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Help please!

Discussion in 'Aquarium Equipment & Decor' started by angelfishmomma, Feb 2, 2011.

  1. angelfishmomma

    angelfishmomma Thread Starter New Member

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    Hi all I am fairly new to all of this as far as breeding angels put have kept fish for 12yrs +. I have a problem with my cheap secondary filter in my hatch tank. It is a cheap Top Fin overflow pump. Motor will run, I have de-limed with vinegar, and cleaned all matter from the impeller. I prime the pump and have changed the filter media but yet it will not move the water. I still have filtration of a sponge filter in the hatch tank and the fry are big enough I could potentially put them back in with the mother. ( I had to remove the eggs as the parents were eating them. This was a first time pairing.) But I would like to let them grow a bit more in the 10 gallon tank before moving them. Short of purchasing a new filter, any suggestions to try. I have only had this pump about 6 months when I saw the first batch of angelfish eggs in my 32 hex tank.

    Thanks in advance.
     
    angelfishmomma, Feb 2, 2011
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  2. FishVixen

    FishVixen Active Member

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    have you scrubbed the area where the magnets connect? I have to do that every now and then when the stop running. If you have a air pump Make a DIY corner filter use a wide mouth jar like a mayonnaise jar cut small holes very close to the bottom. I cut out the lid just leaving a rim and place a piece of plastic craft canvas inside the lid. Fill bottom with gravel thread airline through a bottom hole put in plastic scrubbies from the Dollar store and fiberglass floss from walmart to the top, sink it and attach the air pump. Now you have a homemade filter.
     
    FishVixen, Feb 2, 2011
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  3. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    I remember once when I used HOB filters I had to plug one unit in and pull on the impeller and drop it down to get it to "spin" then it would start to suck water in like it should.
     
    Anthony, Feb 2, 2011
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  4. angelfishmomma

    angelfishmomma Thread Starter New Member

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    Sorry I have been without internet for a while. I managed to get pump running again. I took it to a local aquatics store and they helped replace the impeller at very little cost and it is now running fine. i have since upgraded to a better pump that was display model at the same aquatic store. They gave me a great deal on it. it is a biowheel.
     
    angelfishmomma, Feb 28, 2011
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  5. fllszbrnc

    fllszbrnc New Member

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    I don't know if this was your issue, but I have had several impelers sepeate from the magnet which caused the pump not to work. If this happens you can easily epoxy the two pieces back together and it will run again, as apposed to buying a new impeller.
     
    fllszbrnc, Feb 28, 2011
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  6. angelfishmomma

    angelfishmomma Thread Starter New Member

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    The issue was that the impeller had cracked its housing and had seperated. While working with the aquatics store owner, he sold me the impeller off a broken pump for $1!!! and then helped put it on the pump. i have done a lot of business with these people and they have been great. I iwill keep the epoxy idea in mind. The shop owner had said something about possibly doing that but with the crack on the impeller he suggested we try to replace it.
     
    angelfishmomma, Mar 1, 2011
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  7. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics New Member

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    with babies its best to use a sponge filter, get one rated 2-3x bigger then the tank size you are using, remove everything from the tank, just a bare tank,sponge filter and a heater is all you need.

    You are going to spend less money on a new filter then you will replacing pieces to that filter.
    For a 29g id suggest a hydor 3 or 4.
     
    WhiteGloveAquatics, Mar 1, 2011
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  8. angelfishmomma

    angelfishmomma Thread Starter New Member

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    I have a great relationship with my local aquatics store and they tried to patch the crack for free. I have a sponge filter, but had problems with the water still going very cloudy. I used a breeders net around the pump intake for the overflow pump with the sponge filter in the tank and a bare tank bottom. Clear tank and healthy babies there after. I was doing frequent water changes also, about 25% ever 2 days per recommendation of my local aquatics store owner who formerly breed angelfish.
     
    angelfishmomma, Mar 29, 2011
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  9. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics New Member

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    I change my water atleast 50% daily in my grow out tanks. It helps the fish grow faster.
     
    WhiteGloveAquatics, Mar 29, 2011
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