Leaving for vacation and already off to a bad start

[ZX10R]

I am leaving on my yearly vacation today for northern wisconsin for some fishing and relaxing. This will be the first time I will be leaving my discus for a week but I know they are in very good hands with my brother. But still always a little nervous when leaving them with someone. This morning I get up to leave for work and both my canister filters were leaking water. Were the hoses hook the the filters one hose on each canister had a steady drip of water coming out and the bottom of my stand was full of water. No matter how tight I got the plastic nut they would not stop dripping. I just wrapped towels around them both for now until I can get home later then I will be trying hose clamps to try and get the hoses to seal off. Now I am very nervous about leaving them for the week. I know my brother can take care of anything that comes up so that is not a problem. Just worried because he will be only coming over once a day for feeding and water changes. So if something happens between his visits I may be screwed. Wish me luck

[jball1125]

What rotten luck to have both filters leaking at the same time.
Hope you get everything resolved now so you can have a nice relaxing vacation.

[William Palumbo]

Ahhh canister filters. The MAIN reason I gave up on them over a decade ago. Get some big Aqua Clears and stuff them with the old media from the leakers. They are a no brainer, with PLENTY of flow...Bill

[Discus master]

I am leaving on my yearly vacation today for northern wisconsin for some fishing and relaxing. This will be the first time I will be leaving my discus for a week but I know they are in very good hands with my brother. But still always a little nervous when leaving them with someone. This morning I get up to leave for work and both my canister filters were leaking water. Were the hoses hook the the filters one hose on each canister had a steady drip of water coming out and the bottom of my stand was full of water. No matter how tight I got the plastic nut they would not stop dripping. I just wrapped towels around them both for now until I can get home later then I will be trying hose clamps to try and get the hoses to seal off. Now I am very nervous about leaving them for the week. I know my brother can take care of anything that comes up so that is not a problem. Just worried because he will be only coming over once a day for feeding and water changes. So if something happens between his visits I may be screwed. Wish me luck

Thats crazy both doing the same exact thing? sounds like something else could be gong on there. But still you would think tighting that plastic nut around the hose really tight would do it. Maybe some Epoxy or something would help seal it off better or something like a plumbers tape? I am not sure what to say about that it should not be leaking. Are you sure it is comming from the hoe and not from the valves for some reason or another? like the rubber washer or whatever it is not seated properly.. Did you just do some maintenace to both of these filter prior to your vacation then the problem happend?

[ZX10R]

Have never had a problem before until now. For both of them to start leaking 24 hrs before I leave is weird. The more and more I deal with different tanks and filters over time it is a no brainer whats works best and what doesn't and which setups are the easiest to keep maintenance up on. The hose slips over a hose barb then the plastic nut screws out and the hose is compressed tight on the barb. For some reason it is not compressing the hose tight enough causing water to leak out. My plan is to back the nut off and clamping the hose around the barb with hose clamps. That should stop it unless both of them have some tiny crack in the hose barbs that I can't see. I haven't touched the filters was going to wait until I get back from vacation before I cleaned them out.

[Discus master]

Have never had a problem before until now. For both of them to start leaking 24 hrs before I leave is weird. The more and more I deal with different tanks and filters over time it is a no brainer whats works best and what doesn't and which setups are the easiest to keep maintenance up on. The hose slips over a hose barb then the plastic nut screws out and the hose is compressed tight on the barb. For some reason it is not compressing the hose tight enough causing water to leak out. My plan is to back the nut off and clamping the hose around the barb with hose clamps. That should stop it unless both of them have some tiny crack in the hose barbs that I can't see. I haven't touched the filters was going to wait until I get back from vacation before I cleaned them out.

I wonder if the hoses just get stretched out over time kind of like the air line tubbing you put onto your air pumps hard as heck to get on at first then after a while it seem they practicly fall off with the slightest touch.

[DerekFF]

new metal hose clamps from any lowes or home depot should do the trick over the stock plastic ones or w/e they came with.

[Wahter]

I wonder if the hoses just get stretched out over time kind of like the air line tubbing you put onto your air pumps hard as heck to get on at first then after a while it seem they practicly fall off with the slightest touch.


I was wondering this too - if the hoses simply stretched out and not making a good seal on the barbs. If you have some extra slack, maybe you can cut off the ends of the hoses and refit them onto the barbs to have a nice seal. That happens to me with some gravel vacuums and airline tubing from time to time.



Walter

[ZX10R]

new metal hose clamps from any lowes or home depot should do the trick over the stock plastic ones or w/e they came with.

I picked up some freebies from work. Sometimes it pays to be in my line of work when you need things :D

[ZX10R]

I was wondering this too - if the hoses simply stretched out and not making a good seal on the barbs. If you have some extra slack, maybe you can cut off the ends of the hoses and refit them onto the barbs to have a nice seal. That happens to me with some gravel vacuums and airline tubing from time to time.



Walter

I had planned on doing that in the first place but I would have to drain the lines in order to pull them off, then cut, them prime the filters. I don't think I have a lot of extra hose to work with plus I am leaving right after work for a 14 hr drive. So hose clamps were a quick fix for me now. Might replace the hose when I get home with a longer one when I have more time.

[Discus master]

I was wondering this too - if the hoses simply stretched out and not making a good seal on the barbs. If you have some extra slack, maybe you can cut off the ends of the hoses and refit them onto the barbs to have a nice seal. That happens to me with some gravel vacuums and airline tubing from time to time.



Walter

Good idea about cutting some slack if there is any and re fitting did nott hink of that one. I think you can buy at some lfs's replacement tubbing that would fit or does places like home depot or lowes sell tubbing that would work??

[Discus master]

I had planned on doing that in the first place but I would have to drain the lines in order to pull them off, then cut, them prime the filters. I don't think I have a lot of extra hose to work with plus I am leaving right after work for a 14 hr drive. So hose clamps were a quick fix for me now. Might replace the hose when I get home with a longer one when I have more time.

Hope you enjoy your vacation I am sure you will be asking your brother all the time how things are holding up its going to make trying to relax dificult while you are worried about your tank fish or whatever is involved with it I know I would be, I am sure all will be well hey keeps us up dated on what takes care of it when you get back thanks and good luck!!

[KeonTheKing]

this is a job for MIGHTY PUTTY lol.

[ZX10R]

Well I made it home and the fish were in great shape thanks to my brother. I did find out that both my canister filters are broke but fixable. The plastic had cracked were the hoses hook up. So I just disconnected one filter and let the other one drip and told my brother to keep a eye on it. Had a horrible time trying to leave town everything went wrong. I wanted to leave town around 4 p.m. but that didn't happen ended up leaving around 6 p.m. A 7 hr drive to west Chicago to my dad's house took me about 11 hrs.

[discusdaves]

Were they mariland filters? I have seen that happen a lot with those filters, I do aquarium maintenance and it is fairly common for marilands, but if it’s a fluval, you got me, never seen a new style fluval break down, but look at the bright side nothing terrible happened and fish are alive! Hope you had a good trip.

[ZX10R]

Were they mariland filters?

No they are Sunsun canister filters I got them on ebay.