[jaslyman]

It's been a long time since I've posted here, but I know it's a very knowledgeable community and I'm hoping that someone is available that might provide some help.

I've got a 50g planted tank with an Eheim 2026 that I've had for probably about 7 years or so. Today I cleaned the filter, and shortly after reconnecting everything and turning it back on, I noticed leaking water around the base. Disconnected everything, applied some vaseline around the rubber seal that surrounds the head and tried again. The leak occurs after I reconnect the intake / output tubing but before I turn the power back on, so I'm suspicious that it's a problem with the plastic piece that connects the tubing to the actual filter.

I've tried connecting it now 4-5 times and it leaks every time - any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks very much,
Jason

 

[jaslyman]

Here's a picture - is there supposed to be a red piece on each side?

Image fail? should be at http://flic.kr/p/bFxM54

 

[AndreyT]

The leak occurs after I reconnect the intake / output tubing but before I turn the power back on, so I'm suspicious that it's a problem with the plastic piece that connects the tubing to the actual filter.

What exactly do you mean by "reconnect"? Merely reconnecting the empty tubing will not trigger a leak. You need at least to prime the filter, i.e. to draw the water from the tank into the input tube, which will then fill the canister and proceed to to the output tube as well.

Once the filter is primed, all its components are subjected to the full water pressure defined by the height difference between your fish tank and the filter (assuming the filter is installed lower than the tank). There's no need to turn on the pump for that. If anything in your filter is leaking, it can begin to leak at this point already, even if the pump is still off.

For this reason, I don't see how you concluded that the problem is with the connector specifically.

Can you actually see at what point exactly the water is seeping from the filter?

 

[Steve001]

Easy solution. If you have a heavily planted tank that's not overstocked with fish and such. Then it's absolutely practical to not use any other artificial forms filtration. Plants all by themselves do a perfectly good job of filtering the water. If none of this applies then I can't help you.

BTW, you didn't correctly post the links to some photos. If the photos are on your pc then scroll down and click manage attachments.

 

[jaslyman]

So... the filter *had* been primed, as the first time I noticed the leak was after priming it and turning it back on. But yes, I recognize what you're saying in that there is significant pressure in place now since it's been primed.

I guess I'm concluding it's related to the connector unit because the leak seems to be coming just down the "back" side of the filter - the side directly under the tubing connection.

 

[speerwashere]

Bees wax from a toilet bowl ring (new) works best for sealing

 

[jaslyman]

Steve - well, that is reassuring in a sense because right now the tank is very understocked, due primarily to some sort of parasitic / bacterial infection that swept through the tank a couple of months ago (my theory) killing all but 1 cardinal tetra, 1 SAE and an upside down cat. But I have also have a big algae problem which is what led me to go ahead and try to clean the filter.

Yeah, I see I'm not doing something right with the images. I'm using Chrome on a Mac... I don't see 'Manage Attachments'.. that's a link off the web site?

Thanks for your help

 

[Steve001]

Steve - well, that is reassuring in a sense because right now the tank is very understocked, due primarily to some sort of parasitic / bacterial infection that swept through the tank a couple of months ago (my theory) killing all but 1 cardinal tetra, 1 SAE and an upside down cat. But I have also have a big algae problem which is what led me to go ahead and try to clean the filter.

Yeah, I see I'm not doing something right with the images. I'm using Chrome on a Mac... I don't see 'Manage Attachments'.. that's a link off the web site?

Thanks for your help

Manage attachments is at the bottom same page as the post / reply page below the first two submit reply and preview post tabs. Just scroll down.

That algae problem can also be controlled by adding lots more fast growing plants like Hygrophila polysperma. Once you have the alga under control you can the swap out Hygrophila polysperma for other plants if you want.
Your filter isn't absolutely required so you can kick back grab a beer and not panic. :smile:

 

[jaslyman]

Manage attachments is at the bottom same page as the post / reply page below the first two submit reply and preview post tabs. Just scroll down.

Ah yes.. i see it now - Thanks!

Your filter isn't absolutely required so you can kick back grab a beer and not panic. :smile:

Now that's the kind of advice I like. Thanks again

 

[Steve001]

Ah yes.. i see it now - Thanks!



Now that's the kind of advice I like. Thanks again

:icon_smil

If you would post the jpegs so I can see what your tank looks like.

 

[jaslyman]

:icon_smil

If you would post the jpegs so I can see what your tank looks like.

Ok, but it's not pretty

 

[Amazon]

My 2026 did this a couple of years ago. I ended up replacing the hose attachment that connects the hoses to the canister.

 

[GeToChKn]

Just had to replace my hose connector a while ago. Was about $25 new from Big Al's. Luckily we have a local Big Al's about 10mins away, so I went and got one and had it back and running in 20mins. I first tried to epoxy it back where I found a crack but it still leaked. Leaked less, but it still found a way through.

 

[Steve001]

Ok, but it's not pretty

Don't worry about how it looks. It's a little on the spare side. I'd go buy more plants. Are you adding co2 ?

At the top of this page is a link to the Photo Gallery I clicked on that and came across aquabard's tank. His or her's tank shows what a heavily planted looks like. The density of the plantings is what you want to emulate. The Your Tanks link also shows members tanks. With a heavily planted tank fish disease should also be minimal or non existent because some plants like Duck Weed give off chemicals detrimental to disease organisms,

 

[DesmondTheMoonBear]

When you say leak, do you mean leak water?

 

[jaslyman]

My 2026 did this a couple of years ago. I ended up replacing the hose attachment that connects the hoses to the canister.

Good to know - maybe that's my next course of action

 

[jaslyman]

Luckily we have a local Big Al's about 10mins away, so I went and got one and had it back and running in 20mins.

No such luck here, I'd have to buy it online. I'm a little wary of having to guess about which part is the problem and wasting time and money, but I don't know of another solution. I do want to have some filter working, even though technically i might not need one with lots of plants and few fish.

The Eheim hasn't been too bad, but aside from this issue the main annoyance is that it's really hard to prime it after cleaning.

 

[jaslyman]

When you say leak, do you mean leak water?

Yep - down the side of the filter just under the hose connection

 

[jaslyman]

Don't worry about how it looks. It's a little on the spare side. I'd go buy more plants. Are you adding co2 ?

At the top of this page is a link to the Photo Gallery I clicked on that and came across aquabard's tank. His or her's tank shows what a heavily planted looks like. The density of the plantings is what you want to emulate. The Your Tanks link also shows members tanks. With a heavily planted tank fish disease should also be minimal or non existent because some plants like Duck Weed give off chemicals detrimental to disease organisms

Thank you for the advice. I did use CO2 for a while, but stopped because a) I had enormous plant growth, almost too much, and then b) the tubing developed a leak resulting in way too much CO2 entering the water and several fish almost died - I think I lost maybe 1 or 2, but the rest recovered with some water changes. In any case, I'm not sure I'm ready to go back to CO2 at this point, but I'll consider it.

 

[Amazon]

Good to know - maybe that's my next course of action

Yah, I didn't want to screw around with finding the o-ring which was leaking...I had the canister sitting in a pan under my tank :icon_eek:

I found a copy of my Big Al's order from 2009...I ordered the following, I even replaced the tubing (it was time):

7360 Eheim Double Tap Connector F/2026/2028
7571 Eheim Sealing Ring For 2227/29 2026/2028
6802 Eheim Sealing Ring Set for Double Tap Unit for 2026/2028/2126/2128 Filters
7797 Eheim Tubing- 16/22 Mm (in case you need it)

There's a chance you may just need "6802". But I didn't want to mess around.