[falcooo]

1. The suction cup on my powerhead keeps coming loose and then the powerhead falls and aims down blowing straight into the sand substrate, and if it happens while im at work or school, than i come back to a sand stormy mess.

2. My Marineland Penguine 350 filter has been acting up lately, for some reason every once and a while it makes a noise which sounds like its running without water. And when i look at the top of it, i see it is full of water but no water is flowing through the biowheels and back into the tank.


Two separate issues, anyone have any ideas or suggestions that could help me out here......thanks a lot.

 

[tatersalad]

Powerhead problem can be solved by getting a better setup, I have to recommend these: http://www.marinedepot.com/Hydor_Ko...m_Powerheads-Hydor_USA-HD00715-FIPHFF-vi.html
Held on by suction cup and a magnet, I don't think you can knock em off.
Your other problem with the marineland 350 sounds like your impeller is worn out.
Looks like what you need right here: http://www.aquariumpart.com/PRIM350B_Filter_Impeller_Assembly_p/rml50417.htm

 

[fishyboy]

The first likely caused the 2nd. HOB impellers don't like sand

 

[acitydweller]

+1 on the hydor except... they are dangerous if you have delicate things like shrimp which may inadvertently be sucked in....

noise sounds like a failing impeller

 

[[email protected]]

When you stick your power head on the glass, is the glass clean and the suction cup clean? If not, the vacuum will fail. If the cups are stiff, you can order replacements for name brand units. Some of the replacements will work for generic power heads, but it may take a trial or three to find the correct size. I solved several suction cup issues by ordering one set of every suction cup spare Big Al's stocked.

I concur that your impeller shaft is worn and needs to be replaced. If your power head is a generic Chinese unit, you can probably get a new power head for the cost of the repairs. (repair parts plus shipping)

Petco sells what I consider to be a very decent power head / water pump for $15.00.
But... I've been using two for less than a year so far.
I've got AquaClear and Marineland power heads that have been in use for many years each.

 

[falcooo]

Guys thanks for the very informative answers, i put a new impeller in and the filter seems to working like a champ so far. I did a little rearranging in the tank and placed a larger piece of driftwood under the power head so that incase it does fall, at least it wont aim down at the sand bottom. And i don't remember the brand of the power head but i bought it at petco and did got whichever one was the best they carried at the time.

 

[falcooo]

Side question hopefully someone can answer, i have several amazon sword plants in my tank that appear to be melting away. They always did well, but for some reason over the past few weeks they have been dying off. I noticed my temperature was in the upper 70s, no idea how that happened. Could that have caused this? Or the recent disturbances due to the power head shooting into the dirt/sand? Either way, i did a water change. Added some Flourish, and will start dosing excel regularly to hopefully bring them back to life.