need help with filter!!!!

[cardstars]

I recently purchased a used 75 gallon setup with the filter and I need to know how the filter works. I think it is called a 3 stage filter, it goes under the tank in the stand and it has bio balls. It is a huge filter and is clear. My question is how does the water get from inside the tank down under to the actual filter. I have the big black thing that hangs on the side of the tank and I am guessing that it works as a syphon or something to bring the water down into the filter but i have tried a couple of ways and the water just wont keep a steady flow down to the filter. I should mention that there is a small tube on the top of the black thing that goes in the tank that I have tried to suck on to get the water flowing (that was my guess as to how it worked) but it didnt work like that. Do i need a pump in there? I hope not because i already had to dish out $60 for the pump to bring the water back up into the tank. Somebody please help me out here, any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[slick]

can you get any pics?

 

[wamp]

Boy, your in for some fun..
Well, you have to have an overflow box. This will have one part that goes into the tank and the other hangs on the back. Then, there is a U-Shaped tube that goes between the two. That is where you must create a siphon. The box then has another tube that comes out of the bottom to the filter.
Hopefull someone has some pics of what I am talikng about and will post them for you.
There are 2 ways that I know of to start the siphon in the u-tube.
1.) Use an airline tube. Fill the front and back parts of the overflow. Position your tube in the U-Tube into the bend and place the u-tube in the box. SUCK! presto, siphon.
2.) Fill the U-Tube with water upside down. Place siran wrap over bot ends. Hold thight and do not allow the water to leak. QUICKLY PLACE THE TUBE IN THE BOXES AND REMOVE THE WRAP.

 

[slick]

ok here is an overflow box. The side to the right of the red line is the part that goes in your tank. water flows into the box through slots in the plastic. Then there is a U tube that carries the water from the box inside the tank to the box on the right side of the red line. There is usually a sponge or something in there. Anyway there is a hole in the bottom of this box that you attach a hose to which carries the water to your filter down below. This is probally not what you have right?
I'm just guessing what you have is some sort of hang on the back filter or protien skimmer. Pics would help a lot.

 

[cardstars]

Thanks a lot for the replies and unfortunately i cant get any pictures on the internet but i do have one last question. The easiest way (that i cant tell anyways) would be the way where i fill the front and back of the thing that hangs in and out of the tank with water and suck on a tube to create the syphon but on the u-part of it there is a built in tube that you would suck on but i think my problem is what to do with the tube after i create the syphon? Do i put that tube in the tank or do i plug it?

 

[richard rendos]

Overflow hangs on the tank...part inside, part outside. Tubing or pipe connects the outside overflow box to the filter. Water flows through filter to the return pump. Return pump is connected to more tubing or pipe to return water to the tank. Once everything is connected, you start the siphon, and plug in your return pump. That is the basic layout for that type of filter.