wet dry filter keeps losing its siphon

[rooney]

I have a wet dry filter and my filter keeps losing its siphon. This is very annoying as I have to restart it every few days. Does everyone experience similar problems or is it possible I am doing something wrong? I always make sure there are no bubbles in the u tube after I get it started.
Also does anyone know if there is a way that I would not have to start the siphon sucking through an air tube?
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[dinogeorge]

Are you losing the siphon in all tubes or just one or two? In most cases, the siphon is lost in tubes because the water flow can be handled by only one of them. The water won’t evenly flow through all the tubes, but will instead go through the first at its capacity. If you increase your flow with a more powerful pump, then you could see the other tubes start to flow.
But if you mean that all tubes are losing their siphon, and your tank is overflowing onto the floor, then you might have something set up wrong. In the last 15 years nearly all of my tanks use overflow boxes with U-tubes. I have never, not once; ever had them all lose their siphons. It just rarely ever happens.
Good luck man.

 

[princess8077]

what wet/dry system is it? We got an aquaclear pro 150 w/d and had several problems with it at first. Had a really hard time getting it started primed, but after the company changed out the overflow box (the tabs got busted off in transit) and the prefilter box (wasnt constructed right - faulty) it works like a charm. We only have the 1 U-tube....yours?

 

[rooney]

i only have 1 u-tube. It is the u-tube that loses its siphon. I have to restart it every few days which is more saltwater in my mouth than I would like. I am not sure what brand the filter is because I threw out the box.
I think the problem may be due to my prefilter box. My prefilter box has one box inside of it which is a little lower than the outer box with slits. I notice that bubbles develop when the flow from the first box into the second. I am pretty sure these bubbles begin to build up which causes me to lose 90% of my siphon after a few days. I have thought about just putting my prefilter lower in the tank but then I'd be afraid my fish could get sucked in.
Has anyone else has similar problems with this filter box design?
Luckily this problem does not cause any over flowing it doesn't provide adequate filtration for my fish.

 

[dogstar]

What size is the U tube and the return pump.....often, if the pump is not big enough, then theres not enough flow to pull any bubbles all the way through the tube.

 

[dinogeorge]

Man, there must be some sort of flaw with it, or your return pump is just so slow it't just not moving enough water to carry the bubbles with it. What are the Gallons per Hour rating on your pump? Do you have any restrictions on the line that could be impacting the flow?

 

[hammerhed7]

I am leaning towards the return pump being a little under powered, but I would think it would happen right away, not every few days. Does the water level in the sump fluctuate?

 

[notsonoob]

Mine did that, when I had too little water in the tank via evaporation.
You loose syphon because either the container it is dumping to or taking from doesn't hold the water to keep the vaccum in place.
Once everything stays level it shouldn't be a problem, either that or you are loosing it through your syphon hose.
How do you ahve your suction hose set up? I bend mine a couple of times with a tie wrap.

 

[princess8077]

Try raising your overflow box one notch, but watch that it doesnt flood your tank.....it'll look like it will just before it evens out and starts working right as long as you have no bubble in the u-tube.

 

[swalchemist]

Get yourself an osmolator and stop worying about your sump level ever.