Emperor 400 filters not working - please help me

[niqolas619]

I just recently started an aquarium in San Diego. I got my first aquarium Christmas of 2005, and got everything working pretty well. I then had to move across the country to Chicago. I cleaned out the filters because they had a bunch of crud all over them (mostly salt). For this I took them completely apart, which in hindsight may have been a mistake. As the title says they are two emperor 400 bio-wheel fitlers. I thought I put them back together correctly, but they aren't pumping water very well. The pumps are actually running, but they can't maintain enough water in them to pump through the bio-wheels. If I adjust the filters so the pump is just pumping its own water through itself (not pulling water from the aquarium), they work just fine. These filters just sat in my parents garage from about May until now, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it as well. Sorry about this long post. I would really appreciate any help at all. Thanks.

[Sasquatch]

Are they making any noise? Check to make sure that there aren't any air pockets stuck around the impeller. The only time I've had problems with Emperor 400s is with air around the impeller. Either dump a load of water over the impeller or rapidly move the flow controller.

Maybe check to make sure that something isn't bloking the inflow pipe or any of the piping that leads to the spray bars (or in the spray bars).

Other than that, take out the flow controller and make sure the impeller is turning properly. If it isn't perfectly centered, it won't pump properly. There should be little plastic nubs on each end of the stainless rod that goes through the magnet on the impeller. They're what centers the impeller and are easy to loose.

Hope this helps.

[jeffs99dime]

welcome to a.c.:ezpi_wink1:

[Lady Hobbs]

Are the spray bars put back together correctly? I have a lot of problems getting my Emperor to take a prime but by dumping a whole pail of water on them, it seems to help. Takes about a cup of water for my others but they do a good job other than this small annoying factor.

Also, raise the lift tube just a bit and see if it doesn't start pumping that way. I also wonder if you put the propeller back in correctly. Keep trying messing with it.