Fluval 304 Advice

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I have a 304 that until now has worked great. However, today I noticed that the flow coming out of the output tube had significantly decreased. I'm guessing down to below 100gph. I think that may have been why two of my clams died recently.

Anyway, I opened it up, cleaned off as much gunk as I could, and replaced the four sponges with new ones. I left the three trays of Bio-Rings alone, so I think I will be fine for bacteria. I also took out the impeller and cleaned the magnet part on both surfaces.

Now thats its back together, the gph is up, but still not back to full force. I'm guessing now its around 200gph, while before it was closer to 250gph. Is there anything else I can do?
 
Interesting...I have the 404 and it's peak gph is 225. I think perhaps you are considering the "other" gph rating, known as pump output. These are two different things. The pump output is what the impeller drive is doing. The filtration volume is the actual gph.

HTH.
 
Jchillin said:
Interesting...I have the 404 and it's peak gph is 225. I think perhaps you are considering the "other" gph rating, known as pump output. These are two different things. The pump output is what the impeller drive is doing. The filtration volume is the actual gph.

HTH.
Click to expand...

Regardless of what numbers you use, my point is that the filter gph is down, and I was looking for advice to raise it back up. No offense JChillin, but I don't need a lecture on filter vs. pump output, but I do need some advice for making my filter work right again.
 
You didn't get one. The filtration rate of the 304 is 185 gph and you're way above that if you're getting 200 gph. If you felt my answer was a lecture, I sincerely apologize for it.

I had asked the same question some time back and was surprised about this fact as well.
 
i experienced similar loss in power in my 304. i tried to run the filter w/o any media, but still it didn't get back to its old self. so i cleaned the media, reinserted it, and let things run. and it has been that way since a month now. i'm guessing something stuck in the inlet/outlet tubes, just too lazy to check it out.
instead added a AC300. 40g tank.
 
Did you check the hoses? I have flushed mine and used a scrubby in them, but I still get guck spraying out when the filter first comes on. I think stuff gets stuck in the grooves of the tubing.
 
Jchillin said:
You didn't get one. The filtration rate of the 304 is 185 gph and you're way above that if you're getting 200 gph. If you felt my answer was a lecture, I sincerely apologize for it.

I had asked the same question some time back and was surprised about this fact as well.
Click to expand...

I don't have a gph meter or whatever they use to measure gph, as I'm sure you know. I was using number just to illustrate how much the output has declined.

I just took out the media and shook them out in my tank, it made a big mess but the filter seems to be back to close to the flow rate it had before. I did a water change too to try to capture as much gunk as I could. Hopefully this solves the problem, thanks everyone for the advice.

Greenmagi, I hope I never have to break down all my tubing and start scrubbing the inside of it with a pipe cleaner, if I do I am going to seriously consider going back to a good old HOB filter. This is a lot of work!
 
Tony Starks said:
Greenmagi, I hope I never have to break down all my tubing and start scrubbing the inside of it with a pipe cleaner, if I do I am going to seriously consider going back to a good old HOB filter. This is a lot of work!
Click to expand...

They make a snake coil brush that you can just run through the hose when your doing your normal filter matainace.. Hagan used to sell it with a brush kit for the fulvals.. Im pretty sure they still do.. I thought that maybe the new Fulvals came with a brush kit.. I guess they dont.. too bad! it would definatly be a good value!
 
greenmagi said:
Tony Starks said:
Greenmagi, I hope I never have to break down all my tubing and start scrubbing the inside of it with a pipe cleaner, if I do I am going to seriously consider going back to a good old HOB filter. This is a lot of work!
Click to expand...

They make a snake coil brush that you can just run through the hose when your doing your normal filter matainace.. Hagan used to sell it with a brush kit for the fulvals.. Im pretty sure they still do.. I thought that maybe the new Fulvals came with a brush kit.. I guess they dont.. too bad! it would definatly be a good value!
Click to expand...

Yeah, my tubes are a bit tricker because the go through a UV on the way back into the tank. But yeah, a brush like that would be nice.
 
I would check into it if I were you.. the coil brush works up to 5/8" inner diamiter tubing.. Im pretty sure you could find one that would work.. like a gun cleaning kit with a brush for a shotgun..LOL Im thinking that might set you back some 30 bucks though..
:mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
I use sponge prefilters on all of my cannisters as well as HOBs. Not only is this a good place to culture some of your bacteria colony, but it will prevent the tubing from getting clogged with debris. Expecially useful in a planted tank. :wink:
 
BrianNY--for the prefilter, do you simply shove a sponge from a sponge filter into the intake or is there some more sophisticated way that this should be done?
 
I think that may have been why two of my clams died recently.
Click to expand...
Yeah, my tubes are a bit tricker because the go through a UV on the way back into the tank.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you know that clams are filter feeders, basically eat tiny micro-organisms. I'm also sure you already know that the UV kills almost all micro-organisms.
I think your clams had nothing to eat via filter feeding, and starved to death.
Pure conjecture on my part, I could be wrong.
 
BrianNY said:
I use sponge prefilters on all of my cannisters as well as HOBs. Not only is this a good place to culture some of your bacteria colony, but it will prevent the tubing from getting clogged with debris. Expecially useful in a planted tank. :wink:
Click to expand...

AHHH! Why can I not think of things like this?? That is an excellent idea!
 
Do you know what size I would need for my 304? Sounds like a good idea.
 
BrianNY said:
As I have many tanks I buy them in bulk at www.jehmco.com. The are sold as fully attachable units. Just match the diameter with your intake tube. :wink:
Click to expand...

Brian, its a little more confusing than that, they have so many models its a little confusing. Can you reccommend the best one for the Fluval 304? Also, do you buy extra units or just replacement sponges when it wears out? If so, what model sponge, they have about 6?
 
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