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  • HOB filter halted

    Sunday morning I was watching my fish for a bit and then suddenly realized that the room was REALLY quiet.  Then I noticed no water movement in the tank so I checked my HOB filter (Penguin 200) and the motor was hot to the touch.  I unplugged it, took it apart, and noticed the impeller had a white coating on it.  I scrubbed the impeller and the housing, and the filter worked just fine again.  My question is, what could this white coating be?  Extremely fine-grained sand (I use pool filter sand)?  Or maybe salt build-up (I add some aquarium salt at each water change)?  Hmm...  :bs?!?!:

  • #2
    Re: HOB filter halted

    Mineral deposits?

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    • #3
      Re: HOB filter halted

      Originally posted by JLawson";p="
      Mineral deposits?
      +1

      power outages also promote HOB halts

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: HOB filter halted

        my biggest problem is a few strands of java moss getting sucked in.
        'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
        He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

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        • #5
          Re: HOB filter halted

          same here... only for me it is x-mas moss
          Scarecrow : I haven't got a brain... only straw.
          Dorothy : How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?
          Scarecrow: I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?
          Dorothy: Yes, I guess you're right.

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          • #6
            Re: HOB filter halted

            damn the filters, damn the moss and damn you(sory couldnt resist the family guy semi quote) i have found that over time hob will slow down as a lot of filters do, sometimes from lots of factors blocked intake to blocked impellor. seems in this case it was just cuild up on the impellor. if we were all the greatest fishkeepers we would checkour impellors every month when we change the cartridge. but we almost never do at least i almost never do.
            Never fear I is here
            David Abeles
            Vice President
            Greater Houston Aquarium Club

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            • #7
              Re: HOB filter halted

              Also on more than one occasion, I have had the magnet seperate from the impeller.  

              To check it, hold the magnet and spin the impeller.   If it travels more than 270 deg.  then you have a problem.

              But one drop of superglue and 24 hours to dry will fix it.
              'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
              He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: HOB filter halted

                Well, you've stumped me again. I have no idea what that white stuff could be. What color is the impeller for the Penguin? Mine are all white, so if there was a white coating on it I'm not sure I would be able to see it.
                "Millennium hand and shrimp!"

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                • #9
                  Re: HOB filter halted

                  The impeller looks like this:
                  Get great Discounts on Pet Supplies! Huge selection (8000+) of the products to shop for your Dog & Cat food, toys, treats, supplements, toys, and much more.


                  The white stuff was all over the blue part, on the metal shaft to the right of that, and then on the black end to the right of that.  Actually, there was a little bit on that white part of the impeller shaft to the left of the blue piece as well.  The white stuff was kinda off-white in color so it was visible on it.  The color led me to believe it was a build-up of very fine pool filter sand, tho it could just as easily be mineral deposits.

                  OMG the weather's gonna suck today.  It's really dark outside from the rainclouds... hopefully it doesn't cause another power outtage, which as Philistine pointed out, would give me more HOB headaches hehe.

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                  • #10
                    Re: HOB filter halted

                    Originally posted by ItsDubC";p="
                    .. hopefully it doesn't cause another power outtage, which as Philistine pointed out, would give me more HOB headaches hehe.
                    that's why I have at least 2 filters on per tank (UG, sponge, extra HOB)

                    I'm also getting a 15KW standby generator installed in a few weeks that will run the entire downstairs of my house - but not just for my tanks  :wink:

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                    • #11
                      Re: HOB filter halted

                      O ya, since we're talkin about power outtages here, does anyone have any experience/opinions on this?



                      Seems that it would make more sense for it to have rechargeable batteries since it's already being plugged into an outlet anyway.

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                      • #12
                        Re: HOB filter halted

                        Yeah, that does seem like it would be beneficial to have rechargeable batteries, but it's still more advanced than the ones I am used to seeing, those that are just battery operated.

                        I know in the long term (ie. weeks) power outtages, a lot more must be done, but I also know that when living in Florida, battery operated air pumps were sometimes a life-saver for the fish. We were always sold out when a hurricane was around the corner.
                        "Millennium hand and shrimp!"

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                        • #13
                          Re: HOB filter halted

                          I used to use the battery powered ones they sell at academy (to keep minnows alive) during outages or when transporting fish in 5 gallon buckets across town.  Looks similar to the penn plax.

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                          • #14
                            Re: HOB filter halted

                            For Huricane prep if you don't have a shop air compressor with a big tank,  Check with your local A/C service tech or auto parts shop for a compressed air tank.   Just fill it up to 100 psi,  add a cheap pressure regulator and a manifold with tees or valves for all your aquarium drops.

                            It won't last forever but when it does run down your can refill it.
                            'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                            He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: HOB filter halted

                              I have some of the Pen Plax battery ones that plug into the wall and they do give me a certain level of comfort as I'm out of town so much.  I have considered and looked at generators but I'm not sure I could figure out how to hook it up to my breaker box.  I'm electrically challenged.
                              Reasoning with some people is like trying to nail jello to a wall...

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