Did I kill my filter?

[Denther]

I bought a 10 gallon Aqua Culture kit from Walmart a couple days ago and with it came an Aqua-Tech 5-15 power filter.

Newbie that I am I plugged in the filter without first putting water into the filter. It's a HOB style of filter. I didn't know what I was doing wrong so I kept plugging and unplugging my filter to get it to move water but to no avail. I re-read the instructions and it was all safety information.

After googling it I discovered that you need to add water (prime it), before starting the filter. I did this and it started acting normal with in about 30 seconds.

I ended up having it running dry for a total of about a minute and thirty seconds. Did I shorten the life of my filter by doing that at all? I have it up and running fine right now though.

 

[frankenfish]

na your fine. happens to my filters sometimes during big water changes when the water level gets below the suck up tube. no harm done

 

[Tooj]

second that. its all good.

 

[Denther]

Ok thanks guys!!

 

[nanu156]

yeah unless it stops running, those kits are notorious for having bad filters so if it goes bad save the receipt so you can return it

 

[pateceramics]

If there was no burning plastic smell, I wouldn't worry. Running it without water is bad, because they are designed such that the water cools the motor to keep it from overheating. If you haven't literally "burned out" the motor, you should be fine.

 

[Denther]

If the filter does die is it possible to return it without returning the whole kit?


And no burning plastic smell.

 

[nanu156]

well.... that my dear depends on the customer service rep at your local walmart.....

I would venture to say yes, that they will give you some flack but if you walked in set it on the counter went back to pets got a kit out and brought it up to customer service then explained that you have a tank full of fish yada yada yada they probably would. Will they need to call a manager? yes probably. Will they say no before they say yes? again yes probably but I have found that wally world will pretty much return anything (even items with out a reciept) if you make a big enough fuss

at the risk of being crucified for suggesting this (I made this suggestion to kira) you could also buy a new kit swap filters then return for cash.... yes so its sorta dirty, in the end they send that aquaculture kit back to tetra (tetra actually makes them) and tetra sends them a new kit. Honestly if you return just the filter that is exactly what they will do, give you one out of a kit then send the kit back with the bad filter....

ok let the marcy crucifixion begin lol

 

[Denther]

My parents wouldn't let me get away with the second option.

Not to worried either. The filter seems well made is doing a good job thus far. And aqua tech is made my Marineland. It says Marineland on the bottom of the filter.