FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I don't unplug it. I just turn the power switch on. And it is only 1 time a day. I do not use hang on backs any more, I hzve an aquaball ehiem now and that is great.

labrakitty:
It sounds like you resolved your problem, so this post may be a bit late. I'd recommend an Eheim 2231 external filter for a 40 liter tank.

-Wayne

Agreed there. I still like to watch my fish fetch the moving food.

reducing water flow on the output works as well, most are adjustable.

Yeah, sounds good.

If it is any comfort, I use to switch filters on and off for feeding in the early days and after burning out two filters, I stopped. I finally realized that if the fish can catch moving bugs on the water surface, they certainly don't need me to shut off the filter for them to feed. Also, I now put less in, then add more after a few minutes so it doesn't all sink from the filter. What little goes down there is picked up by the bottom feeders.

two weeks should be sufficient.

I ahve both filters running on it with one of the old sponges stuffed into it and the other sponge that I took out is in the aquaclear. I will run them both on for about 2 weeks iwll this be enough?

doesn't matter if you unplug it or flip a switch, it's still killing the power either way

Labra - did you just switch filters or are they running simultaneously (if the Aquaclear still runs)? If not, did you try to take some of the media and put it inside the new Ehiem?

Please watch your ammonia and nitrite daily for the next week or so. You could end up with a minicycle. One way to help speed up the seeding of your filter is to take a handful of gravel and put it right in the filter in one of the chambers. This puts it in the flow of water. Bacteria on the gravel at the tank's bottom will help, but it will work better right in the flow of water. After a few weeks or a month, the filter should be well seeded.

I have an aquaclear 150 filter on my 40 litre tank. It keeps stopping if the power is trned of for more than like five minutes and I have to fiddle round with it for 10 minutes. The other day I was late for school bacuase of it. I was fixing it the other day and I checked the tube was on tight, then about 10 minutes later I come back and all 3 of my guppies are sucked up the filter!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Luckily 2 survived. ]:|]:|]:|]:| Yesterday I was fixing the fitler again.]:| I ckecked the intake tube was on extra tight as what happened last itme. Then I come home that evening and my 2 guppies are dead in the filter with the tube of. I am going to get a different filter. I swapped a bigger aquaclear which the tube had never fallen of and jammed the tube on and put it on the tank with the spinge from the previous tank and the sponge from the filter in the current tank. I am going to go on the weekend and get a new filter. Does anyone know a good filter for a 40 tank that is not a hang on back please or undergravel.]:|]:|]:|

The whisper filters are hang ons, but they work great!

If you repeatedly turn the power on and off, that might be the cause.

When you plug it back in, the energizer reestablishes the magnetic field needed to turn the impeller. For a short time, the impeller is turning, but not quite on it's axis yet, bashing into the walls next to it, causing it to deform. Too much of this, and the impeller sticks, as you're seeing.

Unfortunately, once you put the impeller housing out of round, you can kiss self startup goodbye. If you were to put it on a tank that didn't get switched off every day, it'd be fine

I have not been having power outages. I mean when I turn the power of to feed htem. I always clean the propeller and it is in good condition. The guppies were extremely healthy and I found them in the filter. Last time 3 got sucked up, 2 still alive and kicking, this time, the reamaing 2 got sucked up, they were goners. I got an eheim aquaball 2010, I think that is it. it might be 2210 or 2 something else, 10. It has 2 detachable chambers.

My AC 200 came with a note in the manual saying that it was always necessary to top up the impeller chamber with a little water if you cut the power, and IME that's the case - I've never seen it start itself up properly without topping up, but if you do top it up, it kicks in within seconds.

I run AquaClear filters on all of my fish tanks, from Mini's to the 300's. I have a couple (I think a 200 and 150) that don't always start up again after I shut the power off to do some maintenance. I just use a long, thin wooden skewer to tap the impellers to get them going again. Usually a good cleaning keeps this from happening and occasionally, if the impeller is bent, then it needs to be replaced.
IME, the only fish that get stuck in the filters are sick or dying or already dead fish or sometimes, fish that are extremely small. like fry. If your guppies are very young, then you might try fitting a spare AC sponge (with a slit cut into it) over the intake tube. If your guppies are full size, then I'm wondering what is actually killing or making your guppies sick. Have you checked your water?
I'm also wondering why your intake tube keeps falling off and why you have so many power outages?
Figuring these things out may save you from spending more money on more equipment....

It is mainly power loss because the quarantine tank is connected to the same power board since it is right next ti it so I do daily water changes in the q.t. when i ahve fish in htere and the power is off for about 10 minutes maybe. Even when i am feeding it does it. I clean the propeller every week and it is barely ever needs cleaning. I do not want canisters as they have a intake tube too. I think I might go with the Eheim aquball internal. I am going to day to loook at an aquarium that has a really big range of eheim.

AC filters will have issues with restarting after a power loss (I get them a lot >.&lt if the impellor isn't cleaned regularly. An uninturrupted power supply (UPS) commonly sold in computer stores for backup in the case of power outages might be a good idea as well.
Or go the canister route .

^_^

[hr width='40%']"There’s an emptiness inside her. And she’d do anything to fill it in.
And though it’s red blood bleeding from her now. It's more like cold blue ice in her heart.
She feels like kicking out all the windows. And setting fire to this life."

labrakitty

There are several small canister units on the market. Depending where your are I would shop around and be carefull on your choice.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW