NEED Fluval replacement motor...

[WABlonde]

Hi.. not sure how else to go about this other than post an SOS thread. We just got our tank home and are in the process of setting it up... and... the motor to the Fluval FX5 canister filter went out. . I thought, what's the chance that someones put aside their Canister in exchange for a Sump and just happen to have a motor laying around.

It's Sunday evening.. and we have fish and coral that we're very much wanting to keep ALIVE. Any assitance or suggestions is very much appreciated.

Sarah

 

[Krish]

Ouch! Sorry to hear :doubt: I see you said you just got your tank home and are setting it up and also that you have livestock. Is this setup something you bought from another reefer which was already set up and running and you are just re-locating the setup to your place? If so, what was in the canister filter when they had it running?

 

[WABlonde]

Yes - transported an already established reef aquarium from seller's place to my home. Canister had no media in it, just sponge type filter. We've pulled it apart and cleaned everything.. Just dead motor. Fishies are in their home now. We have the skimmer running as well as a few power heads that we found in the mess of things. Tanks is settling and beginning to clear a bit. Anxious for it to clear so I can set-up my LR. Worried about not having a filter or sump but maybe with the amount of LV, it'll do okay. Did all my water tests and everything looks good so far.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

I would double check the impellar as a piece of sand my be lodged in there and stopping the spinning. I had the same thing happen to one of my pumps I surely thought it was dead took it apart and a small piece of sand lodged against the wall and the impellar.

 

[thatguy559]

i have 2 fx5's on my turtle tank and when they first start up they go for about 2 mins then stop and reboot and start up again in about 7 mins not sure if yours is doing that.

 

[Krish]

Yes - transported an already established reef aquarium from seller's place to my home. Canister had no media in it, just sponge type filter. We've pulled it apart and cleaned everything.. Just dead motor. Fishies are in their home now. We have the skimmer running as well as a few power heads that we found in the mess of things. Tanks is settling and beginning to clear a bit. Anxious for it to clear so I can set-up my LR. Worried about not having a filter or sump but maybe with the amount of LV, it'll do okay. Did all my water tests and everything looks good so far.

Well, if it just had a sponge in there (the canister) then you should be fine if you can't get it up and running. Doesn't sound like it was used for anything other than mechanical filtration (catching debris). It may hold some biological properties though (ie aerobic bacteria) depending on how it was used, but wouldn't think it would be the main source of it. Your liverock should be your main source of biological filtration. Continue keeping an eye on things and let us know how it goes. Good luck!!

 

[returnofsid]

I would suggest taking this opportunity to actually do away with the canister filter. That sponge media, inside it, unless cleaned every couple of days, will just become a nitrate factory, producing lots of nitrates.

Quality flow, Quality Live rock and a protein skimmer is all you need, for filtration.

 

[WABlonde]

Thanks guys. Found out it was under warranty and tank seems to have been doing fine without it. We're thinking about keeping the canister but taking out the sponge and filling it with LR fragments. Any thoughts. We have a 75 gallon with about 80-100 lbs. of LR and skimmer.

 

[Krish]

Thanks guys. Found out it was under warranty and tank seems to have been doing fine without it. We're thinking about keeping the canister but taking out the sponge and filling it with LR fragments. Any thoughts. We have a 75 gallon with about 80-100 lbs. of LR and skimmer.

I wouldn't suggest filling it with liverock rubble. Won't do you any good and will work basically as your sponge did. The only thing I'd suggest using the canister for is to run carbon. We had a good debate here the other day on this very same topic. You can find it here http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57370&highlight=canister+filter