Hello all I purchased a 35 gallon tank with a Penguin Biowheel 330 filter (relatively the same as the penguin 350) and just finished filling it up with purified filtered water. I'm really excited to get this tank up, my first tank! My problem is that my filter turns on, impeller spins but the water does not go through the filter. My buddy had this working last week. How do I get the water to start going through the filter for the first time? I know it sounds dumb but I never used a biowheel filter before. The impeller is spinning and the filter is clean with new biowheels, the other end of the filter dips in about 3 inches into the water. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and sorry for my ignorance thanks.

Take cups of water from the tank and pour it into the filter till it spills out over the lip back into the tank.
Then turn it on!

BTW, welcome to the fourm! Glad to have you join!

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thanks a lot, I feel really dumb now, got it working like a charm. Really excited about getting this puppy up and running, I'm doing research to see what fish and plants would fit my environment best. I have crushed coral (freshwater), I'm looking for a peaceful community tank with vibrant colors, looking for fish that are easy to maintain and are not so specific about water conditions. Can't wait to get it rolling!

Don't feel dumb, we've all been there once.
Crushed coral will give you a high pH, and a high pH makes ammonia very toxic.
So stock the tank very slowly and get fish that can handle the high pH, such as African Cichlids.
Congratulations on your new tank - you're in for a lot of enjoyment!
Happy to help, let me know if you have any questions!

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