Cichlid Fish Forum banner

Fluval 406 Noise Issue

58K views 54 replies 18 participants last post by  james.hevener 
#1 ·
Hello everyone I have a Fluval 406 Canister Filter when I first got the unit it worked excellent with no issues. Today I did maintenance on the unit cleaned out the filter pads, the micro filter pads, removed the part that covers the impeller washed it out, removed the impeller and washed it out. I put everything back together and purged the unit before plugging it in. I then plugged the unit in and set the flow to max and after an hour passes by it makes a loud awful sound. It sounds like the impeller causing a lot of noise I rocked the motor back and forth and you can hear the bubbles escaping the noise goes away but then it comes back half hour later. I don't know what to do and I spent $$$ on this unit after reading good reviews about them. The only time when the noise goes away is when I adjust the flow meter to about 50% but I', not getting the full GPH from the Canister. Any help would be appreciated thanks. :-?
 
#8 ·
Cichfish said:
ok I will give that a shot and see what happens...the flow rate is fine just that I have to keep it on 50% if I try to increase the flow rate the noise will start happening again....is this a common issue with these Fluval Canisters?
It can be common with any filter where there is a problem with the impeller not just fluval. Assuming it is the impeller. Did you let the canister prime before turning it on? Was it full of water?
 
#9 ·
before I plugged the unit back on, I got some of the air out by purging the system with that special handle on top then I plugged the unit back in. The canister was full of water when doing this...should I not leave it filled with water all the way after doing maintenance...
 
#10 ·
Cichfish said:
before I plugged the unit back on, I got some of the air out by purging the system with that special handle on top then I plugged the unit back in. The canister was full of water when doing this...should I not leave it filled with water all the way after doing maintenance...
That sounds ok. I would try and lube up the impeller shaft and magnet and see what happens. You may have to order a new impeller if it is damaged.
 
#11 ·
Cichfish said:
before I plugged the unit back on, I got some of the air out by purging the system with that special handle on top then I plugged the unit back in. The canister was full of water when doing this...should I not leave it filled with water all the way after doing maintenance...
The directions say to empty it out while doing maintenance and then let it prime before plugging it back in. I've done maintenance and left it half full and didn't have an issue though
 
G
#13 ·
i had the same thing happen with my 405 the other day.. you have to make sure the impeller cover is actually snapped all the way down.. sometimes it looks like its snapped all the way down and isnt... also be careful not to break the clips on it.. *** broken quite a few of them.. anyways the cover being not all the way down made mine make some noise till i fixed it

also check the white impeller shaft and rubber grommet thats on the end of it to make sure they arent broken *** also had that happen and it will make it move around and make noise
 
#14 ·
i have 2 fluval 406's on my 75, and today, did my routine maintenance, and i'm having the same problem with one of mine, i have taken it apart and retired 5 times now, and I'm getting frustrated.....
 
#15 ·
So I went ahead and added some Vaseline around the impeller and the magnetic shaft basically I added Vaseline to all the moving parts I could see and still I'm getting loud noises coming from the filter when the flow adjustment is set to max flow. When I reduce the flow the noise goes away so currently I have the flow set to about 50% and everything is fine. Not sure what this issue is and I might have to contact Fluval. This unit was bought online at fosters and smith and is only a few months old I got the unit when it first came out. Not sure what else to do???...its getting frustrating...
 
#16 ·
Cichfish said:
So I went ahead and added some Vaseline around the impeller and the magnetic shaft basically I added Vaseline to all the moving parts I could see and still I'm getting loud noises coming from the filter when the flow adjustment is set to max flow. When I reduce the flow the noise goes away so currently I have the flow set to about 50% and everything is fine. Not sure what this issue is and I might have to contact Fluval. This unit was bought online at fosters and smith and is only a few months old I got the unit when it first came out. Not sure what else to do???...its getting frustrating...
Sorry the vaseline didn't work. Well....it was worth a shot. What does the sound sounds like specifically?
 
#18 ·
The only moving part is the impeller assembly, other than silent check valves, which technically move too, so it must be either sand debri, or perhaps it's just not clicked back together properly? They are a little tricky when it comes to locking in the impeller cover lid.
 
G
#19 ·
if you have bubbles then air is getting in the filter.. air where the impeller is will cause it to make noise and eventually stop pumping water.. check to see if its leaking somewhere you might need to adjust the gasket or tighten a hose....
 
#20 ·
Cichfish said:
it sounds like a grinding type of noise when I rock the unit it goes away and then comes back....I should of gotten a FX5...not sure if its bubbles or something along those lines....but its def the impeller or something along those lines
Sounds like something inside the impeller chamber. I would use Q tips and spray water in it to see if there is some sand or other debris stuck somewhere.
 
#21 ·
cichfish, use the teflon tape idea around the seal, above the impeller. i just did it and it fixed the problem. the problem is... water is able to come around the impeller cover, and it creates cavitation, and thats the noise your hearing. so put about 2-4 wraps of teflon tape around the impeller cover seal. and it will fix you problem.
 
#24 ·
part V, the impeller cover. around the sides of it, is where its supposed to seal against the impeller housing, but if the rubber gets squished over time, like ours did, it allows water to pass by it. so the teflon tape will widen the cover, so it makes a good seal!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top