# FX5 stops pumping after a week (Resolved)



## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

This is a problem I've been dealing with for about 6 months now and I'd like to hear anyone's thoughts/suggestions/ideas.
I have a 75g (turtle tank) with a Fluval FX5. Media (besides the sponges) is: Fluval prefilter, Purigen (in Seachem's "the bag"), bag of rocky-type bio media, and Fluval biomedia.
After I clean the filter, the output drops to almost zero after about a week. 
First I thought something was caught in the impeller, so I took it apart and cleaned that, worked for about a week, then no more output. 
Second thought was something blocking the intake or output tubes. I cleaned them, ran a cleaning brush all the way through. That didn't help.
Third, I gave it a thorough clean. I cleaned the mesh bag the one biomedia is in, and I took out a green scrubbie that I was using as an additional prefilter. Got a good strong output after that, so I thought that did it, but after a week, it's stopped working again. 
I've also tried releasing the suction (taking the tubes off the filter), then restarting. Doesn't seem to help.
I've swapped out the Purigen a couple times (with a refreshed bag), though it is probably getting old. 
The motor is running, but no water is coming through the output. When it purges the air (once every 24 hours), very little air bubbles come out.

What's most frustrating is that I have my 90g set up exactly the same, and the filter is about a year older, and I've never had a problem like this.

I was thinking it's a media problem - something is clogging up quickly. Could it be that the sponges are just done, and I need new ones? Is it the old purigen, and old bag? Would new stuff help? Could it be something else entirely? 
Open to hearing any thoughts on this!!!


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

I used to have an FX5 - so it can be a bit of a head scratcher when things aren't running right. Do you have an extra canister or sump that you can put the old media in? If you are able to run the FX5 fine w/o the media for more than a week - you've answered your own question. I do find it tough to believe that a clogged sponge could slow down a pump that much though. If it still stalls after a week w/o filter media, it is likely a pump or impeller issue.

Hagen's customer service can be helpful at times, if your're at a loss, I bet you aren't the first to report on this problem. That filter has been in production for years now.


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## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

That's an interesting idea! I do have an old 404, assuming it works, that I could try putting the media in, and try running the FX5 with no media! 
I was also thinking (after I posted) I should just take the purigen bag out, for a start, to see if that might be causing a problem.

Thanks!


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## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

Ok, so, just took the bag of purigen out, and discovered that the media baskets were in the wrong order, which obviously wasn't helping anything. Put it back together (correctly), minus the purigen, and the output seems to be normal. We'll see what it's like in a few days. 
The purigen is probably due to be replaced. It still seems to refresh, but it's not that bright white it used to be. And maybe "The Bag" itself is clogged too.
Hopefully it's as simple as that!


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

My Purigen lasts about 3-4 months before it needs to be regenerated. Our water is so soft down in the mainland so we never have to deal with too much hard water deposits unless we're adding additives to our hard water fishes. Do what you're suggesting first, but just wondering if it can be an issue with calcium deposits in and around the pump and impeller assembly?


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## architeuthis (Apr 22, 2010)

I run 2 FX5's and 2 FX6's on my turtle tanks and have never had a problem with any of them.
I can't see your problem being with the media.
With turtles, sponges can get pretty gross in between cleaning, but I've never had them plug up and come anywhere near stopping the flow.


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

depending on tank size and number of turtles they can produce a lot of waste.
I got the best results by using a home made prefiter by putting coarse sponge in a mesh type plant basket attached to the inlet pipe.

I pull it of when I go in to feed them and rinse it out before putting it on again

Good fertilizer for the garden.


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## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

*sigh* So the output is back to almost nil again, 4 days after pulling the purigen. So much for an easy solution. I'll try running the filter empty next.

architeuthis - Yeah, even in the past when I've not cleaned it as often as I should, it's never stopped the flow. And he's usually the cleaner of my two turtles! In the past I've opened up the filter to clean it, and it hardly looks like it needs it!

I don't know about a mesh prefilter, I can seen my turtles trying to eat it  It's just the one adult turtle in the 75g, so it's not excessive waste.
I used to clean the filters out on the grass. I'd move around, depending on what area of the lawn looked dry or like it needed some fertilizer


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

You can make a pre-filter container from a plastic bucket/container. drill a number of holes in it. put filter material in bucket with inlet hose cut trough the lid ..weigh it down in the deepest part


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## troutsniffer (Dec 10, 2015)

Sounds like a power issue to me. Bad motor or something. You don't have it plugged into a second power strip or something do you? How far is it away from the tank? Gotta make sure you meet all factory requirements before you try talking to support. Trust me, if there's a way for fluval to worm their way out of warranty, they will take it.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

I used to run 4 at the same time and never had that issue. In fact my complaint often was that the fx5 allowed too much bypass. The media would be filthy and flow reduced but it still flowed. There's a number of rubber seals in the fx5, maybe inspect those? There's a return tube inside so check that too. Check out diagrams online that show the flow path. 

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## aprilsaquarium (Aug 22, 2016)

I have the seals for where the hoses mount to the body and the valves .
Also an fx5 for sale. Only time mine stopped was as tony said the tube inside got
Blocked. A goldfish got in when the end of the intake came off. I'd say something is blocked or it'd sucking air.


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## architeuthis (Apr 22, 2010)

Did you say you had another FX5 working fine on another tank?
Try switching the motors around.
If the problem one starts working fine and the other one starts having problems you should have your answer. 

What kind of turtles do you keep?


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## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

Had a crazy week, so wasn't able to do much about it. 
The flow wasn't at 0 after taking out the bag of purigen, but I'd say it was only about 10%.
This evening I took out the sponges and a bag of bio media (not really worried about losing the bio), so all that's left in it is loose prefilter and biomax. Looks likes it's running the full 900 GPH right now, judging by the spout of water breaking the surface :lol:
It's my last ditch test before I have to think about the more expensive route of a new impeller or new motor. If it poops out now, then I know it's the impeller/motor.

@troutsniffer - I do have it plugged into a surge protector, always have. It seemed like a good idea to protect it, but I could always try it directly into the wall socket for my next "test". 
It sits directly under the tank in the stand. Stand is maybe 2.5' tall, and then it's 18" to the rim of the tank.

@tony1928 - I could check the seals next time I have it apart, but wouldn't I notice a bit of water leakage if one of the seals was bad?

@architeuthis - Yeah, the other FX5 is working fine. My only fear about switching the motors is cross contamination. I'm kind of paranoid about it, even though I've never had a problem. Only thing is one tank has darn snails in it, so I'd want to make sure I washed all those pieces *super* well if I was going to switch them. I'd be mad if the snails got into both tanks 

I have a couple of Red Ear Sliders. The one with the filter issue, I've had since he had his egg tooth. He turned 23 this year  The other one is a rescue, she was in a bucket at the pet store. Not sure her age (she was fully grown when I got her), but I've had her for almost 10 years now. I don't think she'd ever been in deep water in her life, she could barely swim when I first put her in the 90g. Now she swims like a champ ^_^


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

BullDog said:


> Had a crazy week, so wasn't able to do much about it.
> The flow wasn't at 0 after taking out the bag of purigen, but I'd say it was only about 10%.
> This evening I took out the sponges and a bag of bio media (not really worried about losing the bio), so all that's left in it is loose prefilter and biomax. Looks likes it's running the full 900 GPH right now, judging by the spout of water breaking the surface
> It's my last ditch test before I have to think about the more expensive route of a new impeller or new motor. If it poops out now, then I know it's the impeller/motor.
> ...


I think the seals and return tube I'm referring to are on the inside of the canister. Iirc it won't leak but would possibly mess up your flow. Hope you'll be able to find your problem.

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## troutsniffer (Dec 10, 2015)

I forgot to ask... since this is a turtle tank, how is the output and input positioned inside the tank?


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## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks Tony, I'll be sure to check those seals.

I have the intake about 1/4 of the way from one side, with the strainer almost touching the bottom (There's no substrate, just a few large river rocks), and the output is about 1/4 the way from the other side, 1/3 of the way down the tank. One nozzle points out and up, the other is out and down. Unless he's been moving them around, which happens some times :lol: I don't *think* the output is pushing bubbles into the intake, if that's what you're thinking.


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## aprilsaquarium (Aug 22, 2016)

I'd replace the o rings and the valves . If you want to try it I have them. Maybe sucking air. 
As tony said if the tube inside gets blocked it will stop.
Another option is runnit with just caskets and foam and see if it works. If it does then add next media and keep going and you may find the culprit.


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## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks April. 
I'm in Kelowna, so I can't get the o-rings from you, but I'll check around locally.


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## aprilsaquarium (Aug 22, 2016)

I have them on amazon or I can mail if you don't find 


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## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

I think I've resolved this issue. I replaced all 6 sponges, and spread the biomax between 2 baskets (so now each basket is about 1/2 full with biomax), and it's been up and running for a couple weeks, and it seems to have consistent output. I haven't put any purigen back in yet, but that might be my next step, if I need it. 

So I guess my sponges were just super clogged.


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