Fluval 407 - Thoughts from a Design Engineer (mildly a review)

[nabokovfan87]

I wanted to open this before anything and give a pretty clear disclaimer up front.  I am just someone who enjoys looking at how things work, especially filtration, and trying to understand what makes them good or bad.  I don't thing there is any perfect filter out there.  That being said, I do think I can provide a little bit of contest here with some design choices and why things were done a certain way. (potentially)

The setup here is a Fluval 407, designed for ~50-100G applications, and installed on a standard aqueon 75G aquarium.  Let's start there, "designed for a 50G up to a 100G".  Logically you would go down the road of standard, popular sizes with those being a 55G, 60B, 75G, 90G aquariums.  I would also expect this to work on a 40B aquarium.  That leads to every tank being.... 4 foot long at minimum.  This is one of our biggest design considerations here.  The only 3 foot tank in that range is a 65G.  All things considered, it's relatively a longer tank than any of the other x07 series have to deal with.

I went to the shop and tried to use my coupons / price match to lower the price.  It wasn't cheap, but it was about what you would expect the price to be.  The store in questions sells the filters, one on the shelf at a time, and any of the accessories or products that go with them are not available at all in the store.  My first impression of the filter is absolute concern because I am walking to the checkout and I feel it shifting in the box.  I don't know why, but the canister itself is sliding around.

When the time comes I get the box open and I'm pretty confused.  I see about 6 pieces of tape I have to cut open with indications that it's been opened (security markings).  Left side of the box has 2 small items and the container itself is to the right.  All I can see is a 1" piece of styrofoam.  The foam is on the top of the canister to keep it from "jumping" up, but there is nothing in there to keep it from sliding to and fro.  Why, no idea.   Step 1, I would love to see them design packaging that works for the items inside.

I get the canister out of the box and I proceed to disassemble everything.  The goal being to remove the filter media and get an idea of what is in there, how much, and what I need to pull or find to fill up the canister.  I pull the carbon out and the phosphate pads because I don't plan to use them.  That being said the carbon provided is not enough.  There's 4 small bags.  I emphasize the word small.  In each tray I am pretty sure I could fit all of the carbon provided in one tray with the phosphate pads.  I am not saying I want them to add more, I am saying that the bags provided are designed for a smaller canister and they just put more of them in this version of it.  I would expect 2 sets of phosphate pads or even ammonia pads in there as well.   If you notice, you have 1 of each "type" of media products that fluval sells so that you as the consumer can get used to using them.  It's an introduction so to speak.  The media in there, biological, it's extremely poor quality tubes of ceramic and it's not even what fluval sells off the shelf.  I honestly think they are on v3 of their ceramic media with the new one being released quite recently.

Media provided in the filter, you can see there isn't enough because they had to go to the store and buy more. (top cavity = provided media, bottom cavity is a mix of the product below)


Version 2 of their media.


Version 3 (new one)


Much like the box..... you're stocking too many part numbers and too many products when you just need one, at most two (small and large size).  Fluval needs to get with the program and update their product line with improved media.  More importantly, provide more.

If you were tracking along with the process that gives me 4 trays in total. 1 filled with foam, 2 empty, and 1 half full.  This is not a cheap product, a lot of canisters don't come with anything, but I think it's more frustrating to expect to have media in your filter and to have 75% of the filter chambers empty.

With the trays out of the way I went to pull what fluval terms the prefilter.  This is not a prefilter because it's inside the filter, but I have heard them refer to it as this in their video content about the product.  What caught my eye is that the bottom of the white foam (near the trays) was rolled up and it wasn't sitting the way it should.  I took that off, flipped the orientation so the rolled edge was at the top pointing away from the trays and then tried to insert the tray again without the trays to rub on the foam.  When I did this, again, the foam rolled up on the bottom of the holder and was out of place.  This is a pretty silly design issue and it just means that tolerances weren't considered.  My advice if you own one is to go ahead and make sure that you verify the foam is actually installed right at the base, then drop the trays in.  This design issue applies to every single x07 filter in the series as they all use the same design.  It's likely due to draft and just the foam being slightly too big for the cavity (high side of the tolerance).

With everything removed, lets look at how this thing actually is intended to work and talk about what is in each tray for me.

You can see the pipe pushing water into the canister here and it's at an angle, pushing the flow into one of the corners of the foam.  This is another thing that is a bit weird to me.  I have seen videos showing that flow goes  through both foams, but I would argue that it doesn't.  As the blue foam is clogged it will go into the white foam.  This also means there is nothing in the canister itself to stop bypass apart from the directionality of the flow.  There is a small rib on the bottom of the lid which divides the cavity along that red holder for the foams, but yes, there is some bypass inherent to the design here.  At the bottom of the prefilter holder there is a little gap and that leads into the bottom layer of the media baskets.






One thing I did notice is that I wasn't quite happy with the grid sections on the media trays. They do deflect, the material is slightly thin, and I wouldn't be surprised that over time, someone could break a grate or two pretty easily.  Cleaning media, using the tray to do so, I would prefer to have a slightly thicker material on the trays. this is a weird issue from a design perspective because that actually improves part quality for a lot of your injection molded designs.  These trays are injection molded.  What this means is that there is a cross-section somewhere of a rib that is very thin (center brace where the red handle goes) and that dictates the rest of the thickness of the part. I would like to see future designs have this modified and to see it about 15% thicker on those bottom grates. Beyond that, the trays are seemingly fine.   My only real gripe is that the placement of the handle splits the tray into two sections.  There isn't really any reason for this.  We have a flat side, the trays can be thick enough to be supported if designed correctly.  It means that I ended up not wanting to deal with bagging media because I just don't really want to use 6-8 media bags for this filter.  I think I have enough on hand, but it's not worth it.  With something like fine media, you can bag it if need be.

For my setup, Top down:
-Top Tray:  Cycled, running media from existing filter
-2nd Tray:  biological media
-3rd Tray: Foam / fine pad
-4th Tray: "Mech" type of media used to settle large particles and calm flow.



The goal here is to have very fine foam in that 2nd to the bottom tray and to keep the media itself very clean.   I placed the lid on the canister and I had a really weird experience trying to install the o-ring into place.  Initially it was in the wrong spot, I fixed that, but I was a bit confused why that o-ring wasn't on the canister itself.  The lid is pretty flat and it would be easy to have that designed in that way.  I also had a heck of a time trying to get the lid on/off the canister after this point.  I never felt like the lid was easy to key into place and I had to press down to get the lid to fit tightly and seal properly.  It takes some getting used to.  I don't think I'll ever be comfortable with that process.  The gap / play on the clips that secure the lid down tightly is very loose that that always makes me question whether or not it's actually installed all the way or securely clipped.  When I wanted to first check things internally on the canister I had to remove the tubing by cutting off the flow (works very well using a simple valve) and then unplug the canister and move it to a location where I could spill some water.  I kid you not.... I had to look up a video on HOW to open the stinking thing.   I read the directions and was confused.  I checked online and found out that the clips on the lid actually create the leverage you need to slide the lid open.  Ingenious and so beginner friendly!  Why isn't this indicated clearly or on the canister itself!  You can literally print those directions on the clips.

With all of the setup out of the way I tried to finalize placement and proceed to assemble the input and output.  This is when all of my frustration set into place.

There is a few key things on here and basically I was glued to the above page for a solid hour trying to get everything set into place.  I started with a small sidetable to give the filter enough height. On the above sheet you can see the requirement of "MAX 4.5 ft" for the base of the canister to the height of the tank.  It can be installed on the floor and eventually will be. 

Requirement: 4.5 ft MAX (54 inches)
Tank height: 21.5 inches
Stand height: 28 inches
Tank height: 49.5 inches

I pried open the plastic clips to the rear of the tank and was pretty terrified that I was going to break them when installing them.  This is a feeling that you never want the customer to have.  You can the parts in the product to work, work well, and you want to remove the need to replace things due to damage from shipping or installation.  Those two areas are the highest cost of a product because it means it's a warranty replacement.

I got them over the rim, no damage, and proceeded to install the suction cups.  There was no way to install the clips with the suction cups installed.  It might be a bit hard to see but I've run into several issues.  The biggest one being that these clips will not and do not fit a tank of this size.  They might work on a 55 (thinner plastics) but they do not fit on a 75G aquarium.  Now we need to add some sort of input/output pipe holder as a secondary cost.  Let's discuss the various reasons why.

There's a few things going on here, but essentially the rear suction cups outside of the tank don't fit because of that gap between the thicker plastic rim and the glass.  It's physically not possible because the part itself is too short for this tank.  This is another holdover from canister parts used in smaller models of this design that simply do not function in this larger situation for this specific iteration of the canister.

In the second photo above with the blue dimension we have a pretty wide (front to back) rim compared to just about every other tank, but it's pretty standard for things above a 55G.  Certain HoBs don't fit and the gap between how wide this rim is causes you to have to really open up those plastic clips.  I was able to get the internal suction cups attached to the glass.  There is essentially one suction cup and the tubing itself holding everything into place.  Again, going back to that distance for how big the rim is, you have to have the tubing go back against the glass and be able to curve inward a little bit to do so.  The result of all of these fitment issues is:

The tubes are angled, so your going to have connections at an angle.


the leftmost one here is the output and only held into place due to the spraybar (added item, not in the original packaging).



This also means that the suction cup to hold the intake onto the glass doesn't work.



Fluval also does not have a prefilter available, and this is the thinnest possible prefilter that will fit this intake.  It pretty much ensures that there is no way to hold the input pipe into place.  In all, this is very poor quality and I am not sure why this is such an issue.  It's a compounding issue of 3-4 parts that just don't fit and that results in what amounts to a failure of design in my installation case.  Note, the prefilter has a "narrow side" and a thicker side, but neither side will fit and allow the tube to be clipped into place.  I have seen others show this issue and I have even seen some users clip the hose way up by the holders where the grey rubber pieces attach.  This is for a 55G+ size tank intended for some pretty big fish.  It's a bit unfortunate that this is the standard and hasn't really been improved upon in the 4th generation of this filter.

Step 2:  Fix the issues with parts not fitting.
Step 3:  I really want to see fluval design a prefilter that works.



To close things out I will make 2 very critical notes here.  I have no way to properly support the input and output pieces.  The intake piece that is provided with the filter is an absolute JOKE and it quickly led to water shooting up into the air.  It was held in place by one suction cup and some very cheap plastic clips.  I seriously recommend that fluval redesign these in a few ways.  I would start with the pieces that are on the FX series of canisters and modify those designs to fit on this series of filters.  A single small output jet of water in a tank of this size, not being able to control direction (due to things not securely attached) led to near floods.  A fish bumps that and all I am doing is draining the tank at that point.  A very serious design failure again, in my view.

407 output.  (very small, single jet of water)



FX series  (more adjustable)



Another note I will add here is that the tubing itself on the filter is extremely rigid and due to things not being securely held in place I am at the whim of the tubing for how things fit.  It's not easy to bend. It's not easy to shape.  It doesn't want to hold it's shape.  It also holds junk in the lines due to all of the internal ridges and it does lead to stress points all along the tubing.  If you step on it, it's going to crack.  If you let it get brittle over time, it can likely crack when you do your maintenance.  Unfortunately this means that you might want to replace that tubing every few years in the same way you replace airline tubing as it hardens.

One final note from a design perspective is the reason why things are designed the way they are.  The connections on everything are basically inside of the tank at all times.  The connections on the tubing are not permanent and they are done this way to make it "easy" for a beginner to be able to install the items themselves.  They will leak if you try to attach them to lily pipes or avoid using the tank rim tubing holders.  Essentially, any time you have a connection of the pipe and the rubber fittings, that's done inside of the tank and there is absolutely a reason for that. 

I hope these photos and thoughts help someone and help you to decide if this filter is for you.  Lastly, here's a video showing the flow across the tank and what you can expect to see.

Edit: one thing I completely forgot to mention was a caryrrying handle. I'm not sure why any canister filter doesn't include this, especially when it's clearly stated not to hold the filter by certain pieces and parts. This could so easily be integrated into the mold and added with very little real cost on the end.  As mentioned before about the clips, mark it clearly too!

Edited October 12, 2023 by nabokovfan87
added note

[AllFishNoBrakes]

My 107 install was very similar to yours. My biggest complaint being that the tubing so SOOOOOO rigid! Makes no sense to me. You’re bound to the kinks already in the tubing due to the packaging. 
 

I’m thankful I’m okay with “okay” and have made my filter word for me. But ya, spend $$$ to have things be “okay” and constantly tweak to have them be “slightly more okay” is annoying. 

[nabokovfan87]

Ultimately I was between two filters and went with this one because of the design of the valve.  I can pretty easily detach things and then move the canister where I need to for the sake of changing equipment out.  I've picked out some pipes, but I don't think I will be able to find a spraybar that "fits" apart from this one.  Fingers crossed I end up with a cohesive filter in the end that I'm not worried I will flood the room with!  Finding a spraybar for a 4ft tank isn't easy.  FX one has the right pieces, but it's the wrong size.  For the 07 series, the out of the box one fits 36" tanks, but you'd have to buy two kits and cut it apart to fit this one.... and that's assuming that the bar fits with whatever other attachment things are in place.  My thought right away after being done, apart from leaving the room to breathe, was just wishing I had considered other things more.  I knew I was going to have to swap parts out and I wasn't really sure either one really fits my needs.  It's been on my mind this week about how much of the hobby results in having to fix things yourself or becomes a designer.  For instance, just to have a lid on the tank.  I'm not really sure why that is the norm.

It's a bit weird for sure.  I am waiting for the tubing to come into stock then I'll get the new pipes and go from there. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

On 10/11/2023 at 10:30 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

It's been on my mind this week about how much of the hobby results in having to fix things yourself or becomes a designer.  For instance, just to have a lid on the tank.  I'm not really sure why that is the norm.

For sure. For me personally, I kind of like the DIY aspect of the hobby. I’ve always enjoyed building things and the general “what would happen if” aspect of testing. That being said, I totally understand how it could be frustrating/off-putting to most. 
 

On 10/11/2023 at 10:30 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I am waiting for the tubing to come into stock then I'll get the new pipes and go from there. 

Are you thinking stainless or glass? Skimmer, or no? Intake sponge, or nah? Curious to hear what you’re thinking!

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/11/2023 at 9:54 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

Are you thinking stainless or glass? Skimmer, or no? Intake sponge, or nah? Curious to hear what you’re thinking!

I think you can basically swap tubing only if you really wanted to.  16-22mm would be the one you use (or 5/8")

I am leaning towards stainless pipes because anything glass I tend to break when I remove the tubing.  I had it happen on the co2 diffuser and now I'm worried about it. I don't know how to attach it to the tank though, not much is designed for a rimmed 75G aquarium.  Rimless fancy scape tank... oh yeah, but a rimmed tank, not much.

aquavitro has some, but no LFS here. 😞

[Guppysnail]

On 10/11/2023 at 11:57 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

never felt like the lid was easy to key into place and I had to press down to get the lid to fit tightly

The grey handles are designed to do the work on these. To open push the handles out and down. Lids pop right up. To close gently place the lid on the can. Hook the handles in appropriate spots on the can and close the handles.  The handles push/pull the lids down and seal. Do this with the hoses off the lid. After lid is secure you snap the hoses into place. There should be no pushing or pulling involved. 
Hope that helps. 

[Ruud]

I own bot the 107 and the 207 (2x)

What I like (compared to my Eheim experiences in the past)

- Ease of maintenance with the trays and the prefilter, easy to clean, slot in easy again etc

- No issue in restarting them after having them opened up, something was usually a struggle with Eheim. The hand primer works well though feels flimsy

- Quiet

 

What I don't like: 

- Agreed on the amount and quality of the supplied media and its something I am going to swap out to. Just not sure yet what to put in the top basket on the 207

- The ribbed tubing are hard to handle and horrible to keep clean

- The way the tubing clips on the aquarium top is just a joke... impossible to put on well with a rimless aquarium and always end up at the angle you don't want

- Agree with you on the inflow pipe, its impossible to put it on the glass due to the angle and width of the plastic hose clips. 

- Agree with you on the outflow pipe... it just hangs loose in the aquariums for now

- I have one tank with a 207 and a spray bar, due to how the outflow pipe comes into the tank its very fiddly to put right. Plus the cheapest I found was about 25 Euro for a F-ing sprayer... a 30cm tube with a few wholes and a few suction cups... Seriously???

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/12/2023 at 4:22 AM, Guppysnail said:

The grey handles are designed to do the work on these. To open push the handles out and down. Lids pop right up. To close gently place the lid on the can. Hook the handles in appropriate spots on the can and close the handles.  The handles push/pull the lids down and seal. Do this with the hoses off the lid. After lid is secure you snap the hoses into place. There should be no pushing or pulling involved. 
Hope that helps. 

It does! All the fancy clip things aren't in the manual, at least not clearly. I've seen reports that initially you can use the clips, but over time it'll leak and it's best to secure the lid properly then latch it.  The main thing for me is to feel confident that it's not going to leak on me.

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/12/2023 at 2:55 AM, Pepere said:

There is a lot of hate directed at Fluvals ribbed hosing, but Fluval suggests it has benefits as well.

I've seen the video. I left a comment there for them with similar information. Needless to say it's a very PR video and I think a lot of their analysis isn't accurate.  A bit.... Well intentioned, but just not accurate to what we all know and see and customers have experienced.

[Guppysnail]

On 10/12/2023 at 1:10 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I've seen reports that initially you can use the clips, but over time it'll leak and it's best to secure the lid properly then latch it

This does not make sense. They would be no more prone to leaking from external clips pulling on the frame designed for this than hands shoving it on. No water is near external handle clips. 

 

On 10/12/2023 at 1:45 PM, Pepere said:

My gut feeling is that leakage over time is due to the fact that the O Ring gasket should be cleaned and relubed monthly and replaced yearly….. and people dont do it…

It is a piece of rubber.  Dirt is abrasive.  Dry lube doesnt lubricate…. It will wear out and need replacing…. 

This is why they would leak. Also not using the handles designed to pull the lid sealed evenly and trying to shove it on possibly unevenly will wear the gasket faster. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/12/2023 at 10:45 AM, Pepere said:

It is a piece of rubber.  Dirt is abrasive.  Dry lube doesnt lubricate…. It will wear out and need replacing…. 

Yeah! That's one of the "most frustrating" things engineers deal with.  Honestly.  Manual is there for a reason based on all kinds of factors.  That's why I had mentioned the way the O-Ring is installed.  Maybe that could be improved.... I don't know.  I like the idea of it being on the lid, the lid being flat and it's an easy fit.  I have an eheim canister that was donated to me and it has a similar situation.  The ring is on the basket, but it's a much simpler connection.  (I hate the clips on the eheim too, likely just an age of the part thing)

Things definitely wear over time and it'll be interesting to see things like cycle data on all different kinds of parts we use daily.

 

 

On 10/12/2023 at 10:45 AM, Pepere said:

Personally I dont mind the ribbed hose at all.

I get it.  For my specific setup it's causing some funky issues.  I measured the rim yesterday, just over 1" wide where things rest, the actual "shelf" is a bit further out than that as well.  There's a lot of things to guide it over and through.  Some adjustments need to be made in future with their clips/brackets for the sake of this specific model on this size of a tank (or larger) that it's supposed to be designed for.  We'll see what they improve or change in the next iteration. 

I equate it towards something like flex pipe.  That is much more structurally sound and used for plumbing.  This stuff is a bit closer to something you use on an accessory tube for an upright vacuum.

 

 

On 10/12/2023 at 11:53 AM, Guppysnail said:

This is why they would leak. Also not using the handles designed to pull the lid sealed evenly and trying to shove it on possibly unevenly will wear the gasket faster. 

Agreed (with both your comments), it all makes sense.  As a person just trying to use the thing that is where I found my struggle.  It was with trying to find the right way to do things.

[Guppysnail]

On 10/12/2023 at 5:58 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

It was with trying to find the right way to do things.

I understand this. When I got my first one I was clueless because I never used a canister. I spent every cleaning dreading it trying to use a putty knife to pry it open. Out of sheer frustration I tried using the handles as a lever. What do you know it popped right off and made total sense. 
Once you get the hang of them they are simple to use. Being new to them it was like conversing in a foreign language I did not understand. 

[Guppysnail]

I actually run 9 of these several of each model. 
Things to keep on hand that do not always deliver quick but are a blessing when you need them. 
-replacement hose

-replacement intake strainer (I’ve had the piece that holds the pipe snap on 3 during cleaning )

-large gasket

Those are the only parts I’ve had to replace  in the past few years and I REALLY wish I had them in hand when they did. 

The hoses hold up surprisingly well- unless you step on them 🤪 but I imaging eventually they do become brittle enough to snap during cleaning. 
 

 

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/12/2023 at 3:31 PM, Guppysnail said:

-replacement intake strainer (I’ve had the piece that holds the pipe snap on 3 during cleaning )

What piece is this?  The one in the actual tank itself?

On 10/12/2023 at 3:31 PM, Guppysnail said:

The hoses hold up surprisingly well- unless you step on them 🤪 but I imaging eventually they do become brittle enough to snap during cleaning. 

Knowing me.... lol.

If you've stepped on an aquarium custom glass lid on the floor, raise your hand! 🖐️

[Guppysnail]

These. They crack longways where I put the red mark. 

Also coop medium prefilter if you stretch it gently inside fits these intakes perfectly 

[Guppysnail]

On 10/12/2023 at 6:33 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

If you've stepped on an aquarium custom glass lid on the floor, raise your hand!

Not custom but clear center strip which are $$$. 🙋‍♀️

[Littlefish]

I have the 307, and share the frustration with the inlet and outlets on a 75g.  I used a heat gun to remold mine and made cuts in some strategic places. 

Also replaced the ribbed tubing with 5/8 clear for better co2 inline connection.  

Used the coop prefilter and it made a difference in terms of dirt in the filter, but really messed with the asthetics of the tank.

Taking it apart and having to lube and redo the O ring (which will go on wonky at least one time) as well as lift all the parts out seems like useless work when compared with a hob. Really, they are the same thing when you think about it, just differently sized, and hob are so easy.  In-line co2 would be the main difference, being easier with a canister as far as I know.  I only use pillow floss and the factory sponge in any filter.

I'm ready on my next tank to keep it all in-tank and just use a powerhead (or 2) to a spray bar with the coop prefilter and stock accordingly.  No leaks or disconnect drips on wood floor!

 

Edited October 13, 2023 by Littlefish
Clarification

[nabokovfan87]

A bit of a tip for installation on this.

If you install the tubing to the rim holder on the tank and if that holder is properly installed with all of the tabs locked into place, then you can slide the tubing freely through the channel as you need to.  This allows you to adjust the height on things as you need to once you have them in place.  It makes height adjustments a little bit easier!

The next question I will have to tackle is determining if and how much the tube structure itself is limiting the flow.  I will report back when I have those results if I notice any difference on the intake or outtake performance once I remove the ribbed tubing.

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/19/2023 at 6:46 PM, Pepere said:

Smoothwall tube may well have better flow initially if the tubing does not compress down making the turn into the tank…

It wouldn't. same size diameter, and I can tell you from my own history with cable design classes, the bend radius isn't sufficient for either one.  Thankfully the clamps don't compress anything, but they are guides.

On 10/19/2023 at 6:46 PM, Pepere said:

however, measuring flow reduction over a few months time would be very important to a final decision.  

Agreed.  I was thinking about this today.  I was thinking about the way the canister flows and the media path and what would be "optimal" to increase the flow.  I am not joking when I say that I need every ounce of flow out of this pump.  I wish I could upgrade it.  I am 1000% certain fluval could by selling a better impeller design and leaving all other components the exact same.
 

 

On 10/19/2023 at 6:46 PM, Pepere said:

if flow is initially 10% better, but drops 30% in 2 months time and ribbed tubing only drops 10% in same time, then ribbed would be better overall…

I agree with your premise. However, there's no way at all for the smooth tubing to have the amount of flow reduction compared to the ribbed version with proper maintenance.  This means cleaning the interior of the pipe as need be.   The pipe I plan to use is a dark grey, they have dark green, and this is all common in practice to reduce algae from forming.  Yes, it can and will form, but I can guarantee you from experience and with my tank that the ribbed hoses will just be a hive for BBA to grow on me.  That's just how my tank is.  Light not even required.

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/12/2023 at 4:22 AM, Guppysnail said:

To close gently place the lid on the can. Hook the handles in appropriate spots on the can and close the handles.  The handles push/pull the lids down and seal. Do this with the hoses off the lid. After lid is secure you snap the hoses into place. There should be no pushing or pulling involved. 

Works perfectly well and "as designed" is the best way I can put it.  I can get into a lot of technical speak, but the just of it is exactly as mentioned in the conversation previously.... use the handles to do the work, even if it's very unclear specifically that it's a feature of the product.  After initial setup, and you know the o-ring is installed correctly (preferably lubricated as well) then you go ahead and center the lid of the canister and proceed to hook on and pull it into place. 

I went ahead and checked all around, the closing gaps all around the o-ring seem to be good.  From the engineering side of things, if you see leaks, this is literally the filter telling you it's time to replace the o-ring and not to "push down" as others had explained they did (myself, hearing it from the internet advice out there) because that causes misalignment and potentially damage to things like the impeller or other items.

As a sidenote, I also removed the previously installed fine pad as it was used and clogged.  I have no idea how much it helps to increase flow (necessary for my use), but I wanted to mention it for the sake of anyone else out there that just isn't sure.  Every 3-4 weeks would be when I pop open the filter and check the floss to see if it needs changed.  Especially if you're using the fluval branded ones that compress a bit more than something like polyfil. 

[Guppysnail]

On 10/21/2023 at 8:00 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

even if it's very unclear specifically that it's a feature of the product.

Like I said I pried the lid off many times 🤣

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/21/2023 at 5:34 PM, Guppysnail said:

Like I said I pried the lid off many times 🤣

Not even kidding... Stuff like that I would have to make photos / explain to customers how to use the product.  JUST SAYING Fluval. 😂

Pictures, and how you say things really helps explain things.  "as shown in figure 1" etc.

Picture for one of them, AWESOME.  I got the thing open! (victory dance) and then had no idea about closing it or what the words even mean.

 

So then... "lift-lock" clamps = the top of the clams and "lock-lift" clamps is the bottom of the clamp?  Very confusing, maybe it's just a random typo, who knows.  I would totally add it to the box / videos and add a photo of how to in the manual.

Edited October 22, 2023 by nabokovfan87