Added gravel, filter stopped?

[sinthesis]

Hello,

I've been cycling my 55 gallon tank for about almost two weeks (been out of town a week). Aquatech 30/60 filter was running fine. I had 40 lbs Eco-Complete black substrate, and needed another bag, which I just added. As I was adding it, my filter just stopped running.

It's not clogged with gravel, nothing looks unusual, I tried unplugging/replugging, priming, what the heck happened?

This filter was used, I bought the setup on Craigslist, but she only had all of it for a month.

Anyone have any ideas? I know I need to get this running ASAP, or get a new one tomorrow ($$ ).

Thanks!!

[PlantedRich]

Start by taking it down and doing some checking. Does the impeller turn easy? Does the magnet turning make the impeller blades turn? There is sometimes a small plastic nub sticking out and it breaks off so that the magnet turns but not the blades. Once cleaned and put back together, does the impeller turn but just no water flow? Check for stopped up tubing, etc. Just for giggles, make sure the power outlet is actually providing power!!! GFCI in other rooms sometimes trip and throw us into a panic.

If it died as you were adding gravel, there is a real good chance there is sand(tiny gravel?) jamming the impeller.

[In.a.Box]

unplug, pull the impeller out, put it back. Should work.
the impeller on the aquatech filter is stuck to the intank so pull that out.

if it doesnt work its broken, i have a smaller aquatech that did the same thing, YEP that filter doesnt work. i also have 2 more small one and a big one that did the same thing, it stop but after doing what i say above it work again.

[sinthesis]

Thanks guys. After some fiddling like you said I got it working. I'm new to aquariums so I don't know much about how these things work!

[PlantedRich]

That's the neat thing about mag drive motors. There is so little there that it can all be seen. No bearings or other parts outside of the imepller. But then that simple design gives very little torque and can get stopped really easy. Glad you solved it.

[DarkCobra]

Originally Posted by PlantedRich

But then that simple design gives very little torque and can get stopped really easy.

Yup, and there's a little trick that takes advantage of that. With the filter running, wave a strong magnet around the impeller housing. This is equivalent to giving the impeller a nudge by hand, but without any disassembly; and will often unstick it. You'll feel the magnet vibrate when you're in the right spot. Though if it gets stuck again soon, you should disassemble and clean manually.

[sinthesis]

Wow! Great info--thanks!

[PlantedRich]

That sounds like a quick solution but I want to point out that it may also be an expensive fix.
It does only take a grain of sand in the wrong spot to stop an impeller. That grain of sand CAN be moved out of the way by a small nudge. The downside which can eventually force you to buy a new impleller is the part I don't like. When you nudge the impeller and get it moving again, where does the bit of sand wind up? Still in the filter where it is likely to be scoring the impeller, shaft or seat. When it is scored enough, it costs you to buy new.
I prefer to work a bit harder to take the thing apart and clean it.

[DarkCobra]

Good point PlantedRich. I haven't had any issues with this, but I don't have any sand or other hard material likely to get drawn into the Aquaclears. Most of the time the issue is that the starting torque is so low, that even the sticky biofilm on the magnet and housing is enough to keep it from starting up again; especially if I've had the filter off for a while. Occasionally it will be a snail living in the media chamber, which crawled over to the impeller in the meantime. It's always reliably ejected back to the media chamber with no damage to the impeller (but maybe with some damage to the snail).

As with everything, use your judgement and take your chances with shortcuts. This one has served me well.