xp3 bubbling

[jrp1588]

I've got a rena xp3 on my planted tank, and in the past week, it suddenly started churning out bubbles constantly. I do use this filter to inject CO2 into my system with a DIY PVC reactor, but I don't think it's churning Co2 bubbles since I ran the system for a couple days with my CO2 disconnected and it still did it. I examines all my hose connections, and all seemed tight. I opened up the filter and examined the motor assembly, and all the O-rings look to be in good shape...frankly I'm stumped. Filter still works, but it's completely obnoxious to listen to

 

[jrp1588]

I'm thinking maybe the locking clips might not be locking tightly enough. I moved the motor assembly from my xp3 canister to my xp2 canister. So far no churning bubbles. Then again, I would think if air was getting in, water would be getting out. There is a fair amount of pressure inside a working canister filter, I found that out the hard way when one of mine cracked one day. hah.

 

[black hills tj]

How did the canister crack?

 

[jrp1588]

actually, I misspoke. It arrived cracked. Luckily bigalsonline sent me a replacement canister for free. But yeah, I didn't notice it before hooking her up. When I turned it on, water came jetting out of that crack, probably a good 2ft jet

 

[black hills tj]

That's fairly impressive.

 

[neilanh]

Chances are you just have a leak somewhere, or you need to clean it. The motor pumps hard enough that if you start to get a clog, or have a slightly kinked line, it will find a way to ingest air, most typically at the connections, like you mentioned, or even around the seal on the lid.

 

[jrp1588]

yeah, I thoroughly cleaned it thinking that might be the cause, and it didn't help. the problem wasn't fixed until I exchanged the media compartment (everything but the motor assembly) with the one on my XP2. I didn't readjust any of the hose connections or anything like that. To me this narrows it down to the media compartment itself, and basically the only thing that it could be on that would be that maybe the clips aren't locking tight enough which is allowing in air

 

[DHCrocks]

did you check to see if the filler cap is on tight on the siphon?

 

[jrp1588]

yep, as tight as it would go, and yes the little white washer thingy was still in there and intact

 

[OldMan]

If I understand you right, the power head and hoses stayed where they were and the canister from the XP2 moved over to replace the case of the XP3. If that is true, you have eliminated any hose problems and any power head problems so you are either dealing with the seal between the power head and the canister or the case of the canister itself. The seal ring would have stayed with the power head so chances are good you have missed an irregularity on the canister surface where it seals to the power head or some small crack it the outer case that you might need very good light to see. When the filter is running, the outer case is on the suction side of the impeller so it might not leak out but only leak in at a spot like that. I would try a close examination of the empty filter case in bright sunlight. Set it up so you are looking through the plastic case to see the smallest of defects in the case itself and don't forget to look for any irregularity of the sealing surface.