Fluval experience?

Hello, I have a Fluval 404 which is about 4 months old. I've read that
eventually the output becomes less and less and the pipes need
cleaning. A few weeks ago I rinsed my pads from the filter and
reconnected it all up. When it started it spat out a small amount of
'matter' no idea what. I've noticed that there doesn't feel as much
pressure coming from the outlet pipe. I'm very worried about cleaning
the pipes, will wait till hubby is off. Has anybody else had a problem
with this? Are the pipes easy to clean, disconnect, reconnect. Really
love the filter, feel like its doing a great job.

Thanks
Mellie

Mellie101 wrote:
Hello, I have a Fluval 404 which is about 4 months old. I've read that
eventually the output becomes less and less and the pipes need
cleaning. A few weeks ago I rinsed my pads from the filter and
reconnected it all up. When it started it spat out a small amount of
'matter' no idea what. I've noticed that there doesn't feel as much
pressure coming from the outlet pipe. I'm very worried about cleaning
the pipes, will wait till hubby is off. Has anybody else had a problem
with this? Are the pipes easy to clean, disconnect, reconnect. Really
love the filter, feel like its doing a great job.

Thanks
Mellie


In my experience the biggest cause of decreased flow with my fluvals is
a blocked inlet valve...clean that and everything goes back to
normal....they can get quite gunked up - dead plant matter and
algae...I've learnt from experience that the things pull apart which
makes washing and cleaning easier...I've never had any problems with
flow that isn't related to this valve...You do need to turn off the pump
to clean it and it is a pain to prime it again after...the new Fluval
FX5 is a dream as it self primes...

I get a lot of gunge coming out of the pipes as well when I maintain the
404, 304 and 204 pumps that I have...I try to wash out everything to try
and reduce this and refill the canister with treated water but it
happens anyway...I'm not sure how often this happens with other filters
but rather suspect it is still the case...a few months ago I remember
someone suggesting putting something fine across the outlet pipe to
catch the gunge (like a stocking toe) and I don't recall it was a Fluval
which makes me think that it is a generic issue. I usually let the gunge
settle and then use a plain vac (not a syphon) - Marina Multi Vac...just
to clean up what has come out of the filter...but I'm sure a heel of a
stocking would do just the same...

Gill

On Thu, 06 Apr 2006 00:42:41 +0100, Gill Passman
wrote:

I agree with Gill on this, it is my experience as well.

"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...
Mellie101 wrote:
Hello, I have a Fluval 404 which is about 4 months old. I've read
that
eventually the output becomes less and less and the pipes need
cleaning. A few weeks ago I rinsed my pads from the filter and
reconnected it all up. When it started it spat out a small amount of
'matter' no idea what. I've noticed that there doesn't feel as much
pressure coming from the outlet pipe. I'm very worried about cleaning
the pipes, will wait till hubby is off. Has anybody else had a
problem
with this? Are the pipes easy to clean, disconnect, reconnect.
Really
love the filter, feel like its doing a great job.

Thanks Mellie


In my experience the biggest cause of decreased flow with my fluvals is
a blocked inlet valve...clean that and everything goes back to
normal....they can get quite gunked up - dead plant matter and
algae...I've learnt from experience that the things pull apart which
makes washing and cleaning easier...I've never had any problems with
flow that isn't related to this valve...You do need to turn off the
pump to clean it and it is a pain to prime it again after...the new
Fluval FX5 is a dream as it self primes...

I get a lot of gunge coming out of the pipes as well when I maintain
the 404, 304 and 204 pumps that I have...I try to wash out everything
to try and reduce this and refill the canister with treated water but
it happens anyway...I'm not sure how often this happens with other
filters but rather suspect it is still the case...a few months ago I
remember someone suggesting putting something fine across the outlet
pipe to catch the gunge (like a stocking toe) and I don't recall it was
a Fluval which makes me think that it is a generic issue. I usually let
the gunge settle and then use a plain vac (not a syphon) - Marina Multi
Vac...just to clean up what has come out of the filter...but I'm sure a
heel of a stocking would do just the same...

Gill


Canister filters slowing down from clogged strainers or clogged media is
quite typical. Algae & gunk collecting in the hoses, and getting blown
into the water also happens with all manufacturers. When they use
transparent or tinted hoses, you tend to get more sheet algae blown into
the tank. When they use ribbed (corrugated) hoses (such as the Fluval
X04 series), then is appears to be mulm. Other than cosmetic, it's not
really bad. That stuff was already in your water, just hidden away.

In applications where I can keep the hoses in the dark, I prefer the
smooth hoses (they just get a little algae where the hose goes under the
lights. When there is any light, I prefer the opaque hoses such as the
ones used by Fluval. The amount of mulm blown out really varies by
set-up, and I'm not sure what the variables are. Sometimes, there is a
lot of blow off after a filter cleaning, and in other tanks, I don't see
anything for years.
--
www.NetMax.tk

"Mellie101" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello, I have a Fluval 404 which is about 4 months old. I've read that
eventually the output becomes less and less and the pipes need
cleaning. A few weeks ago I rinsed my pads from the filter and
reconnected it all up. When it started it spat out a small amount of
'matter' no idea what. I've noticed that there doesn't feel as much
pressure coming from the outlet pipe. I'm very worried about cleaning
the pipes, will wait till hubby is off. Has anybody else had a problem
with this? Are the pipes easy to clean, disconnect, reconnect. Really
love the filter, feel like its doing a great job.
====================
At the moment I'm not using my old Fluval. I used to use the hose cleaning
brush every time I cleaned the filter. A thick brownish slime would form in
the opaque hoses and slow the flow somewhat. It just became too much of a
hassle to use/clean/reassemble so I retired it and went with all ACs.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Aquarium FAQ are at: http://faq.thekrib.com/
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

Bottom posted.

"Koi-Lo" wrote in message
...

"Mellie101" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello, I have a Fluval 404 which is about 4 months old. I've read that
eventually the output becomes less and less and the pipes need
cleaning. A few weeks ago I rinsed my pads from the filter and
reconnected it all up. When it started it spat out a small amount of
'matter' no idea what. I've noticed that there doesn't feel as much
pressure coming from the outlet pipe. I'm very worried about cleaning
the pipes, will wait till hubby is off. Has anybody else had a problem
with this? Are the pipes easy to clean, disconnect, reconnect. Really
love the filter, feel like its doing a great job.
====================
At the moment I'm not using my old Fluval. I used to use the hose
cleaning
brush every time I cleaned the filter. A thick brownish slime would form
in
the opaque hoses and slow the flow somewhat. It just became too much of a
hassle to use/clean/reassemble so I retired it and went with all ACs.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Aquarium FAQ are at: http://faq.thekrib.com/
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o





I use a billows type siphon starter (I have talked about it here before) to
force water through the fluval's hoses (I have 2 404's and one 104)
periodically and it keeps the hoses/etc. in prime condition (you need to do
this when you at the very least think the debris in the hoses is saturated
with water so if you pull an old 404 out from storage for example and it
already has dried debris in it then you need to soak it (the debris in the
filter and hoses) thoroughly first, but other than that the fluvals should
last the lifetime of the filter which is a VERY long time (years if not
decades).

"Daniel Morrow" wrote in message
...

I use a billows type siphon starter (I have talked about it here before)
to
force water through the fluval's hoses (I have 2 404's and one 104)
periodically and it keeps the hoses/etc. in prime condition (you need to
do
this when you at the very least think the debris in the hoses is saturated
with water so if you pull an old 404 out from storage for example and it
already has dried debris in it then you need to soak it (the debris in the
filter and hoses) thoroughly first, but other than that the fluvals should
last the lifetime of the filter which is a VERY long time (years if not
decades).
========================
I have the older model and it's a real PIA to clean and put back together.
Getting the top back on the canister is a fight by itself. Trying to line
it up and keep the rubber seal in place, and not have the intake or outflow
in the way of the 2 clips (one broke off shortly after I bought it) is a
real juggling act. Both valves broke almost immediately so I have to
wrestle the whole thing, including hoses splattering water everywhere to the
nearest sink. I tried to hold them upright while moving it across the
sunroom but always ended up with water on the carpet and floor. Flushing
the thick slime from the hoses didn't work. I had to first remove them from
the filter, then use the hose brush to get the hoses clean - then replace
them with those screw-down things I was always afraid would break like the
crummy clamps and valves did. All and all it wasn't worth the hassle.

If I ever set up a tank with a few small fish where the Fluval wouldn't need
cleaning but every few months I may use it again. But with goldfish and
plecos... forget it!
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Aquarium FAQ are at: http://faq.thekrib.com/
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

Here is a trick to start the Fluval without prime it.

Fill the cannister with water (treated of course) all the way up, then
tip it to the side a bit. Top it up again.

Connect the pipes and it starts without any prime. Give it a try next
time Gill. It may save you some pain. :-)


Mellie101 wrote:
Hello, I have a Fluval 404 which is about 4 months old. I've read that
eventually the output becomes less and less and the pipes need
cleaning. A few weeks ago I rinsed my pads from the filter and
reconnected it all up. When it started it spat out a small amount of
'matter' no idea what. I've noticed that there doesn't feel as much
pressure coming from the outlet pipe. I'm very worried about cleaning
the pipes, will wait till hubby is off. Has anybody else had a problem
with this? Are the pipes easy to clean, disconnect, reconnect. Really
love the filter, feel like its doing a great job.

Thanks
Mellie


In my experience the biggest cause of decreased flow with my fluvals is
a blocked inlet valve...clean that and everything goes back to
normal....they can get quite gunked up - dead plant matter and
algae...I've learnt from experience that the things pull apart which
makes washing and cleaning easier...I've never had any problems with
flow that isn't related to this valve...You do need to turn off the pump
to clean it and it is a pain to prime it again after...the new Fluval
FX5 is a dream as it self primes...

I get a lot of gunge coming out of the pipes as well when I maintain the
404, 304 and 204 pumps that I have...I try to wash out everything to try
and reduce this and refill the canister with treated water but it
happens anyway...I'm not sure how often this happens with other filters
but rather suspect it is still the case...a few months ago I remember
someone suggesting putting something fine across the outlet pipe to
catch the gunge (like a stocking toe) and I don't recall it was a Fluval
which makes me think that it is a generic issue. I usually let the gunge
settle and then use a plain vac (not a syphon) - Marina Multi Vac...just
to clean up what has come out of the filter...but I'm sure a heel of a
stocking would do just the same...

Gill

fish lover wrote:
Here is a trick to start the Fluval without prime it.

Fill the cannister with water (treated of course) all the way up, then
tip it to the side a bit. Top it up again.

Connect the pipes and it starts without any prime. Give it a try next
time Gill. It may save you some pain. :-)



I've tried filling it with treated water but didn't top them up more
than once...thanks I'll give it a go