Help! Filter stopped working (Eclipse 5g)

[wingspantt]

I have an Eclipse 5g (corner style) at my office, with 1 betta in it. Recently when I unplugged the filter, after plugging it back in, it does nothing. It hums very quietly but there's no suction/output.

I have replugged it many times. Unlike the filter I have at home, as far as I can tell it cannot be disassembled, so I can't clear out the motor or anything. It's a Biowheel style filter, where the filter media rest horizontally across the top.

So far the fish is fine (been a couple days), since they can breathe from the surface and it's not like he pollutes a 5g tank that much on his own. Do I even need a filter? Should I mail the filter to the manufacturer?

Thanks

-WiNG

 

[roka64]

WELCOME to AA!!!
Can you check the impeller? It could be stuck.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Have you tried pouring water into the filter area? How low is the water level?

 

[wingspantt]

I cannot check the impeller, the only removable part is the suction pipe attachment that goes to the middle of the tank (don't know technical name). But I have a 30g at home with a biowheel filter, and I can open that thing up into like 5-7 pieces. As far as I can tell this only breaks into the closed motor assembly and the suction pipe.

Also, the water level is at the top (i.e. the bottom of the black lining). I have tried to pour water in the top but this filter is not exactly the kind that works the way you're thinking, the resevoir is inside the closed assembly.

I don't know what the water level was when I turned it off, it was during a cleaning.

 

[wingspantt]

also the substrate is sand, do you think that could be the problem, that at some point sand got into and is clogging the impeller? However I did not have any such problem with my sand substrate tank at home.

 

[rkilling1]

Most likely it sucked up some sand and is just stuck. I also have a 5 gallon corner Eclipse and you can get to the impellor from the under side where the suction tube attaches. Just remove the filter from the aquarium and them remove the suction tube. Grab onto where the suction tube attaches and wigle it back and forth and it will come right out. Inspect the housing for sand and anything else and put it back together and try it out.

I should also mention that the water level needs to be close to full inorder to the filter to prime itself.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I used to have an Eclipse also and know how difficult it is to pour water directly into the pipe. Try pouring water into the reservour until it overflows, try to get the water into the output that way. It may help. You may have sand in the impellar but when that happened with mine it made a grinding noise. It could also be that the motor is shot too.