Replacing filter unit advice please

[anniepoos13]

Hello all

I currently have a SunSun HW-603B filter which I have had for a number of years.

No idea why but it is only trickling through now. Tried lots of "troubleshooting" tips online and can't find an answer.

Anyway, seems like a good time to replace the whole filter unit.

Please could I have some suggestions for an adequate replacement and also how to do the switch efficiently.
Do I use the old filter sponges in the new unit to maintain a cycled tank?

Any advice welcomed.

Many thanks

 

[Andy Sager]

Hello all

I currently have a SunSun HW-603B filter which I have had for a number of years.

No idea why but it is only trickling through now. Tried lots of "troubleshooting" tips online and can't find an answer.

Anyway, seems like a good time to replace the whole filter unit.

Please could I have some suggestions for an adequate replacement and also how to do the switch efficiently.
Do I use the old filter sponges in the new unit to maintain a cycled tank?

Any advice welcomed.

Many thanks

You may have already tried these but I'll ask anyway:
Did you clean out the impeller of the filter? Does the impeller have all the fins still intact? Is the impeller turning freely? ( Impeller shafts can warp with age causing the impeller not to spin freely which can lower the flow rate. Any sign of wear and the shaft needs to be replaced. )
Did you try to run the filter with no filter material to see if it's the clogged material slowing down the flow?
Did you look for blockages in the lines that may be reducing the flow? Snails ( or snail shells) can get stuck in the hoses, especially in the joints where the hoses go over the tank, which can restrict flow rates. So can calcium deposits.

Let's start there.

 

[anniepoos13]

You may have already tried these but I'll ask anyway:
Did you clean out the impeller of the filter? Does the impeller have all the fins still intact? Is the impeller turning freely? ( Impeller shafts can warp with age causing the impeller not to spin freely which can lower the flow rate. Any sign of wear and the shaft needs to be replaced. )
Did you try to run the filter with no filter material to see if it's the clogged material slowing down the flow?
Did you look for blockages in the lines that may be reducing the flow? Snails ( or snail shells) can get stuck in the hoses, especially in the joints where the hoses go over the tank, which can restrict flow rates. So can calcium deposits.

Let's start there.

Thank you. I have checked all the lines for blockages, but haven't tried those other two things. I will do both of these now.
Thank you!

 

[Aiken Drum]

If the sunsun ran for a number of years, why not just get another sunsun?

There are more premium brands, but sunsun are great value filters that many in the hobby trust. But Fluval are an alternative, a bit more commonplace if you need spare parts in a hurry. I think your filter is a small canister l, so a 107 would be a suitable replacement. Or Eheim are more premium, maybe a classic 150. Really depends on your budget, but there is nothing wrong with sunsun.

Filters are meant to be maintained though. Moving parts are meant to be periodically cleaned and replaced. Every month or 2 clean down the impeller, impeller shaft, cap etc. Every year or 2 replace those parts, along with the o ring. Preventative maintenance will keep things working longer, meaning you don't need to replace your whole filter. Don't wait for things to break, get ahead of the game. No reason a filter cant last 10+ years.

As for how to replace a filter, swap any media from the old filter into the new filter. If you get an identical filter, then all the sponges and everything can just swap over. If you get a different filter and the sponges won't fit, squeeze out the sponges into the aquarium, so all the gunk can get collected in the new filtration sponges and help seed them with the beneficial bacteria. Monitor water quality to ensure you don't see any parameter spikes and change water if your testing shows a need. In the last 12 months I've changed 2 filters, and not seen any parameter spikes, so swapping what media I could, and squeezing sponges out etc must have worked a treat.

 

[Andy Sager]

Thank you. I have checked all the lines for blockages, but haven't tried those other two things. I will do both of these now.
Thank you!

The impeller is a common collecting space for gunk and slime so that definitely can slow down waterflow. If your filter has been running for years and you never cleaned out the impeller, be prepared for it being " nasty" dirty. lol After you get the area cleaned, use something like a q-tip or cotton swab on a stick to really clean the sides of the cavity before replacing the impeller and shaft. Make sure you clean the impeller shaft as well.
I can't speak for the Sunsun filters as I've never used one but with the fluval filters of the past, the fins on the impeller would break before the impeller would stop spinning so they would need replacing. As for preventative replacement, that's a choice you have to make keeping in mind that a broken filter can kill a tank if it goes undetected for too long.
As for replacing the filter( should that be necessary), I'm with Aiken on " If the sunsun lasted so many years, why not just get the same filter again? " Since most of the products built today are not built to last, when you find one that does, it's a winner.

Hope this helps.