Habitat - Indoor :: Does anyone use a Sunsun filter?

[MerryMenagerie]

My friend delivered the stand, I cleaned the tank and refilled it, and my other friend who has fish tanks came over to help me set up the filter. It will only work for a few minutes after being primed a lot, and if the outtake hose is held under the water. When it's connected and hooked to the side of the tank, it won't work. My friend thinks its because at the rope of the outtake bar, it's taking in air. The water level does not cover the small holes there. I would have to fill the tank almost to the top.

Any ideas?

[MerryMenagerie]

On this picture, it's part number 14 that is taking in air. I can't submerge it because then the water level would be above the dock.

[Tdgosu]

I recently purchased a Sunsun filter. Are you sure you have the hoses set to the right nozzles? If you set it up to the way it is in the picture of the instruction manual, it's actually backwards. If you are looking at the filter with the nozzles closest to you, the right nozzle is the intake and the left is the exhaust.

Also for the problem with part #14, I had the same problem. All I did was remove part #14 entirely and just had the curly bar go straight into the shaft that leads to part #16. Worked without a hitch after that. How deep is your tank btw?

[MerryMenagerie]

Do you mean I said it backwards? I think your'ee right, it's the intake side that's the problem. I'll try to connect it without that part. D you have a picture of your connection?

I'll have to measure how deep the water is.

[devilduck]

Item 14 looks like a surface skimmer. It's used to remove floating scum from the surface of the water. You don't really need to use it if you have a bubble stone or place the spray bar so that it ripples the water surface. You can remove parts 11,12,14 and you should be fine.

These SunSun filters come with a ton of stuff! I might get one when my canister gives out.

[Tdgosu]

Do you mean I said it backwards? I think your'ee right, it's the intake side that's the problem. I'll try to connect it without that part. D you have a picture of your connection?

I'll have to measure how deep the water is.

Yes, I suppose so. When you said the outtake was taking in water, I was thinking that you had the hoses connected to the opposite nozzles

Here's a picture of how I have mine connected:


Though if your water level is as low as I think it is, this probably won't work for you. Only reason it's working for me is because the end of the intake bar is actually underwater when it's in the shaft of #16. If this is the case, I would recommend either using a tube to connect the two pieces or using a sealant to seal it up. Last resort would probably be to just buy a different intake tube set up.

[steve]

Also, after it's primed, rock it back and forth a little and wait a few minutes. Then let it run for a few minutes then shut it off again for a few minutes.

[MerryMenagerie]

It's about 14 inches right now...55 gallon tank.

[MerryMenagerie]

It's working. I ended up removing the skimmer part and connecting it the way tdgosu shows it. It was still taking in some air so for now it has tape on that seam. It's above the water so it's fine for now. My friend suggested silicone tape on the inside would seal it better. I also cut the hoses much shorter... Still some slack but no curls in the hose like before. We checked all the media, and the impeller is running freely. It got cloudy quickly, maybe due to the driftwood piece and the log with fake plant attached (both from petsmart). I'm hoping it clears quickly now with the filter running. It has fine and coarse sponges, ceramic rings, charcoal and bio balls.

[Tdgosu]

It's working. I ended up removing the skimmer part and connecting it the way tdgosu shows it. It was still taking in some air so for now it has tape on that seam. It's above the water so it's fine for now. My friend suggested silicone tape on the inside would seal it better. I also cut the hoses much shorter... Still some slack but no curls in the hose like before. We checked all the media, and the impeller is running freely. It got cloudy quickly, maybe due to the driftwood piece and the log with fake plant attached (both from petsmart). I'm hoping it clears quickly now with the filter running. It has fine and coarse sponges, ceramic rings, charcoal and bio balls.

Nice! Glad you got it all worked out

If you can, I'd replace the white pads that the filter comes with. They seems to clog up pretty quick and are a nightmare to clean thoroughly. The downsides of using a fiber pad

I've set mine up with 2 inches of 20ppi coarse foam on the very bottom basket and 1/2 inch of 10ppi foam on the pre filter tray. The prefilter tray gets very dirty

[MerryMenagerie]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Tdgosu]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Also, how loud is yours? I've seen people say that it's whisper quite and can't really hear it run unless they get up close to it with their ear ... but mine seems to have a hum/buzz to it. It's under a table and I can hear it in a quiet room if i listen for it, or if i kneel infront of the table.

[steve]

Maybe you can put a cork board down for it?