External Filter Not sucking water in

[reefo420]

So I've just got an allpondsoloutions ef1000 external filter 1000 litre(250gal)/hr, the filter seems to be outputting water but the pipe for in
flow doesn't look like it has anything in it, I've tried turning off and setting up and priming the filter a few times but nothing seems to help
is that normal? it sucks in a lot of water for a few seconds then shows nothing in, and when i put my hand around the filter it doesn't seem to be pulling any small particles around it, the tank is only 3 weeks old, it's a 35 gallon reef tank and I'm not sure if i should get another pump in and keep it in or will that ruin the cycle?

 

[Sasquatchv]

Common cause is air getting in on a joint of suction vertical tube and U piece linking it to the hose. Crack in U-piece is not impossible either.
1 try submersing suction hose directly in the tank.
2 Try taking in to the batroom and forcing water in trough suction hose using shower hose.
then test in a bucket.

*if the filter is cycled remove all media before running raw tap water trough it - chlorine and all that....

 

[reefo420]

Common cause is air getting in on a joint of suction vertical tube and U piece linking it to the hose. Crack in U-piece is not impossible either.
1 try submersing suction hose directly in the tank.
2 Try taking in to the batroom and forcing water in trough suction hose using shower hose.
then test in a bucket.

*if the filter is cycled remove all media before running raw tap water trough it - chlorine and all that....

thank you for the reply, tank is not yet cycled and this is why i don't want the filter to stop working on me, i took it apart a fe times, the outlet pipe is pouring a lot of water but nothing seems to be going in the inlet, i primed it a few times and nothing helped, i tried pouring water down the pipe and nothing seems to be blocking it

 

[Sasquatchv]

thank you for the reply, tank is not yet cycled and this is why i don't want the filter to stop working on me, i took it apart a fe times, the outlet pipe is pouring a lot of water but nothing seems to be going in the inlet, i primed it a few times and nothing helped, i tried pouring water down the pipe and nothing seems to be blocking it

If you have outflow you must have inflow too!!
Btw if you don't want it to fail I would strongly suggest upgrade to a branded filter. If it failed indeed it's a great opportunity for return and replacement with eheim/fluval/oase even second hand one will be more reliable than £58 chinesium you have.
In a long run it will be chper too. Every 2-3 years impeller and or axle wears out, and due to lack of spares you'll have to buy new filter.
Eheim classic line goes for at least 20 years and you can still buy spares for them!!

Besides, do you really want to trust your fish/corals life to cheapest filter on the market?

 

[homer1475]

If you have outflow you must have inflow too!!
Btw if you don't want it to fail I would strongly suggest upgrade to a branded filter. If it failed indeed it's a great opportunity for return and replacement with eheim/fluval/oase even second hand one will be more reliable than £58 chinesium you have.
In a long run it will be chper too. Every 2-3 years impeller and or axle wears out, and due to lack of spares you'll have to buy new filter.
Eheim classic line goes for at least 20 years and you can still buy spares for them!!

Besides, do you really want to trust your fish/corals life to cheapest filter on the market?

+1

If water is coming out, it is going in. It's not magically producing water to flow through it and pour out.