Filter not working - fixed, thank you

[Bobbie]

I’ve got a Fluval U2 internal filter in my 15g tank. I just did a water change, but when I switched the filter back on it’s not starting. 
 

I can order a new filter, but it may take up to a week to arrive. 

The filter is nearly a year old, so will the tank be alright until the new one arrives? The tank is heavily planted and, other than the betta I added a few weeks ago, all the fish have been in there for at least a year. 

Edited July 17, 2021 by Bobbie

[Daniel]

On 7/16/2021 at 10:23 AM, Bobbie said:

 so will the tank be alright until the new one arrives? The tank is heavily planted and, other than the betta I added a few weeks ago, all the fish have been in there for at least a year. 

Very likely yes. I have several tank planted tank with no filter and there are no problems. The beneficial bacteria in your aquarium will handle the load.

[Gestaltgal]

I second Daniel. Sounds like you have lots of places for beneficial bacteria to hang out and that your plants will take care of the cycle. Bummer on the filter, though. 

[Guppysnail]

Add an extra air stone to keep the oxygenated water flowing. I agree it will be fine as long as it has some form of flow and oxygen 

[Bobbie]

I’ve ordered the new filter, just waiting for it to come now. Also ordered a spare heater since last time my filter broke the heater broke soon after (in the middle of a week-long snowstorm during the winter) and I don’t wanna have to go through that stress again. 
 

This has happened before with an old filter I had, but I’d been expecting it to break & had the new filter cycling so I panicked earlier when the current one just wouldn’t turn on. If the new filter takes ages to come I do have the option of putting the quarantine tank filter into the 15g and sticking the old filter media into it, but it’s a tiny thing and I don’t wanna mess up the quarantine tank cycle by removing the filter. 
 

I’d been planning to swap the fluval filter for a sponge filter at some point soon anyway, but I’d been hoping to have a month or so to cycle the new filter first. Oh well, what’s done is done. 

[Odd Duck]

@Bobbie I can’t remember if you’ve mentioned your experience level so I’m going to ask what’s probably a silly question, partially because of my own ignorance about the specific filter you have.

Can you access the pump motor for disassembly and cleaning?  Sometimes the impeller just needs a good rinse and it will start again.  If it does restart, I would still get a new filter, add a sponge filter, etc, like you already have planned.  But if you can get it to start in the mean time, that’s always good.

[Bobbie]

On 7/16/2021 at 6:06 PM, Odd Duck said:

Can you access the pump motor for disassembly and cleaning?  Sometimes the impeller just needs a good rinse and it will start again.

It’s not a silly question at all!

I... didn’t even consider checking the impeller, actually. The only time I’ve ever looked at it was when I first bought the filter. It’s late where I am, so I’ll take a wee gander in the morning and see what happens.

Thank you!! 

[TankofFish]

On 7/16/2021 at 1:06 PM, Odd Duck said:

@Bobbie I can’t remember if you’ve mentioned your experience level so I’m going to ask what’s probably a silly question, partially because of my own ignorance about the specific filter you have.

Can you access the pump motor for disassembly and cleaning?  Sometimes the impeller just needs a good rinse and it will start again.  If it does restart, I would still get a new filter, add a sponge filter, etc, like you already have planned.  But if you can get it to start in the mean time, that’s always good.

I agree with @Odd Duck I have had many filters not start back up and all it took was removing the impeller rinse it put it back in and away it runs.....

[Bobbie]

After a little bit of googling to see what I was doing I took the filter out, took it apart and cleaned the impeller. It’s now working again, thankfully. Still gonna put the sponge filter in and eventually switch both my tanks to them, since they seem much less stressful. 
 

Thanks y’all   : )