Thinking of getting a Fluval G6 (media questions...)

[Antipofish]

you using Purigen?? as this will redeuce TDS.

Funnily enough, no. The filter bag containing my purigen from the Eheim was filthy ! As was the filter wool pad. I could not believe how dirty it was inside that filter, given it has only been running a couple of weeks. Take a look here....

So at the moment I have not got purigen in there. The chemical cartridge is full with carbon. Tomorrow I intend to remove half the carbon, transfer the purigen into a clean bag, and put that in the chem cartridge.

 

[Antipofish]

OK, So, I have a question about using the chem cartridge. Mine has a black cartridge containing carbon in at the moment. If I want to run purigen in the chem section, do I take out the carbon from the black inner cartridge and put the purigen bag in that, or do I just discard the black cartridge (for reuse with carbon later if I want) and put the purigen bag inside the red outer cartridge, and then replace the top section ? Thanks.

 

[Ady34]

Hi,
pull black cartridge cap off, empty the carbon and fill with purigen in a bag, refit black cartridge cap, place in red outer carrier, bobs your uncle, fanny's your aunt.
Incidentally my G6 also has the same screen issue as yours, i lifted the protective cover and had a look. I thought it was just because of the cover seal, but its the actual screen.
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[Antipofish]

Hi,
pull black cartridge cap off, empty the carbon and fill with purigen in a bag, refit black cartridge cap, place in red outer carrier, bobs your uncle, fanny's your aunt.
Incidentally my G6 also has the same screen issue as yours, i lifted the protective cover and had a look. I thought it was just because of the cover seal, but its the actual screen.
Cheerio,
Ady.

Cheers Ady.

 

[Christie_ZXR]

Ta for that conductivity info a few pages back! Very helpful

Am having more problems with my g6 though Been away for the weekend and came back to the filter telling me low flow already! So cleaned the mech. filter. But the prime just isn't having any of it today. Goes down, gets stuck and then refuses to budge. I've taken it apart and given it a thorough clean just incase, but it's still giving me jip and I'm at a bit of a loss.

Wondered if one of you g6 owners would be kind enough to give a little step by step of how you clean yours so I can make sure I've not done something wrong. Failing that, I'm thinking warranty

 

[Antipofish]

Ta for that conductivity info a few pages back! Very helpful

Am having more problems with my g6 though Been away for the weekend and came back to the filter telling me low flow already! So cleaned the mech. filter. But the prime just isn't having any of it today. Goes down, gets stuck and then refuses to budge. I've taken it apart and given it a thorough clean just incase, but it's still giving me jip and I'm at a bit of a loss.

Wondered if one of you g6 owners would be kind enough to give a little step by step of how you clean yours so I can make sure I've not done something wrong. Failing that, I'm thinking warranty

Hi christie, Im new to the G6 as I have only had mine a short while, however, for what its worth...
(and some of this if not all, you are probably doing anyway)

1) raise the silver aquastop lever
2) (the manual says to turn the filter off, though I am told you don't have to)
3) lift up the prefilter flap
4) turn the prefilter catch to the left to disengage and lift out
5) holding the prefilter cartridge twist the primer head to remove the cartridge and set aside
6) pinch the red collection cup at the bottom of the cartridge to remove
7) remove the black cap at the bottom of the cartridge either with a flathead screwdriver (or I push it off using the end of the prefilter cleaning brush)
8) using the prefilter cleaning brush, clean the inside and outside of the prefilter cartridge
9) reassemble in reverse

Thats all there is to it as far as I can tell. How dirty is your cartridge and how old is it ? I believe they are not designed to last forever.

The primer not pushing and returning easily is probably not related to the cleanliness of the prefilter though. Are the white flaps aligned correctly on the underneath ? I had to clip mine back in the slots as one had jammed out of position and was causing continuous cavitation.

 

[Antipofish]

OK Today, after running the filter for less than a week, and having cleaned the prefilter twice already, my flow indicator is 2 o 3 bars down. I did another prefilter clean (its brown already!) and replaced it, and its still no better. So I removed the carbon cartridge in the chemical chamber and it made no difference still. Any ideas ?

 

[Ady34]

have you got the ultra fine pre filter or just the standard one?
Sounds like you could have the ultra fine one if its clogging that quick.

 

[Antipofish]

OK Today, after running the filter for less than a week, and having cleaned the prefilter twice already, my flow indicator is 2 o 3 bars down. I did another prefilter clean (its brown already!) and replaced it, and its still no better. So I removed the carbon cartridge in the chemical chamber and it made no difference still. Any ideas ?

have you got the ultra fine pre filter or just the standard one?
Sounds like you could have the ultra fine one if its clogging that quick.

Thanks for the quick reply Ady. I am a DUFUS !!! I had put my purigen bag in the bio media section, but like a I put it in the TOP tray, and right underneath the mesh section where the water flows through ! Problem now averted by swapping the trays around.

Interesting lesson, and useful information for anyone else though... DONT put anything that would restrict flow directly under the flow grid !!!

 

[Gary Nelson]

Now I'm confused??? My G6 has been running perfectly for the last couple of months with me regularly cleaning the mechanical cartridge (twice a week at water changes) and about 3 weeks ago I removed the carbon and put 2 bags of 100ml in - I've had 100% flow.

Tonight I thought it sounded a bit noisier than normal so I thought I'd clean the impeller, it was quite dirty... Whilst I was cleaning I rinsed the media baskets in old tank water, put it all back together. I then switched on to a very quite filter but less than half flow on the indicator? Before I started it was on about 80% flow.

I've removed the head twice to check everything and all seems perfect, I'm very puzzled!

Can anyone help or shed any light on this?

PS, my pipes were cleaned about 4 weeks ago and I normally clean them at 6 weeks, so they are dirty but not that bad.

 

[Antipofish]

You have your mech inner section back the right way around? Are the white flaps in the primer section which attaches above the prefilter cartridge aligned correctly ? nothing blocking the grill on the grey insert that separates the bio section from the cartridges ?

 

[Gary Nelson]

Hi mate, yes all aligned correctly and the white flaps are all clicked in and alligned - the filter is spotless so no blockages... Flow is still reading about a quarter - no noise of air trapped either... So puzzled and VERY fed up

 

[Antipofish]

Hi mate, yes all aligned correctly and the white flaps are all clicked in and alligned - the filter is spotless so no blockages... Flow is still reading about a quarter - no noise of air trapped either... So puzzled and VERY fed up

How old is your prefilter cartridge ?
Re check you have replaced the impellor correctly. If you are happy with that then take all the media out of the trays , put in a bucket of tank water and replace the trays empty. Remove the chem cartridge from the holder and replace empty holder. Clean the prefilter cartridge if you have not already and replace. And then run it bare to see what happens. If you still get low flow then I dunno. Maybe PM George if he has not had the time to see/comment on this thread and see what he says ? Remember to put your media back in soon as though and run it even if its at low flow, just to keep the media/bacteria alive.

Good luck mate.

Oh and I know its kind of obvious but you dont have anything stuck in the out take pipe or the part that hooks over the aquarium, or on the returns ?

 

[Ady34]

no kinks in pipework?

 

[Christie_ZXR]

For what it's worth, I solved my primer problem! So thought I'd share how I did it in case anyone else encounters the same problem.
Um, I got a tad fed up with it, so unscrewed the whole primer unit and started poking around. Now this isn't the most technical solution in the world, but so far so good no harm's come of it. I pulled the "button" out from on top of the spring and found that the casing underneath was filthy. Cleaned it up and put a dob of vaseline on the rubber which is around the base of the button, put it all back together and the primer button is working beautifully now.

Can't shed any light on the flow issues, I'm still having mine too. But since the filters oversized for the tank anyway and it tends to sit on half, I've given up and let it get on with it.

 

[Ady34]

Can't shed any light on the flow issues, I'm still having mine too. But since the filters oversized for the tank anyway and it tends to sit on half, I've given up and let it get on with it.

Hi Christie,
pleased you sorted the sticking primer button.
Hope you dont mind me asking but did you buy new or second hand as you could contact fluval and maybe get the problem sorted under warranty. The price of these filters and the claims made regarding build quality, i certainly wouldnt be settling for 50% flow.
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[Ady34]

Gary,
i seem to remember on the impeller a very small black rubber 'o' ring, is this still present.... there is a spare in the box which is why i remembered about it because i thought whats this for when i opened it up for the first time?
This is it...

Its maybe worth checking as it may have perished or become dislodged in cleaning and dropped out. Of course this is guess work but worth mentioning just in case...
...maybe worth you checking too Christie.
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[Christie_ZXR]

Mine's second hand sadly, although I was told it's still under warranty.

However...please don't laugh at me but I think I might have found the problem. When I put my new FE in I moved the filter over, and having had another look at it this morning, the out hose now has a loop in it. And I feel a tad silly. Looks like I'll have to actually clean the junk out of the other side of the cupboard and tidy everything up...

 

[Antipofish]

Mine's second hand sadly, although I was told it's still under warranty.

However...please don't laugh at me but I think I might have found the problem. When I put my new FE in I moved the filter over, and having had another look at it this morning, the out hose now has a loop in it. And I feel a tad silly. Looks like I'll have to actually clean the junk out of the other side of the cupboard and tidy everything up...

I know you said "please don't laugh at me", but.........



Sorry Christie, it had to be done. We have all done daft things so don't sweat it. My earlier flow problem was because I had put my Purigen bag in the top bio tray right by the flow grid ! DOH!

Glad its all sorted for you

 

[Gary Nelson]

Thanks for all your advice guys, im going to have a look later and try and find out whats causing this... Looking at the impeller picture all seems as it should be.

I will post on here later what i find and the outcome.