so i bought a 405 for sixty bucks on craigslist the other day. needed an impeller rod and i bought a new impeller, too, and a gasket seal thing as well just in case. well, at first that seemed to fix the problem, but it keeps grinding once in a while. it's been primed and everything, and it starts right up when i plug it in, but after a few minutes it starts grinding, and doesn't seem to want to stop. it seems like there could be air getting into it somewhere, but there's no water coming out anywhere but where it is supposed to [the outlet]. anyone know what this could be? any help is appreciated please!
fluval 405 problem
- Thread starter sigaru
- Start date
I have a 405 on my 75 gallon. It was a Craigslist buy, too. I've never had that problem. I'm sure someone has and will respond. Good luck.
air is getting in somehow. even the smallest leak on the intake side will cause this. it will grind until the air is forced out but once new air is accumulated it will make that grinding noise again. one more quik check. when you bought the new rod did it come with new plastic end caps or did you reuse the old ones. sometimes they becom gnarled? if alls good in that dept. you can use vasoline or something similar on all your hose fittings, o rings n such. make sure to use clamps on any slip fittings..
yeah, i figured air was getting in somewhere, somehow. i just can't figure out where. the rod came with the little rubber piece, so that's brand new. i suppose i'll take it back apart and vasoline it up.. i'm thinking air could be somehow getting in near the part where the hoses attach to the canister, but i can't figure where. the o-rings there look fine.. it seems to be quite a bit of air getting in..
hmm.. just noticed that when i took the top off, the impeller cover had come unclipped on one side.. and i know that i clicked it into place a few hours ago... i considered buying a new one when i bought the other stuff, but didn't think i needed to.... i might have to go down to the fish store and see if they might carry them....
I have a 405 bought used. I have never had any grinding problems, but I have had to replace the impeller cover (one clip broke) and the impeller ceramic shaft (these are easy to break). The impeller cover was broke when I bought it. The former owners we using it with it broken. It sounds like you have checked it over pretty well. I would try a new impeller cover. I got mine for about $6.
yeah, just got back from the store, they didn't have an impeller cover [i was fairly certain they wouldn't anyway]. i'll just have to order one; i really should have gone with my instinct to buy one the first time lol