# Eclipse biofilter waterflow issue?



## rah_rabbitry (Jun 18, 2010)

Hey all!

I was noticing the biowheel on my filter had been slowing down. It's a newer tank so I didn't want to mess with the beneficial bacteria quite yet.

Today I noticed it has stopped entirely, there just isn't enough water pressure to force water into the wheel and make it turn. I took the whole thing apart, except the motor, to see if anything was clogged. I got a tube brush out, lightly brushed all interior surfaces (trying to leave some of the gunk for the bacteria to survive), popped it all back together and! .. nothing. Still very low flow.

Any suggestions? Thank you!


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

I'd rinse/clean everything out in some old water from a water change. You'd be surprised how much gunk can build up on the impeller etc. I was experiencing low flow from my AC110 and after a good cleaning, good as new...


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Id clean the wheel really good in some a bucket of tank water. Its possibly clogged and too heavy for the water flow to move it. I havnt had a bio wheel filter in years but I remember the wheel not turning was a common problem.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

In my experience, the wheel is not usually the problem and I have yet to see one get clogged. Clean water is/should be the only thing that even touches the wheel as it is after the filter. If anything is stopping the wheel itself, it would most likely be some kind of build up around the bearings (if it has them) or or under the wheel. It doesn't take much to stop those wheels from turning. If it's not a semi-dirty filter cartridge. then it could be a grimy impeller (as mentioned) or or build up somewhere in that area. I usually take mine off and clean them in the sink or bath tub with a narrow brush on a wire. The water pressure from the faucet also helps to clean things better. Clean the tube and intake strainer and impeller real good. You'll find when you pull the impeller out to clean it, it sits in a hole that needs cleaned out too. That is basically the motor area. Mine always has grimy crap built up in it and that will cause the armature (the metal cylinder on the shaft connected to the impeller) to drag as it spins...in turn, slowing it down. So make sure to pull that out and clean the whole thing thoroughly. Usually while I am cleaning the filter I just leave the wheel sitting in the tank to keep the BB. They claim it never needs cleaned if used correctly & I have yet to have to clean one myself. Not an expert......... just my experience with owning a few bio-wheels.


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## catgoldfish (Apr 21, 2010)

Why don't you remove the filter cartridge altogether and run it without. That way you can eliminate the cartridge. If it's still slow check something before that. Impeller housing etc.......it's usually the filter cartridge that either needs to be changed or cleaned.


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## rah_rabbitry (Jun 18, 2010)

I had cleaned the interior tube, the impeller, the struts holding the wheel... all of it. When I removed the filter cartridge, it still wouldn't turn, so I know it's not that.

It's working/not working still.


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## ckmullin (Aug 4, 2013)

What gal size is that tank?


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## rah_rabbitry (Jun 18, 2010)

12 gal bowfront


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