Good replacement for fx6 ?

[anewbie]

So i moved it from one of those el cheapo ge surge protector and put it in a linear extension cable and at least for the 5 minutes before i left the room it was behaving. I'll check tomorrow if it continues to behave and report back.

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/28/2024 at 5:17 AM, anewbie said:

The only thing i can think of is a micro hole in intake ribbon hose but if there is one i can't find it. Btw the sponge filter you pointed out is next to the out-take - can't see how it would impact anything but who knows.

yeah exactly....  Something is pulling air somehow and I don't know what it is, but it's a lot of air for that hose to be moving that way.  Main points would be tube or pump or that maintenance port.  Beyond that, hopefully they replace it for you if those don't fix it.  (It's not a car and swapping stuff around shouldn't be the option here, especially with expensive parts)

I feel for you.  Wish it was an easy solution.

[dasaltemelosguy]

On 1/28/2024 at 2:19 PM, anewbie said:

So i moved it from one of those el cheapo ge surge protector and put it in a linear extension cable and at least for the 5 minutes before i left the room it was behaving. I'll check tomorrow if it continues to behave and report back.

That may be enough. In high fidelity work it is not uncommon to plug all of the devices in what is known as a "power conditioner". It's really just a big power strip with noise filters but the better ones have the same device that is in a Variac to boost the voltage as losses of a few volts are inevitable. Especially when many devices share the strip. Some designs won't work at all on a strip because they have power tolerances so tight, they cannot even suffer a few volts loss without problems. That chugging is a classic motor speed control problem as well. What you've just done may be enough but of course, it may not be but it's a good test, nonetheless. It also may be subject to the time of the day as peak usage sees house power down slightly. It's much worse in the Summer as you can imagine. I've seen huge home theater installations where the picture literally changed size when the AC kicked on! That is deregulation and is what is going on with the FX6. I use one large Variac for all six FX6's but for one or two, a Variac this size is plenty: 

LVYUAN Variable Transformer Variable Voltage Regulator, 0-130V Output, 110V-120V Input, (500VA): Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

 

[anewbie]

On 1/28/2024 at 5:39 PM, dasaltemelosguy said:

That may be enough. In high fidelity work it is not uncommon to plug all of the devices in what is known as a "power conditioner". It's really just a big power strip with noise filters but the better ones have the same device that is in a Variac to boost the voltage as losses of a few volts are inevitable. Especially when many devices share the strip. Some designs won't work at all on a strip because they have power tolerances so tight, they cannot even suffer a few volts loss without problems. That chugging is a classic motor speed control problem as well. What you've just done may be enough but of course, it may not be but it's a good test, nonetheless. It also may be subject to the time of the day as peak usage sees house power down slightly. It's much worse in the Summer as you can imagine. I've seen huge home theater installations where the picture literally changed size when the AC kicked on! That is deregulation and is what is going on with the FX6. I use one large Variac for all six FX6's but for one or two, a Variac this size is plenty: 

LVYUAN Variable Transformer Variable Voltage Regulator, 0-130V Output, 110V-120V Input, (500VA): Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

 

Glad you posted; i was pretty convenience it was mechanical and not an air leak but had no clue about the how the motor functioned - which is complicated by the logic to pump out air. I will note the problem started after i moved so your explanation makes a lot of sense - i also had other devices on these cheap ge protector fail (a heater and light) but at the time i did not think it was a direct problem with the protector since it was also a new house - i've been getting a little flicker on led bulbs and now i wonder if it is also a voltage issue. As for ac/heat - well it has geo thermal which reduces the current surge in that area. The electrician has to come out next week to finish up some odds and end and i've asked him to bring a volt meter with him so we can track some of this  down - it is unclear to me if is the house wiring or just the surge protector. Also i don't consider a 5 minute test definitive so as I noted i'll post back in a few days if the problem comes back.

 

To be honest if it is a problem with the fx6; i liked the idea of that pond filter. The pump in the tank is a bit of an issue unless i can think of a clever way to cover it so frys and stuff and can't get into it; but overall it is a much cleaner design. I've been using jeabo pumps with my sump and i wonder if i could rig something up - basically a canister filter is just a sump that is a sealed box - there is no reason the pump can't go inside an acryalic box that is sealed with bulkhead - the only part is how to make the lid water tight sealed when close. Hum - anyone have a 30 gallon square jar 😉

 

[Pepere]

Your first post referenced it pumping air and cust support reccomended changing seals…I guess I presumed from reading that, you were seeing air vent out the outlet into the tank as well..

But if thats not the case,one can ceck voltage at the outlet and at the mains…  Loose terminals can easily induce voltage loss, as well as marginally sized wire and long runs etc… As can power strips…

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 1/28/2024 at 5:52 PM, anewbie said:

I've been using jeabo pumps with my sump and i wonder if i could rig something up - basically a canister filter is just a sump that is a sealed box

Sumps are better than canisters.  Full stop.  If you are looking for a DIY vertical sump/can substitute @eatyourpeas built a nice one!  Long live the V-sump! 

[Biotope Biologist]

I also have a bare bones sump. My cheap pump from amazon started pumping inconsistently so I upgraded to a Nyos Viper 2.0 I believe they are new to the market. Expensive for what it is, but my water level in my sump hasn’t moved at all yet. And it is so quiet.

 

Nothing beats a sump. And they aren’t as complicated as the reefers make them out to be. Mine is refugium style and I have used it to grow out WCMM fry 3x now. It was going to be a shrimp grow out as a food source for my gobies but only one actively hunts them 😅

 

 

[anewbie]

On 1/28/2024 at 6:24 PM, Pepere said:

Your first post referenced it pumping air and cust support reccomended changing seals…I guess I presumed from reading that, you were seeing air vent out the outlet into the tank as well..

 

The sound the filter make is the same sound it makes when trying to expel air; that doesn't mean there is air to be expelled. I don't actually see air.

 

On 1/29/2024 at 9:08 AM, Biotope Biologist said:

I also have a bare bones sump. My cheap pump from amazon started pumping inconsistently so I upgraded to a Nyos Viper 2.0 I believe they are new to the market. Expensive for what it is, but my water level in my sump hasn’t moved at all yet. And it is so quiet.

 

Nothing beats a sump. And they aren’t as complicated as the reefers make them out to be. Mine is refugium style and I have used it to grow out WCMM fry 3x now. It was going to be a shrimp grow out as a food source for my gobies but only one actively hunts them 😅

 

 

The pump i use are the jebo dcp  pumps; these have been on the market forever (have a track record) and are dead silent. Your pump look very simlar to the sicce ac pumps (they have 5 year warranty but are kind of loud). The biggest problem with a sump is if you don't have a drilled tank and don't want to drill it then adding the overflow box - you can do these hang on the back overflow box but they are more prone to cause problems. This 120 i have is not drilled - which make using a sump more problematic. There are also hang on the back sump but those put the pump in the tank and pump the water up (this is different than hang on the back overflow boxes). Sumps aren't super complicated but you have to do it right or you will get a flood when something goes wrong (power outage; dead pump; clogged hose; ...); none of this is complicated but it still has to be done right. I've not see a hang on the back overflow box that i think i would trust but there might be one out there.

[anewbie]

On 1/28/2024 at 4:19 PM, anewbie said:

So i moved it from one of those el cheapo ge surge protector and put it in a linear extension cable and at least for the 5 minutes before i left the room it was behaving. I'll check tomorrow if it continues to behave and report back.

Oh well reported back too soon; problem was back this morning. I'll check the voltage from the wall before buying something. Also fluval said they would replace the unit but in their last email they wanted me to cut the cord BEFORE they send the replacement. Hum... what is the problem with this approach. Waiting for their response.

[anewbie]

The final resolution is they sent a new motor under warranty (i had indicated earlier in this thread they were going to send a replacement before we got into the discussion with voltage).

The new motor is dead silent - i believe the flow is a little less than the older one (but can't measure that) and the cord is definitely a lot cheaper (pre vs post pandemic); but the thing is dead silent 😉

 

Unfortunately i cant' play with the voltage issue suggested in this thread as they require that i cut the cord on the old motor as part of the replacement policy. I suppose i could try to replace the cord on it if i want to test the voltage fix but on the other hand given a choice between mucking with the cord or doing a 200 gallon water change on my 600 gallon aquarium - i rather focus on the fishes than the motor 😉