Problems with HOB Filter

[elwaynetan]

Hello...

There was this dolphin HOB filter which came along with the nano tank which I had. At first, there was no problem, flowrate was good and stuffs. I had some bio-ceramic rings inside for bacteria growth. However, as time goes by, the flowrate decreased. To almost no flowrate.

So I got another similar HOB Filter. With the similar setup, I started the filter. This time round, it was worst. Almost no flowrate. Now it's still the same.

Anybody have the same experiences? Advise?

Thanks!

[Cyberkinetic]

Any foam filter pads inside which needs to be cleaned? What about the pipings?

[Tony]

Hello...

There was this dolphin HOB filter which came along with the nano tank which I had. At first, there was no problem, flowrate was good and stuffs. I had some bio-ceramic rings inside for bacteria growth. However, as time goes by, the flowrate decreased. To almost no flowrate.

So I got another similar HOB Filter. With the similar setup, I started the filter. This time round, it was worst. Almost no flowrate. Now it's still the same.

Anybody have the same experiences? Advise?

Thanks!

[QUOTE=elwaynetan;692736]Hello...

This is normal as the media in you HOF gets dirty after months of usage. You will need to remove and wash off the dirt using the water from your tank during water change.

Pardon me for asking; but for both situation, did you manually fill your HOF with water before turning ON power? You need to fill the HOF before starting. I'm assuming that the motor is not faulty i.e. motor runs when power up.

[xconnect.]

If there is no waterfowl just take all your pipes out and give a good scrub and rinse the media surely back to normal

[wongce]

Is the water level in the tank high enough for HOF to operate properly? Some HOF requires certain water level, some pouring of water into the cup section of the HOF to prime it.

[VSGenesis]

Wongce is right. What hof is the second one?

Over time the propeller gets dirty, so you need to have it clean. The tubes will need cleaning sometime. I do mine once a month or two.

I'm using gex and fluval. To start, i need to pour water into the hof, it'll start priming after.

When you say no flowrate, you mean no water goes into the hof and nothing comes out? Then you need to add water to hof.

[tetrakid]

Basically the most common problems encountered with HOF filters are twofold namely:

1)Improper starting - the filters need to be filled with water before switching on power.

2)When filter is running, the fish tank's water level is not topped up up to the outflow lip of the filter.
Many fishkeepers love to have the water splashing onto the tank's water surface, thinking that by doing that there will be good oxygenation. But that is a big mistake to make, because by doing that, they actually reduce oxygenation. The result is their fish suffer o-deprivation, and their tank's surface also develops a thick layer of muck.

I have been using HOFs for many years, and they never break down, and my fish are all long-lived and without disease. Filters must be used properly for effectiveness.

[elwaynetan]

haha... apparently the water level in the tank is at the outflow lip of the filter and I always fill the HOF with water to let it run in... And I've only be using them for a month. Perhaps... it's the cleaning part which I've overlooked.

Thanks for the advices!