Fluval 406 is leaking at the AquaStop

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
UPDATE - no update. The Fluval is still dry as a bone and the two HOBs are doing a pretty darn good job of keeping things clean in there. I'm so lazy.
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
are you near the Renton/Issaquah area.. I may have a fluval for you.

HAHAHAHA! No, I'm way up in Everett. I work in Lynnwood too many hours a day though -- so I can alllllways be found.

Are you wanting to "part it out" ol school car style?
 

Paintguy

Active Member
I think I have a 403 and a 404 I am not using, just lazy about getting them moved to someone else. Not sure that is worth the drive.
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
I think I have a 403 and a 404 I am not using, just lazy about getting them moved to someone else. Not sure that is worth the drive.

Like others here, I tend to hoard aquarium stuff so you can always gift them to me.

But why not sell them? In the early days of the hobby, a great deal on an awesome canister filter would have been amazing!

Or better yet, donate them to a school aquarium project or something. @Bob is involved in this. Maybe his Aquariums In Schools thing could use them?

I hate to see good fish stuff go to waste!!
 

dbr33046

New Member
I fix these things as an avocation. Aquastop valves seldom fail by themselves. There are two very thin o-rings at the base of each valve stem.If they dry out, the valve can be hard to seat into the receiver. And too much pressure on that red lever will snap it off, sooner or later, and could distort those seals enough so that leaking may occur. A small amount of silicone gel will soften them up and will enable the valve to seat with"as new" ease. I have also found that continuous and over-use of the primer assembly can cause a very small o-ring situated within the primer assembly under the cover can get distorted or broken and allow air into the canister which will expel thru the outlet nozzle...constantly. After checking the motorhead seal and the rubber adapter connector to the intake tube with no improvement, I am pretty sure that a change in that little o-ring will solve the problem.
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
I fix these things as an avocation. Aquastop valves seldom fail by themselves. There are two very thin o-rings at the base of each valve stem.If they dry out, the valve can be hard to seat into the receiver. And too much pressure on that red lever will snap it off, sooner or later, and could distort those seals enough so that leaking may occur. A small amount of silicone gel will soften them up and will enable the valve to seat with"as new" ease. I have also found that continuous and over-use of the primer assembly can cause a very small o-ring situated within the primer assembly under the cover can get distorted or broken and allow air into the canister which will expel thru the outlet nozzle...constantly. After checking the motorhead seal and the rubber adapter connector to the intake tube with no improvement, I am pretty sure that a change in that little o-ring will solve the problem.

Wow. Thank you. My 406 is truly, essentially new. I've not had it very long so it's crapping out was quite disappointing to be sure.

As of today, my 406 remains dry. Eventually, I'll need a much larger tank for Tankie (SRT) so I'm squirreling it away for that eventuality. It's my first canister filter and quite frankly, I'd only done two cleanings -- probably overdoing it too as a low bioload in that tank -- and when it crapped out on me, I was pretty upset. The two HOBs that are on there are now are doing the job -- sponges in the intakes, of course.

I love your feedback and have printed it out so when I DO fire that thing back up -- or try to -- I will implement your suggestions to the letter! Thank you @dbr33046
 

VElderton

Active Member
Yes I agree with VickiK the repair reply about the Fluval 406 - excellent. I have an old version Fluval 306 and will double check the O rings as suggested. How do you fix the O ring in the primer assembly ... I am convinced that my issue is there.
 

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
Yes I agree with VickiK the repair reply about the Fluval 406 - excellent. I have an old version Fluval 306 and will double check the O rings as suggested. How do you fix the O ring in the primer assembly ... I am convinced that my issue is there.

@dbr33046

Great question!
 
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