Rainbow/ Pentair Fluidized Bed Filter Question

[knobhill]

Hi,

I have had bad luck with my FB600 filter. When the pump is on and I have primed it, it works fine. Once, I accidentally turned off the pump and had to remove all the sand (total pain) to get the intake tube cleared. Yesterday, the pump impeller broke. Luckily, I had a replacement on hand, but again, had to claer intake tube. Anyone else experience this? Is there a diy check valve to put in at the bottom of the unit? The check valve at the top doesn't seem to be cutting it...

 

[mrunlucky07]

If you are able to mount it under the tank like a canister when the pump stops the water does not have any back pressure to force the sand back into the inlet pipe, and the problem is avoided. The check valve on my FB600 deteriorated and broke and now I am running it without one. I have stopped it to test how it restarts and pulled it apart once to add more sand without any problems. The water does not move backwards and the collapsing bed is not enough to clog it.

When I was learning how to use it and had the pump sitting in a bucket on the floor and got your results. Even level sand in filter and inlet pipe. I was able to restart the filter by laying it flat with the back facing up, and tilting it slowly so the water could push past the sand in the inlet pipe and clear it out.

You should be able to get another check valve, but make sure it closes with very little pressure or it won't help.

If you find one that works well let everyone know.

 

[Nic]

i think neoprodigy has a external one on his 900s.... mine is shut down now as i cant keep it running... i added another 4L of sea chem matrix to compensate for my loss of bio... im gonna switch to 2 fbf 600s and im looking on how to run them both off of one pump...

 

[knobhill]

If you are able to mount it under the tank like a canister when the pump stops the water does not have any back pressure to force the sand back into the inlet pipe, and the problem is avoided. The check valve on my FB600 deteriorated and broke and now I am running it without one. I have stopped it to test how it restarts and pulled it apart once to add more sand without any problems. The water does not move backwards and the collapsing bed is not enough to clog it.

When I was learning how to use it and had the pump sitting in a bucket on the floor and got your results. Even level sand in filter and inlet pipe. I was able to restart the filter by laying it flat with the back facing up, and tilting it slowly so the water could push past the sand in the inlet pipe and clear it out.

You should be able to get another check valve, but make sure it closes with very little pressure or it won't help.

If you find one that works well let everyone know.

I have the FBF in my sump with the pump (a small powerhead) located at base of the FBF. It pumps water in via thin wall tubing attached to the inlet on top. Maybe I will change to the bottom inlet and see if that works better with a new check valve. Space is tight under my tank so taking the FBF out everytime there is a power outage, broken pump, or user error..is a real inconvenience.

As for running 2 FB600's in series, don't you use the bottom plugs?

 

[Nic]

yea i think you have too use a T at the bottom

 

[knobhill]

yea i think you have too use a T at the bottom

i think one FBF just gets plumbed into the second. A tee with valves might be your best bet to control flow

 

[Danger_Chicken]

When I was learning how to use it and had the pump sitting in a bucket on the floor and got your results. Even level sand in filter and inlet pipe. I was able to restart the filter by laying it flat with the back facing up, and tilting it slowly so the water could push past the sand in the inlet pipe and clear it out.

Thanks, I just put a 600 on my tank and had the same problem. I was clueless how to get the sand out of the intake.

 

[knobhill]

i haven't had the time, $, or nrg to get a check valve--more on that later. since my first post, I have created a FBF "reset" kit. I have a 5g bucket, old quiet one 3000 pump with 4' of tubing, and 3/4" - 1/2" tubing adapter.
Here's what I do in event of failure:
(since the FBF is in my w/d sump, it is difficult to easily take out from under the stand.)
i lay the FBF horizontally,on top of the sump

i move it like those 80's wave machines until the media is fluid again

now the fun part!

i fill the 5g bucket up with tank water, connect quiet one to the FBF inlet, then turn on the pump.
the stuck sand is pushed out immediately!

Then i quickly (keep in mind quickly!) put the FBF back in place and reattach the dedicated pump to it.

the entire process takes about 5-10mins, start to finish.

as for the check valves, I am looking into the clear pvc swing type...logic, however, tells me that since the media is fluid, it will still creep up the tube (despite a check valce) and then block the inlet as usual....