Filter not working well

[Moonlightsedge]

Ok, I have used it for a few days it was working ok, I switched it to a taller sided tank and had to lengthen the intake tube but now it isn't working much at all. It took me 1 1/2 hours to get it to trickle but there is an airbubble in the top of the intake tube that doesn't want to move and I would hate to think on how to get it going again if it stops for some reason, I am very frustrated.

Is it just because it isn't a strong enough pump for the length of my tube?

It is a 33 gallon tank with about 4-6 inches of water and the filter is the 30-50 one.

It is mostly running now, but not very strong and on it's strongest setting.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated by a very frustrated lady.

Thank You

[thegrandpoohbah]

A terrarium set-up? If the joints of the intake tube are exposed to air the filter usually won't work very well. Try siliconing the joints to make them air tight. I had the same problem with a Rena XP3 on my turtle tank. After applying the silicone and letting it dry overnight the problem went away.

[jvision]

Yeah, if air is getting in the line, it won't work well. But, if you can get a full siphon going w/o air in hte line, it should work well.

[Frank]

Like they said...

Or try lifting the line to get the air bubble to move.

[Vallisneria]

What kind of filter is it?

I had a similar problem when I setup a tank that was only half full. I was using a mini rapids cannister filter and it wasn't powerful enough to suck up the water that was 6-8" below the top of the tank. It worked fine when the tank was full but lower the water level more then a couple inches and the filter stopped flowing.

I have never had this problem with Aquaclears. They have always been good about working, even with the water level <1/2 full.

[randy]

What type of filter is it? and how long is the intake hose?

[Moonlightsedge]

The filter is an Aquaclear one. in a 33 gallon I only have about 4-6 inches of water in the bottom.

Fire belly toads so a half water half land type set up, more like 1/3 land though.

The joints are out of the water, so maye I will try siliconing it but I think I might wait until I have to turn it off for something, it is running just aout where I would probably set it anyways, or would it burn out if it has to work to hard to maintain just the bare minimum.

In the end it was almost 2 hours to get running, just fiddling and shifting things(I am not normally a patient person but once I started stripping their temp home I needed to and wanted to get it done)

I am not sure the lenth on the intake hose but at least 10 inches out of water, the water only goes up past the tip about an inch(the intake part is fairly long and pointed so it almost touches the bottom and I didn't want the water to much deeper) it might even be a little longer, it is an average shape 33 gallon.

Thanks.

[Vallisneria]

I would guess the filter isn't strong enough to pull the water up that high. In my tank(a 18" high tank that I had filled 1/3) I used a Aquaclear 500(110 I think) and it was able to pump the water up the intake.

Try returning the filter and get the next filter up(50 or 70 or 110)

[Sam Chicklets]

I use an internal Fluval 3 plus on my fire belly toad tank. It never gives me issues.

[Moonlightsedge]

Thanks, I will see if they will return it, I had it for 2 weeks before I installed it so they might not accept it back even though it has only been running for a couple days.

Thanks all.

I also have to say I adore my toads, I never thought I would be that taken with them.