turtle tanks are most known for the large volume of solid organic waste emitted by the critters. You must make sure that you have as much mechanical filtration as you can get. The unit comes with 2ea 20 and 30ppi foams which is about all you can put in the unit. I would use the top basket for BioChem Stars or Ceramic Rings and the upper half of the basket for the BioChem Zorb. I wouldn't use the Micro Filter in this unit since you only have 4 total media chambers.
The Spraybar gives a more gentle agitation of the surface which some aquatic life prefer. However, you won't get as much gas exchange at the surface with this method. The Power-Jet nozzle can be mounted in such a way that it sprays over the surface and creates strong surface agitation that will release harmful gasses from the water and infuses the water with additional oxygen which is very beneficial in breaking down pollutants but not so important for turtles since they don't rely on gills for oxygen exchange.
Q - How do I discharge water deeper into the tank. I have a reptile tank with a depth of only 6 inches and neither discharge extension is long enough to reach this deep into the tank.
A - There is a work-around for this problem. You can purchase additional intake extensions and attach them in place between the discharge tube and the discharge extension (either short or long). These will not lock together but should fit tight enough to stay together. If not they can be glued together for more security.
Q - When I purchased my filter the guy put it together. It does not clean very good at all. I spoke with a sale person at another shop and they had me put the 4- sponges on the bottom, then a bag of white gravel type stuff and bio stars, then charcol on top. Just want someone to confirm what is correct. I have spent lots of money on fish at this shop and they keep dying. Water tested just fine. Can you let me know which is the correct steps to putting my filter together. It does have 2 baskets,thanks very much.
A - Thank you for your question below. The Filstar XP2 is the model you have. Like all Filstar XP's they have an up-flow design. The foams should be in the bottom basket, larger hole foam first (20ppi) and then the smaller hole foam (30ppi). You don't say if you have two of each foam or just one but If you feel the filter is not cleaning the water(cloudy water?); then I recommend putting two of each kind in the bottom basket. This is the original factory setup. The white stuff is zeolite and removes free ammonia which will kill the fish if in too high a concentration. The BioStars next is fine. They act as a biological filter by providing a very large and concentrated surface area for beneficial bacterial that eat the byproducts of fish waste that can also harm your fish. The last media you mention is the carbon. This also is a chemical filter that removes color and odors. You don't mention the use of the micro-filter pad anywhere. This is a white pad that is very fine mesh and will "polish" water by removing very fine particles not trapped by any of the other filtration media. The only change I would recommend from this setup is dependent on what water quality problems you are dealing with. If your problem is mainly dirty water I would use double filters in the bottom and the micro-filter on top. If your main problem is ammonia or nitrite problems created by the fish waste then consider keeping the setup you have now. The XP2 with only two baskets does not allow as much flexibility as the XP3. With the third basket you would be able to deal with both problems at the same time.
