FX5 not working properly- any suggestions?

[HeyNow]

My fluval FX5 which is under a year old and was purchased new, has stopped working.

It is properly set up, and regularly maintained- it is running w/ 2 other canister filters on my 224g tank which houses small to medium sized cichlids. The other filters are running with no issue (Rena Xp4 and a Fluval 405)

On the FX5 is no flow from the output hose and no suction from the intake. The pump itself is running. If I unplug it then plug it back in it goes through the priming cycle (on 2 minutes, off 2 minutes, then turns back on) but it just doesn't get any output or suction. If I leave it plugged in running like that it will start making noise like its struggling, so I have to leave it off.

I emptied the canister body of water and refilled it (twice), I took the motor housing off and cleaned the impeller and impeller well (following exact instructions in the manual) and nothing has helped.

I haven't cleaned or rinsed the media/foam pads or media baskets as they were done not to long ago but I am going to try that today and see if it makes a difference. After that I am going to call Fluval and see if they have any suggestions or if I can get it covered under warranty.

Has anyone had similar problems? Does anyone have any suggestions on getting this thing to run again?

Thanks in advance to anyone who might be able to help.

 

[Andrewtfw]

More than likely, the problem is that the foam media in either the top or middle is clogged and is blocking the holes under it from allowing water in. When flow on the FX5 significantly decreases, this is the first thing I check and has always been the case. To remedy this, I now place three aquaclear 70 sponges in the media chamber and then drape my other spnge media over top. This prevents the larger media from clogging the holes in the media chamber.

 

[HeyNow]

Thank you, thank you, 1000 times thank you!

I seriously didn't think it could be the media as I last cleaned it out/rinsed all the foam pads on 10/14- not long ago at all. However, I had added a fine filter pad to the top basket and that was caked solid w debri and muck.

I cleaned it all out and removed the pad, and bingo- works like a charm now.

Thanks again! I was starting to think I had to buy a new filter.

 

[valderi123]

nice save

 

[USMCtanker]

cool, just got an fx5 should be in mail soon. was worried for a second. ya past canistersi have had the foam media is usually always the cause of less flow. glad it worked out

 

[aclockworkorange]

I had the same issue when I tried to use the fine filter pads with my FX5.

 

[taksan]

The fine filter pads on FX5's clog within weeks on most tanks ... useless

 

[aclockworkorange]

Well I would argue that the reason they clog is because they are actually trapping lots of particles in them so they are doing what they are supposed to do... It's just annoying to have to take apart a bulky fx5 for any reason and I certainly don't want to do it every couple weeks to change out the filter pad.

 

[jay_leask]

the blue pads are useless!!

 

[rhodes_96]

the blue pads are useless!!

Currently running 7 X fx5s on various tanks. I find the blue pads are very good balance in regards to fine mechanical filtration and length between maintenance intervals.