the right filter

[obsessivelady]

I have a 90 gallon tank presently with an emperor 400, a skilter & yesterday I added a US Aquarium protein skimmer. The problem is the emperor. It keeps plugging up & not enough water is flowing. We put a new impeller in it & it seemed better than ever for a week, & now its barely working. I have to keep taking it apart & priming to get it going. A friend of mine has a fluval 404 & he says it will solve all my troubles. Any suggestions?
I have crushed coral in the bottom with lots of rock built up on the back wall & 2 power sweeps for extra movement.
I have 1 volitan lion, 1 naso tang, 1 niger trigger, 1 tomato clown & 1 moon wrasse. Also have a star & a carpet annenome. Am looking at getting a bigger tank down the road when needed.

 

[steamboat1569]

I have had an Emporer 400 for 5 yrs. now, and really never want to give it up. Where is it plugging up? On the intake mesh or the filters? I clean the intake out whenever I see it needs it, and the filters about every 2 months. Do you turn the flow down (the little gray button on the top), when you feed so as not to draw any fresh food into the system? This will not only clog the intake, it will also clog the impeller and filter.
I happen to love this filter.

 

[steamboat1569]

By the way, I do a complete break down of the Emporer and clean it, every 6 months. Also, the little holes that spurt onto the bio-wheels will clog up once and a while, but this is due to salt build up.

 

[obsessivelady]

I have never turned the intake down when feeding my fish, & thanks to you I think I've figured out whats causing the problem. I feed little bits to the trigger & wrasse on the side of the tank my filter sits. I'm sure the food has been getting clogged up in there as it makes a terrible loud noise. I've got it running again & am pushing that in when feeding, plus putting the food on the other side. My husband takes care of the upkeep mostly on the filter, but I'm trying to learn. I did however order that fluval 404 & will use that also. I don't think he's ever cleaned that spray bar. Thanks for the info.

 

[steamboat1569]

I'm glad that you figured it out. After being in the freshwater hobby since I was 6, and now 5 yrs. in the reef hobby, this is the best filter that I have ever used.