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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Filter problem.Please help

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11 Sep 2008 20:20 #1 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Well I was setting up my filter (a new tetratec ex 700).As I was turning one of the green values before starting,it fell off in my hand! I managed to put it back on along with an O-ring but not sure if its right or not. Anyhow Ive now switched on the filter and I must admit I thought it would be quieter, which makes me think its not working right. Its making a noise similar to a dishwasher,it seems to have its on and off moments every couple of seconds,I can hear it churning away inside hard and then it goes quiet for a few seconds. Also the water coming from the spray bar is quick one second and then seems to die down in intensity before again coming quick and so on and so on.
Can anyone help me out on this one ? Ive removed the cap at the end of the spray bar as it was too powerful but the holes at the front of the spray bar are barely spitting water out and again there intensity switches every couple of seconds.
Im guessing there is something wrong? Can someone please help.
Gavin

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11 Sep 2008 20:37 #2 by arabu1973 (. .)
It sounds like aer is sucked in thru the valve so your best bet would be to buy a spare connection from drew in AV to replace it or try to put some tape over the valve to seal it and hope that is the problem

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11 Sep 2008 20:49 #3 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Thanks Arabu
Didnt think of that,I had thought alright that there are air bubbles seeming to have gotten in,so perhaps that is it.
Does Drew have spare values for this make of filter? Also Im in Cork :(

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11 Sep 2008 20:57 #4 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Right I went at the values just there and messed around abit,dont ask me what I did to be honest you'd laugh! I put my mouth around the value to stop any air being taken in. I dont think it was the value at all though.So when I went at the Value again,the churning has stopped,the filter is silent and while the water into the tank isnt quick,Im only cylcling it at present and also I dont want the spraybar pressure too big at present, Ill submerge the spray bar eventually anyhow. The flow is not fast but I shouldnt imagine it makes a difference.Now the filter is making a very silent humm only! Whoo hoo!
Gavin

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12 Sep 2008 18:27 - 12 Sep 2008 18:29 #5 by betdownbiddy (ciaran geraghty)
Did you try shouting at it? :D

I've had the same problem with an ex700 and an ex 600..... Most of the time it can be sorted with some reallllllly vigorous pumping of the primer valve to flush out the air, Also cut the hoses coming in and going out so that there is no loops or droops in them and that they run in straight lines, to reduce the pressure needed to suck / pump the water in and out.... Failing that tip it slightly over so that the air bubbles that could be trapped in it go towards the outlet pipe and give it little shake. You may wonder, but there is method in my madness and it has helped me. All of the above should be done while it is running
Last edit: 12 Sep 2008 18:29 by betdownbiddy (ciaran geraghty).

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12 Sep 2008 18:31 #6 by betdownbiddy (ciaran geraghty)
oh forgot to mention, check all items that it also runs through before and after the filter for air leaks.... (external heater, uv filter) to see if they are the cause.

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12 Sep 2008 19:19 #7 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Thanks Biddy,
I had cut the tubes alright so there is no overhang and risk of kinks. I gave it a shake earlier also and pressed the pump knob,it appeared to fix it abit but there seems to be still abit of air in the top of the filter outlets.(like to U value to the water in and out pipes by the water surface). Just another question,I presume you left the carbon in the actually netting that it was in when you got it? (Not the plastic but the netting).
Gavin

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12 Sep 2008 19:51 #8 by CJackson (Frank Farrell)
betdownbiddy wrote:

Did you try shouting at it? :D


Ha! I was cleaning one of my externals this evening and as I started my girlfriend turned to the dog and said, \"he's going to get angry now, he's cleaning the filter.\" Man, it is so true.

I have a Tetratec 700 and I've had that problem a few times. Make sure you have the trays lined up right so that the arrows point to the arrow on the top of the casing. I find that sometimes as it fills if all the trays aren't in the balls can float and sit in the little hole in the tray. When empty prime the hell out of it - you will hear it fill a bit, but sometimes this stop - so prime some more. Once you have turned it on if you hear that fizzing gushing sound it's because of air (I think) I actually carefully pick it up and shake and turn it on its side. Do this a few times and it will eventually be ok. Oh, and be careful of your language :)

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12 Sep 2008 20:00 #9 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Great I think I will try that now. Ive kinda of done all those things already although I havent looked into the filter again since I started it. Ive primed it a good few times alright and it gushes and then stops but certainly I can hear it gushing alright. Ill check it out again. What type of flow should I expect. I put my hand in the tank earlier and the intake seemed to change from a good sucking intake back to none at all and again more of an intake after a good gushing of water again. The water flowing out of the spray bar (I removed the plug as the spray holes were gushing water quite quick and I dont want that),remains constant.
Gavin

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12 Sep 2008 20:26 #10 by CJackson (Frank Farrell)
If the water is flowing steadily out of the outflow then it should be okay. You can turn the spray bar so that the holes are angled against the glass if you don't want too much water movement in the tank, though not using it is fine too. Also, I meant to say, yes, keep the charcoal in the netting. As long as you are not hearing a dull rattling sound (which I think means there is not enough water where the impeller and motor are) you should be ok.

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12 Sep 2008 20:30 #11 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Great,I think Ive got it all sorted now. The tank is still cloudy but its clearning slowly but surely. Im putting together my picture diary of it at present which hopefully Ill piece together fully by the end of the cycling etc..
Gavin

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