Why Is Your Filter Not Pumping Water? | Aquarium Care
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- čas přidán 24. 04. 2013
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Well, if your fish tank isn't pumping water, there are a couple of things you want to look for. A lot of times, it's the most obvious thing. Maybe it got unplugged. Maybe the surge strip is unplugged. Sometimes, when people do maintenance, they accidentally plug their filter into their light timer. So the filter could be on the same timer as the light, and it could be off. So look for the obvious things first.
Then you want to make sure that it's not clogged. A lot of times, if people neglect their filter systems, it gets so clogged to the point that the water doesn't even flow through it. So a clogged mechanical filter or a blocked passageway from a carbon filter bag that hasn't been cleaned, and now it's got a solid film of muck or bacterial slime on it, that will impede the water flow, preventing your filter from working.
So first, look at the obvious and make sure it's plugged in. You can also feel it and see if it's warm. If it's warm, that means that it is plugged in and the motor is probably either just in a neutral state. So you want to unplug it, let it cool down. If you're handy, you can take it apart to the point that you feel comfortable with. Clean the impeller. A lot of times, on overflow-style or hang-on-style filters, the impeller gets a piece of hair in it -- human hair -- or just something that gets clogged around the impeller shaft. So taking the impeller out, cleaning it with a paper towel, making sure nothing's clogged or nothing's stuck on it, and putting it back in will often free up the filter and get it to work again. Sometimes the impeller gets dislodged. You have to take it out and just reset it.
Another thing to look for is evaporation in the aquarium. Sometimes your water level evaporates to the point where a big air bubble gets stuck into the intake tube, causing an air lock in the filter. Canister filters are very prone to this. Sometimes the air stone will move itself underneath the intake of a filter, and air goes into the filter, sits at the top of the canister filter, and you have an air lock and the canister filter doesn't work. So you can take the canister filter, open it up, fill it up with water, get it primed again. That should solve it. Otherwise you can take the filter, turn it on its side very slowly to get the air bubble to shift away from the head where the impeller is. Once the filter kicks in, you can hear it start to push water again, and then slowly invert it back so that the air bubble slowly gets grabbed by the impeller and gets pushed out back into the aquarium.
But a lot of times, it's either that the filter is clogged from not being cleaned properly, or it's unplugged, or it's got an air lock. Those are the most common reasons why a filter won't flow water. - Jak na to + styl
I've been significantly losing flow for the past few months on my external canister filter to the point where it almost stopped. I was a few moments from purchasing a replacement when I stumbled upon your video. Muck had accumulated on the propeller and impeded the flow. After cleaning off the muck it is now powerful once again.
I'm having the same problem with my fx5. I haven't done anything about it yet besides cleaning the media.
I can’t thank you enough, after 3 futile attempts to get the filter in my tank to work, it did not look like my pleco or my other fish were gonna make it. I watched this video and fixed the filter ASAP. Super helpful and easy to do
the same reason why it stopped in finding nemo.. cuz something got stuck
anon 2000 true lol
Saved my friend's fishes life :)
Dan Devlin sheesh now need to save mine
Was it saved?
Nora?
Fish*
This video is one of the only good Howcast videos I've seen! I have 2 5 gallon Fluval Chi Tanks, and one of the filters stopped working completely! No sound, no flow, nothing! I took it apart and cleaned it and it still wasn't working. I had just done a water change on both my tanks and was already pretty tired, and seeing that the filter wasn't working after doing a water change was really stressing me out! I thought I would have to leave my betta without a filter, and I was getting super anxious and sad that I would have to leave my betta without any filtration. I watched this video, and the part where he said about tipping it over to the side slowly and slowly pushing it back worked like a charm! It was such a relief. I'm coming back here to let them know I really appreciate this video for keeping my bettas healthy and keeping me sane. Thank you so much!
Thank you! I would've never known about air caught in the filter. Fixed it right away.
Thank you, saved my bettas! Helped me realize I needed to open up the filter even though I was worried about being able to put it back together. Super easy and cleaned it out. Works perfectly again!!🐟
bettas can breathe from the surface btw
Thanks for the tips. I had only recently cleaned my filter so assumed it could not have been the reason for the very slow water flow. But you prompted me to crack it open again and sure enough, it was blocked! A quick clean and water is flowing freely again.
I was like, "but my filter is clean!" but *inside it* was gunk. I totally had the same experience as you.
Looked on CZcams for about an hour and finally found something that works ! Thanks so much!
chelsea tiffany true
Thank you so much for this video. I had a massive air bubble in my filter and i was able to move it thank you for the guide
This was a great video! Thank you-- good info. We were ready to go buy a new one, but decided to try adding more water (even though the stick part of the filter was under water) and it worked! Just more water. :)
Thanks so much! I'm a bit handy and found some hair inside the spinner which I didn't know I could open and clean before I. Cleaned it out and it's working!
thank you very much, these tips helped me to get my filter working again
Thank you! I’ve gone through a few filters because I didn’t know why they’d suddenly stop pumping but now I know exactly what to do! Was able to quickly fix my filter just now and my fish and I are both happy lol ☺️
I don’t ever comment on videos, but you rlly saved me! There was indeed a hair stuck within the propellor, and I was able to get it out with small Barbie scissors. I placed it back and left the room to get water, and when I came back there was the waterfall, I was so relieved. Thankyou!!
Thank you for posting this, I was really frustrated with this filter and that air pocket method worked!
Oh thank you so much for this video! The air lock thing was the issue!
This video saved my fish and money. I pulled some plant matter out of my propeller and it worked like new. Thank you
That tilt trick worked instantly!! I was trying to fight this thing for 2 hours!! Finally...thanks!
Wesley Wilson I DID THAT ALL THE TIME LOL
Yesss omg I just did it and it really works🥰🥰
You just saved me $20.00 for a new pump. It was the impeller was clogged. I cleaned everything but was afraid to mess with the motor. Once I cleaned the motor and propeller back in business. Thank you and have a great day and much success for helping me and the others...Don B.
Gave me a little insight. Since I thought my pump was done For I decided to take it apart. The impeller has “gunk” on it. Cleaned it all up and it runs again. Happened at my last tank clean too and I replaced the whole pump unnessisarily
Hi Joe thanks so much that was so helpful to me coz was stranded the filter had stop pumping but when I google I landed to this link got some tips went and cleaned the filter its now pumping water better off than before thnx once again
This dude literally just saved my fishes… props to him. Subscribing for sure
Thanks for the help I got mine working again 👍🏻
help,IV a fluval 306 ,how do I disconnect intake and outlet tubing for cleaning from inside aquarium full of water without floods ?
hi is the clogging indicator on a fluval 4 plus supposed to be up od down thanks
my filter has a thing to pump air into the water, should the air blowing part be out of the water and squirting water in the tank while the filter is in the water or inside the water blowing bubbles? The fish get confused if they touch the air current, I want to make things comfy, but having it out makes it loud.
I did a 35% water changed yesterday and didn't realized until the next day that my sun sun canister 304 filter is on, but not pumping water. I have a Fluval 110 and a sponge filtrations systems too on my 55 gal tank. If the problem is an air pocket in the tubing. How do I get it out? I attempted priming my filter. However it didn't get it to work, water was coming onto the floor. I need help!
How does the "closed" valve work? Should it be completely open or what? I only have a trickle flowing back into the tank.
I have a 15 year old Marineland Magnum 350 that has very low flow. I checked everything, air locks, tubing, cleanliness, anything near the impeller shaft. Could the magnet be worn out? It has been running continuously for over 15 years. Thanks.
I really needed this the other day. My canister filter got a bubble in it. I wouldn't have ever thought to turn it on its side like you suggested. It worked. Thank you so much. You are a life saver. I can't afford another 200$ pump!😂❤
Man I get pay tomorrow had I not seen this video I would had bought another filter not knowing it was a simple fix!!! Thanks 🙏 so much
This worked like a glove! Nemo problems lol thanks guys!
Thankyou! Hoping these tips get our fish pals back on the right track
I just did a water change
My filter box keeping slicing up in the tank can u help me please
sir how to fix irregular flow in boyu EF 45 canister filter .... water flow for few mnts and stop for few mnts n again start flowing
I have a 5 gallon tank with filter built in,it stopped working. What can I do
I just cleaned my filter and replaced the filter pad and now the filter is not working :C It's plugged in and ive tried different plug in spots. It was working before I cleaned it now it won't at all.
My prime button got stuck as I was pushing it..how can I get it unstuck?
I know this an old video but it was the information I was looking for. Thanks👍
I tried the suggestions with no luck. It would just make noise but wouldn't pump. So I got a straw abd tried shoving it down the top of the pump to try and blow air through it. That did nothing so I decided to do the same from the bottom shoving my hands down into the tank. As the straw hit the propeller it started pumping water again. Thus filter hasn't worked for years and I finally decided to try to make it work today after my last filter stopped working (I hoarded this one cause I thought I might be able to fix it some day). I don't condone hoarding but I did finally get it to work by shoving a straw upwards toward the propeller while it was submerged. :)
omg i read your comment and it helped with mine. i was going to buy a new filter but i did what you did with the straw, thanks :)
Fried Gwatches i tried this last month with mine and it made my filter work almost brand new. i just tried it again with the same filter but no such luck.:(
new filter time. lol
Thank you sooo much. I blew air into the intake and out take tube then sucked water up with a straw (not enough so it was in my mouth). Then plugged it back in and it's working. Don't have to buy my brother a new filter now.
Fried Gwatches omg thank you I have been trying to get it to work for weeks and I finally got it to work😁
My eheim pro 250 has not power I need you help please ASAP.....
Thank you! I pushed out the air bubbles and it works now
8 years later, homie still here saving our fish
Mine is plugged in the wall and its just a pf10 filter and its not working :(. About to see if it's clogged but im 80% sure its not :(
This helped. My pump had an air bubble. I was changing 25% of my water and when I plugged my pump back in, before I added the new water, it wasn't working. The long skinny thing was submerged, but I guess I needed a full tank for it to work right.
Okay so my filter was working fine then i turned it off so it wouldnt make noise during a call then i i turned it back on now it makes noise but it isnt working
Stop how do you clean them? Can you put the pump into another tank with limescale remover?
I followed everything you said but my filter still has issues
Problem SOLVED
Held the canister to the side and bam started spitting out water, thanks
What is that?
Hi l bought a aqueon filter it stop sucking the water l toke it a part and cleaned everything is not sucking water.please help.
I tried this and I think it is broken and I even cleaned it out and reset it too. And it would make a humming noise but the water wasn't flowing. So do I go and buy a new filter pump? Or what other options should I do
I have a very simple internal filter with a sponge and a carbon cartidge which has been removed since I'm treating the tank with medecine. The filter has this pipe going out, that simulates a waterfall. Just noticed that it stopped pumping out water. Checked and cleaned every part of it, still nothing. Funny thing is, when I layed it on it's side, it started pumping water out again. Problem is that it's in my betta tank and it creates a strong flow when in this position. Before you ask, the filter intake slits are completely underwater.
Any help is appreciated.
This a fluval chi? Having the same problem.
I unplugged my filter by accident, but when I turned it back on it won't flow, I tried to put some water from the tank into it but it still won't work Help me. thanks
Did you prime your pump?
Ian Nowak how do u prime it?
Add water to the filter pump but you probably did that
Did you get it to work
Ian Nowak yup now my tetras are happy and alive thx
thanks. checked the "fan" and it had something blocking . now she is working like new again
Thank you very very much! I already thought my filter was broken...
I have a question. We bout a filter a Aqua filter 5-15 gallon for a 10 gallon fish tank. For some resone it works but it's not sucking no water in even when its plugged. Is it just broken/faulty and we need to buy a new new one or can it be fixed??
very nice video thank you
Thank you so very much..my fish tank filter wasn't working and I was searching on Google how to repair the filter and came across your video my filter was clogged up wipe it clean plugged it back up and now it's running smoothly again... thanks!!!!
Was getting mad coz u were just talking n not demonstrating but something u said helped lol and it working! Thanks man!
very helpful, 10/10. just wish there was like a visual representation.
What do u clean the filter with on a hang on? Just water?
I had to take the bottom section a loose and take out the propellar thingy and snap it back in and now it works. Yaaaa and my fish are happy.
I have an older aquarium tech 30 gallon filter,it comes on ,it's making a noise clunking sound and won't flow water..I haven't used it in years trying to get the tank going for my son..I'm trying to trouble shoot..any advice?
My aqueous quiet flow 10 filter stopped working after the power went out and wouldn't turn on for hours after the electricity was back on...held the canister sideways and then unplugged the plug and plugged it back in and it worked!
Great sleuthing! Thanks for the tip, I'll keep this one in mind!
This video was so helpful. I thought I broke my filter when cleaning out my fish tank but turns out it just had airlock so I turned sideways just like you said, and it worked.
Turned the plastic tubing and it started pumping!! Didn't know what I was doing but it worked 💪
We'll I don't know BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORKING ON MY MOBILE it says "Video format unsupported"
My fish tank keeps making noise like a buzzing noise and it does blow out air
Thanks buddy, I fixed it 🙏
Ive tried lots of stuff and nothing seems to work. Ive completely cleaned the filter as safely as possible and the tubing as well. Nothing is happening. It siphons on its own but thats about it. No flow is coming out of the output or input side, aside from when i fill the filter up. Anyone have any suggestions?
how do i know if my filter got clog up
Thank You.
Many Thanks . Just cleaned the propeller and it's all systems go .
Thank you! I had taken everything apart. When I held the impeller up to the window light I saw the end of a very fine hair wrapped around. A pair of tweezers to removed it. Put back together and works like a charm. If you hadn't mentioned it I would have never checked that closely. 🐠
You saved me!! Thank you!!!!
I went with maybe there's air in the tubes. So what I did and it worked, was I switched the intake and outflow tubes with each other, thus sending air out of the the intake tube. Then i waited till the bubbles subsided and then quickly switched them back.
How do you get a flavel filter to work
I looked it up to see if it is fixibal but it has been neglected
l bought a new pf30 and not able to get water running , The motor is running
My filter is less than a week old and stopped working, I took it all apart, it spins, but it isnt sucking, the tubes are all clean
Should the power head be submerged
thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i tried the side tipping method and it worked instantly!
ok so i see sparks in the outlet when i unplug the filter.... what does that mean
water and electric dont mix. what ever u do dont touch it!
Thank you! It was the impeller!
I want to add, for other folks coming across this:
*Even if your tank stays pristine, I promise your impeller- kind of tucked away inside your filter there- can and does get gunky and gross. I was very surprised my clean tank ended up with such a gunky impeller (covering mine was mostly algae, preventing it from spinning).
*Also! Please be aware that even if your filter was working fine/ seemingly working fine before you did an aquarium cleaning, and now suddenly it doesn't want to work, it still might be a gunky impeller. For whatever reason my filter was doing fine with the gunk around the impeller but cleaning up the filter (but missing the impeller) got it to stop working.
So, if your filter worked fine before you shut it off and cleaned it, but now it won't work when you turn it back on again, it probably isn't actually broken. Check the impeller for gunk! You might be surprised. I was.
I checked and cleaned the impeller and viola! My filter started cycling the water right away.
The other suggestions in the video are great too! It really may be an easy fix for your filter problem.
Thank you!
It worked!!! The electricity was out all night and when it came back, the filter was not pumping water. No noise. I just slowly turned the filter to the side and it started working again!!
Great thanks a lot
thanks man
Mine air locked. Very helpful
YEP... IT WAS CLOGGED.. THANKS AJAHAHHAHA
Mine had a air lock lol I didn't know that could happen thank you. Saved me money lol.
Thank you
So, I just bought a Marineland emperor 280 and i assembled everything just as the directions directed, i filled it with water, plugged it in and it will not work at all, I hear no sound whatsoever and im ready to give up. If in anyway possible, please help!
Same thing happened to me but with my 50 penguin MARINELAND bio-wheel filter
Lol is that a joke?
No, not at all. It's getting the pump primed. But seeing as those two pumps are over the edge filters and not the ones with an outlet pipe I guess it doesn't matter.
Oh okay, that makes sense, thankfully, I was able to take the filter back to the store and get it replaced, Im pretty sure it just had an electrical problem because it didn't turn on at all when I had it. But thank you very much for your suggestion :)
Glad to help!
Thanks!
Thank you!!
Helpful. I literally just unattached the motor and rotated the wheel a little and it started pumping harder than ever. Lol.
It is working but I have to put its head outside of the water and rest inside
LaxMonsta11 you are so right it's has gone down hill
I dropped my phone on the power strip all my aquarium stuff was plugged into, turned it back on everyrthing working but filter... No noise, I put water in it, but it is warm, has not worked all day. Someone help
leedle S I had this same problem, did you ever end up fixing it?
leedle S the only conclusion I could come to was that it was burnt out
Bro thanks a lot, I had to think outside the box 😂
Thank you.