[Flippy's mom]

Hi Gang

I have a fluval 405 on my 65 gallon tank. Over the weekend I did routine maintenance on the filter and now it's making a horrible rattling noise (so bad that I have to unplug it at night) I've taken it apart to see if something is amiss.. but it all looks fine. I replaced the impeller cover last summer when I dropped it and snapped one of the plastic latches off and I replaced the 'stick' in November when it broke (normal wear & tear I guess) The impeller is in fine condition itself. This filter is about 2 1/2 years old.

Any advice/input is much appreciated.

Ashley~

 

[JIM]

Hi there ive never been a big fan of canister filters for reasons i wont elaborate on now, but after some investigation, ive found this is not an unheard of problem with the 405. All i have read points to the Impeller as the culprit, also a slight possibility since you just serviced it is an air pocket in the impeller chamber, which is commonly known as air lock. This latter problem can sometimes be remedied by tilting the canister slightly while the unit is running, to move the air pocket enough to let the pump eliminate it. If these suggestions dont work, i would, as was also suggested by those who owned these units in the past, Replace it with a more user friendly Hang on the tank filter with double Bio-Wheels. Hope this helps. Good luck

 

[MediaHound]

Good advice, it didn't even occur to me about the bubble that can get in there when I was trying to think of what it could be. The impeller is upside down and that makes perfect sense. I have a Fluval (not in service atm) but never had that happen.

 

[Flippy's mom]

Thanks.. I've tried all those suggestions and as for the albeit user friendly Hang on the tank filter with double Bio-Wheels, been there & done that.. but with 2 turtles you need something with more capacity than what your tank size really requires.

 

[MediaHound]

Try a new impeller, they do get worn towards the inside where the magnet has the little arm that spins the blades.

 

[JIM]

Have you ever considered, something like a 10 gal sump with drip plate, and all filtration there

 

[Dmaaaaax]

I love canister filters compared to hang on the backs. They save space behind your tank, and you can clean them simply by unclicking them from their hosing. The tend to filter more water in general, and allow for more media options via the number of buckets and dividers. However, I do have preferences when it comes to cansisters. *td (I have a post under products comparing a few)

Remove your impeller completely and pull out the metal. Make sure the plastic spindles are not bent, and that the metal rod does not have any hair wrapped around it. Look at the magnet for scratches. If you see any this means that the housing has gravel or something coarse that needs to be wiped out. Put the top back on without the impeller and see if you hear any noises. It should be silent but if not, it is your motor. To remove any excess air (besides tilting) you can use that manual primer to force any air out. Hope this helps narrow down your problem.

 

[tinchy]

guys, on reading blogs on the noisy 405 ext filters i to had this prob at the weekend. checked it all out stripped it but it back, stripped it put it back and still got the rattling sound. this happened after some routine maintenance i was carrying out. after a wee hour or 2 i decided that air leak possibilities may come from round the large O Ring that sits in the groove in the inside of the lid. I lubricated this with some vaseline and hey presto the rattling sound has gone and you would never know there was an ext filter on. happy days!!!