• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Help!: New Oase Biomaster Filter Will Not Prime

L

Lovegasoline

New Member
Joined
13 Jun 2023
Messages
4
Location
USA
Greeting Aquarists,
Coming out of a tank leak disaster - and subsequent filter issue and leaks - I've got a brand new canister filter, Oase Biomaster 600 Thermo.
Installed it and cannot get it to prime. No matter what I do pumping primer, mouth siphoning, cannot get a siphon to start.

Pumping the primer creates a strong gurgle in the water but does not lift it through the hose. Not even an inch. Nothing.
I rechecked all the hose fitting and clamps, everything is solid.

Read online about mouth siphoning via intake tubing. That doesn't work either. I sucked like a madman until my lungs came out my butt, but it's too hard ... I can raise the water maybe an inch or two. One time I got some slight trickle of water to flow through the intake hose, not a solid water column mind you,, more like a thin stream, but when I released suction ... nothing. And the sucking to achieve that was Guinness World Records level, any harder and I'd pass out. It's too hard to suck.

I removed the intake/output disconnect valve and did the hack where you rotate the mechanism underneath to OPEN the valves (while they are off the filter), and tried mouth siphoning from the intake valve. Got lots of (turtle) water in my mouth and stomach but could not generate a siphon so that it worked on it's own. Been at this for hours. No clue. My old filter (I had for 17 years Rena/Filstar XP3) you poured water in the top of the intake and it would prime, sometimes fitfully, but it would prime. Not this filter.

During set up I used silicone grease on seals and o-rings. Pre-filter tube, heater, and intake/output connector are all locked in place, everything is aligned properly.

I'm not familiar with fluid physics but here's my setup:

Tank and filter physical layout:
-Tank is 37 gallon (high version, 22" high), but only has 8" of water in it (last week tank leaked from a joint and I cannot find the same size replacement tank locally (only this specific size which is rare - not one of the dozen standards - fits my built-in nook).
-Filter is located on the floor.
-There's about 5' length of hose from filter to intake tube fitting at the top of tank (then 14" down until the water level: again tank is 22" with 8" of water in it).
-There's 12" between top of canister filter and base of aquarium.
-Aquarium is 22" high. Again with only 8" of water in it.

Any ideas?
Thanks a bunch!
 
Last edited:
Hi
Welcome to the UKaps!
Have you filled the canister filter full of water? If not, I would do this in a washing-up bowl or bucket until the water overflows the sides, then add the pump head!
Another suggestion is to repair the leak with silicone then fill up the aquarium with water and then remove it later to your desired water level.
A couple of images would be helpful.
Cheers
 
If the issue is just having to pull up the water from the almost empty tank, you could try as follows:

Turn the thingie where the hoses are connected to the filter so that the filter input and output are closed;
Unplug any intake grid or whatever from the intake hose;
With a cup or something, fill the input hose with water, all the way to the opening, removing any air bubbles, then cover the opening with your hand;
Immerse the hose's opening into the tank water and uncover it;
Unturn the thingie you turned in the first step to allow for the water to flow into the filter.

That should form a siphon. At this point, the pumping primer should be enough to get it moving.

Also check if you didn't invert the input and output hoses, there is a one-way valve mechanism in the filter that won't let it work if you don't assemble the hoses properly. I say this because I found it weird that you read about mouth siphoning it from the intake hose, in my head it should be done from the output hose because of the one way valve. Unless it's a matter of perspective? Intake to the tank? I assume intake is intake to the filter.
 
GHNelson said:
Hi
Welcome to the UKaps!
Have you filled the canister filter full of water? If not, I would do this in a washing-up bowl or bucket until the water overflows the sides, then add the pump head!
Another suggestion is to repair the leak with silicone then fill up the aquarium with water and then remove it later to your desired water level.
A couple of images would be helpful.
Cheers
Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome.
I haven't filled the canister. No indication to do so in the manual (the XP3 didn't require this). Spoke with customer service today and franky they weren't much help and I thought the customer service was 'C' esp. for the premium they sell this filter for. I called about 40 minutes before they closed. They want to get back to me tomorrow. The CSR also mentioned it the canister needs to be filled up first (like at sink or with a bucket). I pointed out this step is NOT stated in the manual. I was directed to page 10 which has the following:

'NOTE When the filter is filled with water, water may spill when the heater is inserted.
•Take measures to clean / prevent spillage.

That refers only to using an onboard heater with the filter. (The Thermo model with onboard heater (or standard version with aftermarket on-board heater).
No mention anywhere else in the manual regarding filling the canister. In fact, when it discuses priming it states:

"Press the priming button and release it until the water flows out of the tank and into the filter.
- The filter is completely flooded when water emerges from the outlet assembly."

Oh well, so much for expecting simple clarity - or even ballpark instructions - from a comply that charges $400 for a canister filter. Good god.

-----------

OK, so I filled canister with water till it spilled out all over the place. Primed. Plugged it in. No change. Impeller spins noisily but doesn' pump even a cubic centimeter of water.

Impeller looks fine, spins when dry and plugged in, bushings look fine.

Regarding the tank: it can't be trusted. The leak was a disaster with water shooting sideways out a couple spots along one joint. I can see flex in the joint where the silicone is apparantly failing, also a small chip on the arris which seems to go (nearly?) through the thickness of the glass. I got it 11 year ago -used - after my turtle broke the previous tank. I investigated any possible avenue to repair, including triage repair. As is I have a bar clamp placed to gently maintain pressure on the panels (like doing a woodworking glue-up) which seems to be sealing the joint sort will hold 8" of water without leaking.
 
Last edited:
hypnogogia said:
Don’t think the primer is designed to lift the water that high and back down again to state a siphon.
Click to expand...

That's a concern.
Spoke with Oase's customer care with not much luck or confidence in their service.

In order to eliminate the height, I removed the input TUBE (in tank tube that connects with output hose at fitting. This removes 18+/- inches of vertical travel for the water column.
Placed end of hose in bucket. Placed bucket at aquarium level, a little higher, to the side (hose running upwards diagonally) No change.
 
LMuhlen said:
If the issue is just having to pull up the water from the almost empty tank, you could try as follows:

Turn the thingie where the hoses are connected to the filter so that the filter input and output are closed;
Unplug any intake grid or whatever from the intake hose;
With a cup or something, fill the input hose with water, all the way to the opening, removing any air bubbles, then cover the opening with your hand;
Immerse the hose's opening into the tank water and uncover it;
Unturn the thingie you turned in the first step to allow for the water to flow into the filter.

That should form a siphon. At this point, the pumping primer should be enough to get it moving.

Also check if you didn't invert the input and output hoses, there is a one-way valve mechanism in the filter that won't let it work if you don't assemble the hoses properly. I say this because I found it weird that you read about mouth siphoning it from the intake hose, in my head it should be done from the output hose because of the one way valve. Unless it's a matter of perspective? Intake to the tank? I assume intake is intake to the filter.
Click to expand...

Input and output are not inverted.
Tried your suggestion. I removed the output tube and the fitting where it connects to the output hose. Put a 2 gallon bucket of water on aquarium cabinet top, same level as aquarium (but bucket has higher water level). Closed output valve. Filled output hose with funnel, no air bubbles finger over end of hose, out in water bucket; opened output valve at filter. Tried pumping primer 3-4 timers. Turned on. No change.

I say this because I found it weird that you read about mouth siphoning it from the intake hose, in my head it should be done from the output hose because of the one way valve. Unless it's a matter of perspective? Intake to the tank? I assume intake is intake to the filter.
Click to expand...

You're right. It was a typo. I did do it from the output hose. However when that too did not work I tried it from the input tube to see if I could get ANY siphon in any manner. The video below shows how to open the hose valves even when the valves are locked off/disconnected, so I did that and placed my mouth on the intake valve at the quick disconnector (see below):

 
The impeller spins noisily but doesn't pump even a cubic centimeter of water.
Hi
Probably need a electric extension cord for power to do this.
Best do this outside or in a bathtub!

Remove the hose adapter with the hoses.
Fill the chamber with water.....test the filter runs by switching on and off quickly, you will need a towel as water will spout out where the hose adapter would be!

Refill the chamber and add the hose adapter.....try and fill the intake hose with water and submerge the end in the aquarium.
The below would be handy to put on the end of the hose to keep the water in the hose.
30-519637522bd6_1.8636e06a6462b280c6c1b0a2bba3bc8e.jpg
Switch it on but don't Prime the filter.....try that good luck!
hoggie
 
I currently use oase biomaster filters I never use the priming button. To prime after I clean prefilter or internally I always empty the outlet hose of water so the air has clear passage out of the canister if the tank has enough water in it when you reopen the shut off on the hoses it will create a siphon automatically and prime by itself. When I set up my empty filter from new I just sucked on the outlet hose till i heard water enter the canister and it primed by itself. I used to have issues with priming them and the motor sounding like it was stuck with no water movement eventually i found these methods primed the filter every time. I hope these methods help in some way.
 
That's what I do...

1) close the input/output using the lever
2) detach the intake plastic bits
3) fill the intake hose fully with water, you can use a small jug or whatever you have at hand
4) re-attach plastic intake bits and submerge them in the water
5) open the input/output using the lever

As long as there is gravity in your house and the intake hose is longer than the height of your tank, water displacement will start the siphon, you should not even need to push the prime button.
 
I find that priming my Biomasters following a change or wash of the pre-filter foams leads to about 5-10 minutes of pressing the priming button, it is a bit frustrating. Maybe my input tube needs to be shortened as there is a U bend in it before it reaches the Biomaster.
 
Did you ever get this sorted out?

I know I made a mistake once by wrongly connecting the inlet pipe to the outlet on the filter, and outflow pipe to the inlet on the filter.

Like you I sucked my lungs inside out but could not get any water to siphon into the filter and pumping did nothing.

Easy school boy error but once I changed the hoses round it filled and pumped first time.
I always attach another hose to the outlet pipe and after sucking, wait until the water is flowing into a bucket freely, then disconnect the hose and switch the filter on. Works great everytime, assuming you have connected the hoses to the right connections on the filter.
 
I'm needing a bit of help myself with an Oase BioStyle 75 Hang on filter.

Has anyone got one of these Oase Hang in the side filters.

I bought this Oase BioStyle 75 Filters for a small Nano tank set up.

I can't get the water to flow, its just gurgling and making a noise. It says it could take up to 3 minutes for the siphon to complete and start flowing back in to the tank.

I've tried the usual troubleshooting advice in the manual, but still can't seem to get it working.
20231114_184353.jpg
20231114_184324.jpg
Any ideas?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top