# Fluval 304 + Power Outage = ?? (flood)



## cichfeeble (Jan 12, 2010)

I've got a Fluval 304 canister filter. I have heard enough woes about floods that I was at least paranoid to have a "safety mechanism" so I put my 304 inside of a 5 gallon bucket -- just in case.

Today, there was a several-hours-long power outage in our neighborhood. Came home, and the power was back on, but what had happened was that the Fluval had leaked so as to completely fill the 5 gallon bucket, to the very top of the height of the filter - but FORTUNATELY not overflowing the bucket.

I have a few questions about this:

1. If I had not had the bucket, would I likely be looking at an empty tank and dead fish?

2. With the bucket, could I bet 100% assured that the water would NEVER backfill beyond the depth that just immerses the filter? Or could it keep flowing?

3. Did the flooding likely occur due to siphon action while the power was out? Or when the power came back on (wondering if I could put a trip switch to keep that filter from restarting after a power outage, and if that would help).

4. Do Fluvals just do this? Or would there have to be some other reason (bad seal, or otherwise) that caused the siphoning?

Thanks for the advice. I have another post going up regarding whether I even need that filter at all, but I'll keep the topics separated.

Phew....


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

My question would have been whats wrong with your/everyones fluvals that your getting flooding when the power goes out? Its supposed to be a closed system. Unless a hose falls off the back of the tank, how is the water getting out? Now that power is on, do you still have the leak that caused the problem to begin with? it's been 15 yrs since I used a fluval. Im currently using a marineland magnum 350 pro and havent had any issues with the 3 power outtages I've had this year.

But to answer something. Your flood probably stopped when the power came back on. So it probably would have been much worse had it lasted longer. as to draining the tank, that will depend on how deep your hoses are in the tank.


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## doxiegirl (Aug 24, 2009)

I have a fluval 404 that dumped about 15 gallons of water on my floor after a power outage... it's now inside of a 20 gallon tote plus it's plugged into a UPS battery backup to prevent this from happening again. It seems that the filter continues to siphon after the power is off but cannot pump the water back to the tank, so it floods and leaks. My fluval tends to leak at the seal anyway, so the tote is a must. Plus it's really hard to get the siphon going when it stops- the auto-start system just doesn't work well. My husband hates the fluval so much- if it wouldn't cost so much to replace it probably would of been trashed long ago. I got the filter free from a coworker who had it given to her- makes me wonder if this had happened before. I don't know if this is just a problem with older fluvals or what- I doubt I'd buy one new after my experience.


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## cichfeeble (Jan 12, 2010)

rsilverst said:


> With the bucket, could I be 100% assured that the water would NEVER backfill beyond the depth that just immerses the filter? Or could it keep flowing?


Thanks for the responses so far. I'd still like an answer to the quoted item above. It seems beyond coincidental that the "flood" stopped when the water flooding into the bucket exactly reached the height of the top of the filter. From a physics point of view, that would make sense to me... maybe. And it did not appear to be continuing to rise, though I didn't exactly sit there and watch for it to overflow 

Anyone have first hand knowledge with this? If I could be sure that once the water in the bucket matches the water level of filter, that it would stop, I'd say "Okay, I can live with that".

Otherwise, it's bye-bye Fluval 304.


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## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

rsilverst said:


> Anyone have first hand knowledge with this? If I could be sure that once the water in the bucket matches the water level of filter, that it would stop, I'd say "Okay, I can live with that".


I would think it would be the water levels of the tank and the room. Not the water levels of the bucket and the filter. Unless I'm mistaken, your siphon starts in the tank - not in the canister. So, it is not stopping until the rooms water level is the same as the tanks water level. Pretty sure this is not what you want.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

Having your filter in a bucket will only stop flooding if the flooding is only enough to fill the bucket. By this I mean it will not stop when the water level reaches the top of the bucket. It will just continue until the siphon breaks. And if that happens, and the power comes back on, the impeller will run dry, overheat the impeller housing, and toast the filter.

But canister filters should not leak like this. None of mine do, but I no longer use Fluvals.

To answer the question posed earlier.... as to "what's up with these fluvals"?

Answer: Fluval's (except for the FX5) are designed by Satan and manufactured in the deepest, darkest, depths of hades, for the express purpose of making lives miserable. 

Kmuda,
Founding member of the I Hate Fluval club. :thumb:


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

*

Answer: Fluval's (except for the FX5) are designed by Satan and manufactured in the deepest, darkest, depths of hades, for the express purpose of making lives miserable. 

*

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## krfhsf (Dec 25, 2008)

kmuda said:


> Having your filter in a bucket will only stop flooding if the flooding is only enough to fill the bucket. By this I mean it will not stop when the water level reaches the top of the bucket. It will just continue until the siphon breaks. And if that happens, and the power comes back on, the impeller will run dry, overheat the impeller housing, and toast the filter.
> 
> But canister filters should not leak like this. None of mine do, but I no longer use Fluvals.
> 
> ...


+1 they are bad


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

this is why diy canisters don't work, they leak from built up pressure, my canisters don't leak when they are turned off because they can withstand the pressure, apparently fluvals can't

maybe it has to do with the grade plastic used for the housing, i know my rena and eheim are really thick and sturdy so they won't bow from the pressure, it could be that the fluval housing is too thin and bows out when the pressure is allowed to build up creating a leak


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