Habitat - Indoor :: Help! Sunsun won't work. :(

[a_rice]

So I am trying to set up my new sunsun 302. I have primed and primed but this thing won't work. It will stay on for a minute or so and then it just quits pulling water into the hose. The intake hose will never completely fill up. I have read everything I can find online and I can't find a solution. Anybody here know what I can do? Please help!

[slider_keeper]

Have you checked for a air leak?

[a_rice]

I think that may be the problem. This is my first canister filter so it was really a new experience. I couldn't get it to work so as a last resort I tried putting just the green tubing straight into the water and when I did that it worked. I had put tape across the part I thought was leaking air and it still wouldn't work so right now I have just the tube in the water. I guess tomorrow I will try to find something to fix the other part from leaking air.

[devilduck]

Post up some picture of your filter.

[a_rice]

This is the intake right now. It's working fine. Would it be horrible to leave it like this?

[devilduck]

No it looks fine. Was the leak in the plastic pipes that the strainer normally attaches too?

[a_rice]

Yes. It didn't matter how I put them together or how much tape was there, It just kept sucking air. We did this and it works perfect. I am hoping to have the turtles in there tomorrow night. I tested te water today and everything was ok so I will transfer them tomorrow. I'm just nervous about putting them in such a big tank now. Lol. I feel like a mom whose kids are going to school the first time or something. Lol. I hope they like it.

[steve]

Were the clips on tight enough? Sometimes its a good idea to prime, then run the filter for a few minutes then shut it off and let it settle, then turn it on again.

[a_rice]

Everything was tight and I tried that too. I tried absolutely everything I could think of. Lol. I'm just happy it's working. Where does everyone but their media? Right now I just have what it came with but I want to add more charcoal and of course I will need to change it out. How often are you supposed to change it all? Monthly?

[slider_keeper]

I go to amazon, I have media bags for my carbon in my FX5's. I then buy carbon buy the bulk on Amazon. I got 3 lbs for $10 buck last time I ordered media. I just get carbon when doing a cleaning. 3 lbs. last me a long time and I have two FX5s that can hold large amounts of carbon, each.

[MerryMenagerie]

Was there water in the filter when you first tried to start it? That's what worked for me. I also taped the seam that seemed to be leaking air.